Kia orana tātou katoatoa,
CONSTITUTION CELEBRATION - 1 AUG
Our 2026 Constitution Celebration and Language Week Event was held on 1 August which started at 11am.
The day started with a mix and mingle for all Kūmiti members to meet and welcome everyone to the Society.
The day was opened by Pastor Teremoana Tauira where we all sung the Cook Islands National Anthem accompanied by our Ukulele Workshop team.
The Society welcomed Pastor Teremoana Tauira and Rev Te, Her Excellency Ms Kairangi Samuela, Cook Islands High Commissioner and her team along with the Aotearoa and Pacific Delegation of Ombudsman Offices and of course all who came up to celebrate the day.
A brief historical overview was had on Cook Islands events leading up to the Enactment of the Cook Islands Constitution enabling self-governing followed by a brief historical overview of the House of Ariki and its significance. We also had speeches from Her Excellency Ms Kairangi Samuela and a Cook Islands Ombudsman representative.
Rev. Te said a pure for the kaikai and everyone was invited to help themselves to lunch and dessert.
Between the various stages we had breaks where Rev Te and Maui Maui Kea, our Rutu Pa'u tutor entertained us all with some Cook Islands music and song.
Toward the end of kaikai our Rutu Pa'u, Ukulele and Ura Fit Workshop member/s show cased performances to the crowd.
A big thanks to Wellington City Council for their grant which supported the financial costs of the Rutu Pa'u and Ukulele workshops. This has assisted the Society in their drive to promote and provide opportunities to learn and be involved in Cook Islands Māori cultural identity and knowledge base.
Toward the end of the day all our workshop tutors were asked to come to the front and share some information about the Workshops they ran.
The day was a success with more new members joining the Society. It was a great event.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - 15 AUG
We held our Annual General Meeting on Sat, 15 Aug which started at 12 noon. The Society put on a kaikai for those who attended to come and listen and comment on what we have been up to over the last 12 months.
The 2025-26 year entailed being part of the Pasifika Festival - Feb 2026 where we received 2nd Best Kai Stall. We attended events remembering a lost and forgotten Cook Islands Soldier held in Masterton and past Cook Islands Soldiers on ANZAC Day down by the Conch.
We reregistered the Society with a newly updated Constitution, a requirement under the newly updated Incorporated Societies Act and we held our first Auction Fund Raiser. Meitaki rānuinui to everyone who supported with your donations and turning up on the day.
Throughout 2025-26 the Society held various cultural workshops: Ei Upoko Making, Rutu Pa'u, Ukulele, Reo and Ura Fit.
A big thanks to Wellington City Council for their grant which supported and funded the Rutu Pa'u and Ukulele workshops which greatly assisted the Socities Cultural drive. The Ei Upoko Making, Reo and Ura Fit workshops were funded by the Society.
In between the Events and Workshops we managed to hold a working bee or two and so it ended up being a busy year.
All the workshops were a hit and well received, indications from those who attended was a wish to continue our workshops over the 2026-27 year.
These projects were all achieved with the work of our awesome 2025-26 Kūmiti members and the Strategic Planning the Kūmiti did in Oct 2025.
Our next Strategic Planning will be done in Sep 2026 preparing for another year of fun and activities to strengthen our peu Māori and ākonoanga.
Kia manuia kotou katoatoa.
Cook Islands (NZ) Society, Wellington Branch