I was well out of high school before I fully understood that the history we learned there is not really mine. I mean, I loved the stories of Socrates, Da Vinci, Magellan and Napoleon, Martin Luther and Abraham Lincoln, and I still think it’s important to know these historical figures, especially as we navigate the Western world they helped to shape. But years later when I discovered the story of Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III, I couldn’t believe that I, a now grown ass Samoan woman, had never heard of him before. And then when I was telling all my Samoan friends about this Head of State who lost his life defending the freedom of our ancestors, no one in my generation or younger had heard of him either.
Well that just made me sad.
I understand that Samoan history is not too relevant in many parts of the world, but I went to school in Hawaii, Saipan and New Zealand. You’d think that education in New Zealand, especially, might want to include a few stories from the history of a people they once colonized, who still make up such a huge part of their migrant population. Why aren’t all of us in the Pacific learning more about our own history? (Aannndd breathe.)
Anyway, thank goodness for books – and for the growing number of passionate writers documenting the history of Pacific people. I hope these stories become required reading for more of our schools.
A few months ago I helped a friend organize a workshop for the school holidays program at a local library. We decided to make it a leadership workshop focusing on 3 heroes from Pacific history – yayy! – and off I went to look for these heroes in books.
I found our first Pacific hero in a series of readers by David Riley called Pasifika Heroes. One of his Cook Island Heroes is Ru… Now let me tell you about Ru.
Ru the Explorer
Ru was one of Polynesia’s ancient, seafaring heroes. A lot of stories about Ru are fantastical legend now, but all legends are based on truth, right?
Ru was a master navigator who loved to explore the oceans. He invited his friends and family along on yet another high seas adventure, but most of them were afraid to leave home.
So in a rousing speech, Ru told them to be fearless, to embrace the excitement of discovery. He taught them that they should always be moving forward, that the mysteries of the ocean were waiting out there for them.
Ru got his people so inspired that his whole family – all his wives, all his brothers and their wives, etc. – joined him on his expedition. Aaannndd you can read the rest of this story in Cook Island Heroes. (Go find out why Ru included 20 princesses as part of the crew on his voyage.)
Spoiler Alert: Ru lead the expedition that eventually discovered, populated and governed – quite cleverly – the island now known as Aitutaki.
I found my next Pacific Island hero in another David Riley book.
Haloti Ngata
Tongan American football star Haloti Ngata is a modern day Pacific hero.
Haloti’s success was inspired by heroes in his own life. He was named after his uncle, who played college football, and decided to follow in his footsteps. It was his father, though, who taught him the value and power of hard work. Haloti remembers one day when he was a teenager tempted to nap on the floor instead of doing his chores. He heard his father come in and quickly jumped into a plank position, as if he had been doing push ups instead of sleeping. His father expressed his approval, encouraging him to keep up the good work. In honour of his father and uncle, Haloti worked hard enough to eventually play football for Oregon University.
He was devastated when his father was killed in a tragic accident. And then a year later, Haloti suffered a knee injury which ended his football season. Imagine how discouraging that was for him. He just about gave up.. but thanks to the support of great friends and teammates, he fought through the challenging times – kept the faith – made it to the NFL in 2006 and went to the Superbowl in 2013.
You can read more about Haloti Ngata in David Riley’s Tongan Heroes.
Lauli’i Willis
I have been gushing about Lauli’i the Daughter of Samoa – and our last chosen hero – for several years now. Hers is another story I can’t believe I didn’t know growing up.
So Lauli’i was born in Samoa in the mid 1800s – back when the only people documenting our stories were foreign explorers. Her American husband took her to an editor in California who recorded her life story, as dictated to him, in her own words… and her incredible description of Samoa back then? I can hardly imagine that world today.
I’m still in awe of Lauli’i because hers is the only indigenous Samoan ‘voice’ I’ve ever read from before the 20th century. She’s a Pacific hero not only for leaving behind a written record of her life, but also because as a very young child, she survived an extraordinarily dangerous time in Samoan history.
I’d be here all week if I started telling you Lauli’i’s thrilling true story. You really should read it yourself it’s FREE online, even, at Google Books.
You’re welcome.
More Pacific Heroes
Who are your heroes from Pacific history? Whose stories do you think our schools – especially in the Pacific – should be teaching? Tell us in the comments below.
In 2019, Manaui: The People of Oceania will begin highlighting our contemporary heroes – the men and women in our own communities who have inspired success amongst our people through their own achievements. We’re calling these heroes our Manaui Wayfinders.
We’re accepting nominations now.
In the comments, please also tell us who you think we should interview as our next Manaui Wayfinder.
If you’re curious about what is ‘ika mata’ and what it taste like… then why not try out this simple, quick and easy recipe.
But first let me tell you a bit about ‘ika mata’.
What is ‘ika mata’ and where does it come from?
‘Ika mata’ means ‘Raw fish’ in Rarotongan Maori.
The traditional way that we’d normally have raw fish is using the Maroro fish (flying fish). We’d slice the fish into 2 and half inch pieces, then make 2 or 3 slices back and front leaving the skin on, then marinate it in lemon/lime juice and salt.
You can use any type of fish but our most favorite is the Maroro or yellow fin ‘Tuna’.
‘Ika mata’ comes not only from the Cook Islands but from all around the Pacific Islands e.g Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Fiji, Tahiti, Tuvalu etc. and we all tend to make raw fish our very own.
Although we have our own preferences, this is definitely a versatile dish – you can add any ingredients you like.
Ika mata is definitely a dish to try out when you fly over to the Cook Islands and it is best accompanied with Taro, Maniota( Casava) or Tunu Meika (cooked green banana)
The type of ‘ika mata’ I’ll be sharing today is using tuna, coconut cream and a few vegetables.
This is one of my favorite dishes, one I crave whenever I fly back home, so please do give it a try and don’t be afraid to add whatever you like to this dish.
(These ingredients are what I had in my fridge at the time, so it’s very basic and simple, but delicious.)
Cook Island Style Ika Mata (Raw Fish)
Marie Unuka
Every Pacific Island has its version of raw fish. Cook Islanders call it 'ika mata, and this beautifully simple, delicious recipe can be thrown together with ingredients you probably already have in your fridge.
Wash and dice the tuna into bite size pieces. Add to a clean bowl.Add the juice of 4 lemons to the bowl of tuna, cover and let it chill in the fridge for 30-45mins.
Dice the cucumber, capsicum and onions. Cover and let them chill in the fridge until the tuna has finished marinating.
In a new bowl, add the marinated tuna and lemon juice along with 1/2 cup of coconut cream and mix. Add all the diced cucumber, capsicum and onions to the bowl and mix well. Add 1 tsp of salt to taste.
Have you ever wanted to learn how to make a Cook Island ‘ei katu? (That’s a flower crown/wreath or head garland in English.)
You’ve come to the right place!
Back in Rarotonga we usually have easy access to a wide range of tropical fresh flowers and leaves, but having resided in New Zealand for the past few years it’s not as easy as it used to be.
As an alternative, we showcase our craft skills using synthetic flowers and leaves. Even though it may not be authentic, it still represents who we are and where we come from.
So… since we don’t have access to fresh flowers and leaves, this will be a DIY tutorial on how to make a Cook Island ‘ei katu using synthetic flowers and leaves.
But first…
What is an ‘ei katu?
An ‘ei katu is a garland of flowers you wear on/around your head, also known as flower crown or head garland.
The word ‘ei in Cook Island Maori is something that you create to be worn around your head, neck or hips using shells, flowers or leaves.
‘Katu’ in Cook Island Maori means head, skull or scalp.
What type of flowers do we use to make ‘ei with?
We use all sorts of flowers or leaves when they’re in season. These are some of the flowers I love to use and also you’ll see them on most occasions.
Flowers:
Tiare Maori(Gardenia Taitensis) This is our National flower in the Cook Islands
Tiare Taina(Gardenia)
Tipani(Frangipani)
Bokenvilia(Bougainvillea)
Kaute(Hibiscus)
Yellow Bell
Leaves:
Rauti (Ti leaves- Green or Red)
Miri flower (Ocimum,Mentha)
Ariki Meika (Banana leaves)
The beauty of wearing these garlands is, not only does it make you look beautiful but it also makes you smell nice.
There are also different types of leaves we use to compliment certain flowers but it is at your own preference.
What is the purpose of an ‘ei katu?
An ‘ei katu represents our culture, who we are and where we come from.
We use a combination of local flowers and leaves in the ‘ei to adorn ourselves and enhance our beauty. Each flower and leaf also has its own unique smell/scent which I love.
Another purpose or should I say tradition still being practiced today by our mamas is that they showcase their talents by making ‘ei from their garden or backyard.
An ‘ei katu can be worn for celebrations, e.g weddings, birthdays, and ceremonies like hair-cuttings.
You can also wear them to work in the Cook Islands, unless they have strict rules at your job. Most of the time it’s not an issue.
Who can wear these ‘ei katu?
Women and men can wear them equally but the difference is that women would have more flowers in their head ‘ei than men. Also men would wear ‘ei katu more with leaves – like Rauti leaves or Maire leaves – either around their head or around their neck, especially for ceremonies.
How did I become interested in arts and crafts?
I have a lot of interests, ranging from music, to our Cook Island dishes, to arts and crafts.
But firstly, let me tell you a bit about my background.
I am a Rarotongan/Tahitian/Chinese. I was born and raised in Rarotonga by my parents and grandparents and I attended Arorangi school with my siblings and cousins.
One of the many things I loved about growing up in Rarotonga was going to school and learning about our culture at a very young age. I’m so glad I got to experience that.
We were taught how to dance, sing and play instruments, and we learned some Cook Island Maori words and how to make our own costumes. That’s how I came across my passion for being creative and expressing myself through arts and crafts.
I love to share what I’ve learned with anyone who is interested in our culture.
How to make ‘ei katu
In making ‘ei katu, it’s much easier to work with fresh flowers and leaves. Obviously when you’re back in the Cook Islands you are surrounded by a range of them, so you can be more creative with your crafting.
With synthetic flowers and leaves, your choice of flowers is limited, and they feel more stiff when you’re wrapping your rafia around each set.
You’ll still get the same results just without the scent of the flowers and leaves.
Anyway without further or do, these are the steps.
What you will need:
Synthetic flowers and leaves of your choice
Polypropylene Strap
Raffia
Scissors
Pliers
Sticky tape
Prep time: 5mins
Handling time: 20-30mins
(The first step is the most important part of creating your own ‘ei katu (flower crown). This also speeds up your handling time)
Step 1
Carefully clip each stem 3cm’s away from each flower and set that aside.
Separate the leaves by simply pulling them off the stems and set them aside. The narrow leaves you can measure and cut them at 7cm in length.
Step 2
Take your poly strap and measure it around your head. Use a sticky tape to hold the strap together like so and you’re ready to go.
Step 3
Measure about 1 and a 1/2 meters of raffia so that it’ll be easy to work with when you’re wrapping your raffia around each flower/leaf.
Step 4
I take 2 of the long leaves and position one by one onto the poly strap. One leaf will be pointing to the left and one pointing to the right. Pinch the 2 leaves and hold firmly so it doesn’t become loose.
Firmly wrap the raffia around the leaves and poly strap 2x and make sure you still have a good grip, holding the leaves and raffia in place.
This is my pattern/set starting from left to right.
(You can create your own preference)
Step 5
After adding the first leaves and wrapping raffia around 2x, add the second set of leaves and repeat exactly with the third leaves and last but not least the flower.
Step 6
You’ve finished your ‘ei katu when you can no longer add anymore leaves or flowers. The easiest way to complete it is by wrapping the raffia in between each existing flower and leaf and then making a knot just to make sure it’s secure enough.
Once you have completed everything, you can wear your ‘ei katu with a smile 🙂
And that is your tutorial DONE.
I hope that this inspires anyone who’s wanting to learn how to make an Ei Katu, whos wanting to know a bit more about the Cook Island culture or who wants to share their talents as well.
I also hope this inspires anyone and everyone to follow their dreams.
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