Back to Avarua

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On my way to Avarua, I would pass Punamaia so I decided to stop in at the Tradewinds little family store a kilometer or so away to buy some beer and a Cook Island News weekend edition. It had some interesting articles and one answered a semi-research question I thought about when I took a few photographs of the hulls of a large, double-hulled canoe that was neglected and rotting away. The story in the newspaper more than answered my questions. Rarotonga is like Kaua'i...you have to be careful what you wish for...you might just get it. I just wondered about the vaka. Vaka are the Maori-Polynesian sailing canoes. Here is the part of the story that talked about the one that I wondered about:

"...Further along the back road in Avatiu, the war canoe - Vaka Uritaua - built to carry up to 100 people by the Ngati Uritaua tribe of Avatiu lies half-in half-out of its above ground tomb. A large sheet of yellow canvas covers the exposed half but the broken and rotting bows peep out as tall weeds grow in the space between their twin hulls. What is to happen to these remnants of the '92 arts festival is anybody's guess."

You saw vaka races in the previous page. I didn't read the story until Sunday and I took the photo several weeks ago, but include it here because when in the Tradewinds...on a whim...I bought the paper with that and other info for me, too.

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Vaka Uritaua

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So, here's the Tradewinds store:

When I got to Avarua, I heard a cheer from the direction of the Sport Ground. I turned down the next street past the Cook Islands Christian Church and Graveyards then noticed the old Cook Islands Library and Museum where I first met Mrs. Carmen Temata. Have a look.

Almost across the street is ...

I turned left and went down the street and went past stone sculptures by the artist who carved the Millennium Monument stone. I have some photos:

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These kids have seen me fly the boomerang. They wanted me to take their photos. In the womens center the girls were embroidering. Both of these were taken from across the street.

Now the sculptures:

The Sculptor...Mike Tavioni's story here.

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