COOK ISLANDS MUSIC

Rutu pa'u (drumming)

Rutu pa'u means 'beating the drums' and can be called the 'backbone' of music and dance in
the Cook Islands. It is an important part of the dance, particularly for setting the tempo. In
kapa rima (action songs), ukuleles and guitars set the melody. Pa'u, percussion instruments,
are important for keeping the beat. Light drumming (usually a tokere and the two-headed bass
drum called pa'u or tari parau) accompanies an action song while full ensembles (of up to
seven different pa'u) are used during drum dances and 'symphony of drums' demonstrations.

In the Tangi Ka'are competition, held around August each year, the focus is solely on
drumming. Teams of students from the primary schools of Rarotonga participate. This is a
good way to keep the art of drumming alive and it allows more young people, including more
recently young girls, to participate. Traditionally, women were not drummers. The usual
percussion ensemble consists of a pa'u or tari parau (a double-headed bass drum), a pa'u
mango (a conga type drum with a tympanum which was traditionally made from sharksking
and was hand-beaten, today it is made from goatskin and is usually beaten with two light
sticks), and pate, tokere and korio (wooden slit gongs of varying sizes which provide a range
of pitches). tini (empty cabin bread tin) is commonly used by Manihiki dance trouiipes. The
use of ka'ara (a large log drum) was revived around 1970 by the CINAT. This instrument
produces three different pitches. The ka'ara, believed to be one of the oldest instruments in the
Cook Islands, played an important role in traditional society. It was used for signalling people
to gather in one place for an important event such as an akauruuru'anga (chiefly investiture) or
a funeral of an important member of society. Today, it is said that to hear a ghostly ka'ara play
in the distant forest or hills (kua tae te arapo) is an omen of misfortune.

Often drummers with natural ability are recognised from an early age and are invited to join
professional dance troupes, where they continue to develop their skill and pass it on to
drummers in the team. A drummer with considerable skill was the late Sunai (also known as
Terepa'i Matapo) who died aged 44 in 2000. Sunai, said to have had natural talent, is referred
to by a number of professional musicians and tumu korero (cultural experts) as a master in his
field. A collection of drum rhythms, invented and directed by him, are available on a CD
called 'Sunai', which is a best-seller in the Cook Islands.

Cook Islands drumming is full and resonating. It is so highly regarded in other Pacific islands,
such as French Polynesia, that they have emulated some of the techniques and drums used in
the Cook Islands. The pate and tokere, which originated in the Cook Islands, in Rarotonga and
Aitutaki respectively, were introduced into Tahiti in the early 1900s. Another export from the
Cook Islands to Tahiti has been the two-stick playing technique for small and medium-sized
slit gongs which the Tahitians call ta'iri pati to distinguish it from the one-stick technique for
larger slit gongs. The fa'atete, now the most common type of drum in Tahiti, was developed in
the 1960s to replace the punu (an empty kerosene or cabin-bread tin). Its raised or hollowed
interior central portion (hune) is a feature of the Cook Islands Pa'u mango."
Drum legends

A legend upholds the superiority of Rarotongan drumming. Once, when Rarotonga and
Ra'iatea were geographically positioned next to each other, a dance competition was held to
ascertain which of the two islands had the best dancers and drummers. After a tough contest,
the Rarotongans were deemed the best and were declared by the gods to be the winners. This
infuriated the Ra'iateams. Although proud of their success, the Rarotongans felt sorry for the
Ra'iateans and wondered whether they had an advantage because their drums had been
invented in Rarogonga. So, they decided to make a drum especially for the Rai'iateans, and
make a gift of it to them. A special delegation went to make the delivery of the gift, but they
were set upon by the angry Ra'iateans and killed. The gods were angered by this, and moved
Rarotonga away from Ra'iatea, 'down to the south' (which is what 'Rarotonga' means), where
it remains to this day.'

Another legend confirms the importance of drums in the social life of Polynesians since
ancient times. Pa'umotu, a group of islands in what is French Polynesia today, is said to have
been named by a celebrated Polynesian ancestor, called Ka'ukura, is said to have led a large
migration of people, e varu rau (1600), from 'Avaiki, stopping at islands which he named Iva-
nuk, Iva-ra'i, Iva-te-pupenga, and others. When he had completed the ceremonies appointing
chiefs and a high chief for the three main islands, he addressed the people telling them to
always remember that they sprang from a common stock and were one people. This was when
the drum beating ceased, and from this fact Ka'ukura called these islands Pa'umotu, meaning
the ceasing of drum beating. From there he continued to Tubua'i, Rangivavae (Ra'i vavae),
and 'Itinui - placing people on all these islands as he went. He returned to 'Avaiki and brought
300 more people. Returning to Pa'umotu, he collected a further 300 people whom he took on
his colonising voyages to Tongareva, then to Ra'iatea, where tradition states he built the
famous marae of Tapu-tapu-atea. From there he went to Taiti-nui (Tahiti) where he settled
permanently.

'Imene (singing)

Cook Islanders of old did not sing the way we do today. Songs of the past were pe'e (chants).

'Imene include contemporary songs and music (including string bands and live bands), ute
(celebratory song), 'imene reo metua and 'imene tuki (traditionall hyumns), and choral
singing. Cook Islanders love to sing and compose songs. this is reflected in the huge body of
work recorded on tape, records, and CDs. People still sing the old songs, and the established
songwriters still continue to compose for musical pageants, festivals or recordings. New and
upcoming composers and singers come to prominence particularly during the Song Quest,
Akateni (String Bands) and Composers' competitions.

Ute (celebratory song)

Although school children sing ute in Schools Culture Festival competitions, the one style of
singing is still largely the prerogative of older people. The traditional ute was a joyful love
chant-song or 'imene akaepaepa (song of praise) performed by a group of men and women in
a celebratory mood. Nowadays, ute are composed about a wider range of topics. Ute today is
different from that of 30 to 40 years ago. According to older Rarotongan exponents of ute, the
modern ute incorporates more of the elements commonly associated with 'imene tuki, such as
tuki (grunts) and perepre (singing descant), than was considered acceptable years ago. This
they blame on the loss of contact with the art for a period of over 20 years when a church ban
was in place. Consequently, the new generation of composers that follow4ed, did not learn the
techniques nor recognise the peculiarities, which made traditional ute different from 'imene
tuki. Variations exist between the islands, however, the purpose of ute is the same on all
islands - it is a celebratory song to be sung in a party atmosphere. It would be unseemly to
perform ute in churches or at funerals. Mangaians have different names fro their different
types of ute. Ko'e and tangi are two of the common styles. Ute today is performed mainly on
stage during the Constitution Celebrations or at community functions.

An ute usually begins with a tare (a short phrase introducing the note the group will follow)
by an arataki (lead-in soloist), usually female. In Ma'uke, only males perform the tare. The
singing is accompanied by musical instruments, with the pace emphasised by light drumming
and some tuki (intermittent rhythmic grunting of the men). Great ute composers (tangata kite i
te 'uri ute) of Rarogonga included the late Tearikiva'ine Goodwin, the late Akatu Karotaua and
the late Vaerua Anguna. Composers of ute on Rarotonga today include Sir Apenera Short,
'Aka'iti Ama and Motu Kora.

Tokitumu the district of priests

Takitumu Te Vaka Ta'unga
Takitumu is my district of priests
Takitumu e, taku vaka ta'unga
A special district for the paramount
Te vaka niania o nga ariki
chiefs
E Pa Ariki e Kainuku Ariki
Pa Ariki and Kainuku Ariki
Korua e aku parekura
Who are my red-plumed crowns
Ma nga mata'iapo o te Puara Nui
And all the mata'iapo of the Puara Nui
Tutara ki Takitumu nei
(Council of Chiefs)
Mei Ta'akarua ki Toreaiva
The rulers of Takitumu
'Oki mai toku i reira
From Ta'akarua to Toreaiva (from the
Ko angiatea nei ko te upoko ia
northern boundary to the southern
O te ika nui a Tangi'ia
boundary)
Ki te Itinga-ra,
They are my boundaries
Ko Ngati Tangi'ia,
Rangiatea is the head of the fish
Vairanga no aku parekura
To the rising sun, is Ngati Tangi'ia
'Uri ake taku aro Teimurimoti'a
The residence of my paramount chiefs
Te 'iku i te ika a Tangi'ia
To Teimurimoti'a I will turn my face.
To the tail of the fish of Tangi'ia.
Chorus: My heart goes back to the beginnings of
Ka oki taku tino ki te po kerekere time
Ka ui au e no 'ea mai au te ngai Here I will ask
kapua ia ai Where did I come from?
Mei 'Avaiki mai taku ui tupuna My ancestors came from 'Avaiki
Tere mai na raro i te tonga They sailed down to the south
Tangi'ia Nui e, o te varurau e Tangi'ia Nui, with 8 times 200 people
Tapa'ia te ingoa Rarotonga (1600)
Ko te Avarau e ko te Vai-kokopu Bestowed the name Rarotonga
Uru mai taku vaka ki reira At Avarau and Vai-kokopu
Ko Vaerota 'oki ko te tapa'e'anga My canoe landed
E marae no aku tupuna Vaerota was also a port of call
Ka vai te reira ei akaara'anga And a marae (sacred ground) for any
 Naa te uki a muri atu
Ka vai te reira ei akara'anga
E tuatau uatu.
(Words and translation
ancestors
This will remain an example
For the generations in the future
This will remain an example
Forever and ever.
by 'Aka'iti Ama)

In the past ute was a part of every social gathering, formal and informal, except for a period
during the 1950s to the 1960s when the Reverend Murphy, President of the CICC, banned its
use at church social functions and forbade the participation of church deacons and
parishioners in it. His main reason for this was the ute's association with pangekava
(homebrew or 'bush-beer' parties) and the nature of the dancing which accompanied the
singing some of which was considered lewd. It appears the lure of the ute (or the homebrew?)
was difficult to suppress for a deacon was suspended from church services during he 1950s. It
was to avoid the scrutiny of village elders and church authorities that homebrew was brewed
and drunk in the bush from the 1850s, and hence the parties were known as bush-beer parties.
According to Motu Kora, a well-known Rarotongan song composer, Ma'ukeans traditionally
excelled at ute, and Ma'uke women, in particular, excelled at the dance style associated with
this type of singing.

'Imene pure (church songs)

'Imene too metua and 'imene tuki emerged out of Cook Islands Protestantism established in
the 1820s. both styles of hymn singing continue to play an important part in the predominant
denomination of the Cook Islands, the Cook Islands Christian Church (CICC), formerly
London Missionary Society (LMS). The term 'imene reo metua is believed to have come from
the reputed age of this Maori hymn (thought to be older than 'imene tuki), or the age of the
singers who love to sing this type of hymn. 'Imene reo metua feature in the hymnal that is still
used, which was introduced from Britain in the early 1800s by LMS missionaries. Most were
translations of English evangelical Moody and Sankey hymns which were themselves based
on the music of German barroom ballads. The composers took the tunes and put gospel words
to them. English missionaries then translated these into Maori. Many more Maori hymns were
composed over the years by the local orometua (ministers). Nowadays, hymns may be
composed by anyone in the ekalesia (congregation). 'Imene reo metua do not feature
excessive tuki (rhythmic grunts of the men) near the ends of phrases of stanzas, as 'imene tuki
does. A popular 'imene reo metua is 'Kua tangi 'aka'ou te pu evangelia'. 'Imene reo metua play
an integral part in worship, where it is sung in the church at all services.

'Imene tuki are unique to the Cook Islands. these are hymns that include elements of
traditional Cook Islands style pe'e (chanting) such as the guttural grunts and hanging
movements of the male singers 'Imene tuki plays an integral part at uapu (Bible study
meetings). Special occasions such as Christmas, New Year and teretere (exchanges of
hospitality between villages) may prompt new composition. 'Imene tuki competitions during
the Constitution Celebrations are based on a Bible verse chosen by the Constitution
Celebrations Organising committee. All competing groups are given the same verse for which
they are expected to develop their own tune and rhythm.

There are seven vocal parts in an 'imene tuki:

* a tumu 'imene (usually a woman soloist) who starts the singing and sets the note and
 tempo to be followed;
* perepere (an alternating high-pithed decorative part) - sung by one or two women in the
group;
* pere na raro (a pitch below the lead) sung by one or two women;
pere na runga (a pitch above the lead) sung by one or two women;
* reo tamou is the level at which the majority of female singers will stay;
pere tane is a high pitch for a male voice - a difficult skill to master as it is outside the
* natural scale for men; Manoa Pirake is one of the few men who sing this part today;
maru (harmony) is the part men perform generally.
*

The people of French Polynesia emulate the Cook Islands style of 'imene tuki in a type they
call himene Raroto'a or himene Atua.

Choral singing was a competition item during he Constitution Celebrations up until the early
1990s. It still occurs on a Sunday during Constitution Celebrations week but it is no longer a
competitive item. The Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) church choir, with its professional
presentation - choir robes near-perfect harmonisation - scooped the honours for many years
when choral singing was first included in the programme of the celebrations. SDA choirs are
well trained in the art of harmony and for many years the SDA church had the only property
trained teachers of music to whom people sent their children to learn musical instruments.

Au 'Imene 'ou (contemporary songs)

Many new songs continue to be recorded every year. Many of them become hit songs in the
Cook Islands and in the Cook Islands communities overseas, as well as in Tahiti and among
New Zealand Maori communities. These hit songs are played repeatedly at parties, nightclubs,
and on the radio. An example of this was the song 'Akakino' in the early 1990s that was a hit
in the Cook Islands and in Tahiti, as well as in Cook Islands communities abroad. 'Akakino'
was re-recorded by many Tahitian artists following the initial release by the Cook Islands
artist, Kutia Tuteru.

Many Cook Islands songs have been recorded by Tahitian artists who, with their more
powerful public relations machines and the larger population, have been able to promote the
songs, and make themselves more money than the original artist did. Often no
acknowledgement is made of the songwriters in the Cook Islands who miss out on royalties
because of inadequate copyright laws and the lack of copyright-treaty arrangements with
other countries, including French Polynesia.

Vaimutu Records, owned by Cook Islanders in Auckland, New Zealand, appears to be

chieving its aim of taking Cook Islands music to the world. They have produced a string of hit
songs in recent years, including 'Ruketekete' by Brother Love (also known as Rahu Vaka),
which debuted in the late 1990s and became the most requested Cook Islands Maori song on
New Zealand Maori's national network of iwi radio stations.' 'Ruketekete' also continues to
dominate the airwaves in the Cook Islands. Other hit songs by Vaimutu Records, include
'Johah Lomu' by Tyson (also known as Elia Elia), a song celebrating the famous rugby player,
and a best-selling CD by T'Angelo (also known as Angelo Tunopopo), with a song called
'Sukerukeru', which became a number one Maori hit song in the Cook Islands in early 2001.

Contemporary songs, which include samplings of songs written or sung by other artists up to
50 years ago, and ones composed recently may be sung in annual contests such as the
Composers Competition (which was until recently part of the constitution Celebrations), the
Song Quest and 'Akateni (String Bands) competition. An important aspect of contemporary
music is 'atu imene (song composition) where high value is given to originality and
complexity. Only occasionally are themes chosen which are not related to the Cook Islands or
to Cook Islanders abroad. Such a song is 'Osama Bin Laden', composed in 2001.

A Cook Islands composer of renown was Turepu Turepu who died aged 56 in 1990. A prolific
composer , he is reputed to have written over 1000 songs in his lifetime, some of which he
recorded in Tahiti in the 1970s. A number of these, which were hits in both Tahiti and the
Cook Islands, because signature hits for his dance troupe, Ta'akoka. An often-repeated story
illustrates his skill at composition. While attending a gathering of choreographers and
composers from around the Pacific, he was challenged to demonstrate his ability. this he did
by pointing to a bird flying overhead. He sang a song describing its colours, its shapes the
way its wings flapped and the direction it was flying. When the bird vanished from view,
Tureu finished his song. He was challenged again to repeat the song. This he did word for
word.

Recording artists

Cook Islands contemporary songs produced on CD and audiotape enjoy a good following in
Cook Islands communities everywhere. In New Zealand and Australia, where Cook Islanders
live in large numbers, Cook Islands dance and music is one way they are reminded of their
ties to their homeland and culture. Not only do they attend the frequent Cook Islands socials
in their adopted countries, they commonly emulate the song and dance pageants of their home
country. Family members in the Cook Islands keep them in touch with their roots through a
regular supply of the latest in Constitution Celebrations, Song Quest, Tiare Festival and Miss
Cook Islands video tapes, and the latest in popular Cook Islands music.

The first famous Cook Islands recording artists were Will Crummer, and Pepe and the
Rarotongans, who produced a string of hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s. In the 1960s,
two singers, Te'ana Makirere and Jake Numanga, came to the fore and dominated the
airwaves until well into the 1970s. Other popular recording artists of the 1970s included
Ta'unganui and 'Akaerepere, Nitika, and Philomena. The early 1980s saw the brief rise of 12
year old Anna Makirere's musical career, but it was tragically cut short by her death from a
misdiagnosed illness. Te'ata Makirere went into semi-retirement from public performances in
the early 1980s. Jake Numanga remained a prominent singer for decades, and still sings and
strums his ukulele as he greets passengers at the international airport.

The songs of these early Cook Islands recording artists were island-style ballads based around
themes of love, heartache and loss. The singing tradition of Will Crummer, who migrated to
New Zealand in the mid-1960s, has continued with his daughter, Annie Crummer, who has
become a well-known singer there and in Australia. A number of other Cook Islanders have
become well-known singers or members of well-known bands in New Zealand: cabaret singer
Tony Williams in the 1960s, members of Herbs, arguably New Zealand's most famous reggae
band; Teremoana Rapley (in Moana and the Moa-hunters), and members of the Monga family
in the band, Ardijah. The next generation of young Cook Islands musicians and singers in
New Zealand will no doubt emerge in hip-hop, the preferred music type of the twenty-
somethings or younger age group.

Even though in the early 1970s, a number of studios operated in Rarotonga (among them
Wade Swoboda's and Peter Story's) until 1995 it was a 'necessary evil' for a Cook Islands
artist to travel to Tahiti to record in a studio there. Local recording artists Nia Heather, John
Lindsay, and Andre Tapena have all made recordings there with TAVT. Kutia Tuteru, Sunset
Special and Tauraki superstars recorded with Studio Alphonse, while Tangee (also known as
Tangi Kokaua), Apiti Nicholas, the late Tommy PIerre, and Mere Darling recorded with
Studio Arevareva. It was not uncommon for the songs of Cook Islands artists to be re-released
shortly afterward by a Tahitian artist who earned greater benefits from the song than did the
original artist. With the advent of easier-to-operate and cheaper recording equipment as well
as access to technical training to operate digital recording equipment, it has become possible
for studios to become established in Rarotonga, thus reducing the need for artists to travel
abroad. Today, local recording studios, such as Te'ura Music, Paradise Studio, and Raro
Records, produce on CD the music and songs of Cook Islands artists and market them locally
and overseas. New Zealand-based Cook Islands artists find creative outlets in a number of
recording studios in Auckland, which are owned and operated by Cook Islanders, such as Log
Drums Studio, Te 'Onu, Hereone, and Vaimutu Records.

Contemporary Cook Islands music is becoming increasingly popular in the Pacific. This is
due largely to the marketing efforts of Vaimutu Records which organises annual tours,
promoting their stable of artists all over the Pacific. In 2001, Vaimutu's recordings were a sell-
out at the 8th Festival of Pacific Arts in New Caledonia. According to its manager Noo
Vaevae Pare, VAimutu Records' crowning achievement since the business started in 1986, has
been the securing of a contract in 2001 to supply Cook Islands and Pacific music to The
Warehouse, the largest chain of department stores and the biggest music retailer in New
Zealand.

String bands and modern bands

Contemporary songs include those performed by solo performers and live bands, as well as
songs produced on music CDs and audiotape. The first formal bands appeared either as back-
up for dance troupes or as bands at socials or 'ura piani'. The back-up band would consist of
selected musicians and singers of up to 20 people in order to achieve the volume of sound
necessary for public performances in the days before the microphone and electrical
amplification became commonplace. It is thought that string bands emerged out of pangekava
("bush-beer' parties), but stringed instruments are unlikely to have been used in the early
years, as they were introduced somewhat later. The first pangekava parties centred on the
consumption of the non-alcoholic kava Maori (Piper methysticum), and from the 1850s 'bush
beer' made from fermented fruits yielded a high alcohol content. Both were condemned by the
missionaries but remained popular. Villagers retreated to the valleys to participate in these
parties, out of the eye of church elders. It was there that new songs were aired and ute, in
particular, continued to be sung.

The sole purpose of the formal string band is to entertain at social events. A typical string
band consists of 10 to 20 men and women who sit in a group singing. Their musical
instruments consist of a limited percussion ensemble (a two-headed pa'u bass drum) and
guitars and ukuleles. In the early days, a performance repertoire included European as well as
Maori numbers to which people danced the waltz, the quickstep, the foxtrot and later, the
jitterbug (titapaka). The best known string band was one of the first - the Pokata Band, formed
in the 1940s by Tupe Short with his wife and others. The revival of this band in the 1970s by
descendants of the original members of the band, coincided with the renewed interest in string
bands generally. Other members from the original Pokata band, Teariki and Lafala Turepu
formed the Moa Band in the 1950s. They played at the Blue Lagoon, a popular dance hall in
Ngatangi'ia owned by Jim Price, an American, and his Rarogongan wife, Rere. Another
entertainment venue was the Royal Hall (later called the Victory Theatre), owned by Willie
Browne. A number of other bands to emerge in the 1950s and 1960s included the Everest
band, Ada's Band, Tupapaku Band and Manurere Band.

For a while it was fashionable to have trumpeters in the music ensemble. This was probably
influenced by the big band orchestras in the movies, which came out of Hollywood in the
1940s and 1950s (cinema-going being the other favourite past-time of Cook Islanders at the
time.) It was probably also influenced by the widespread learning and popularity of trumpets
in the cook Islands Boys Brigade - then the largest single organised youth activity. The use of
an accordion by some string bands is said to be an influence from Tahiti. From the late 1970s
some of the bands acquired permanent entertainment spots of hotels and restaurants until
recently, but they seem to have become less significant in the entertainment arena, partly
owing to lack of availability of the numbers needed to keep them going. String bands still
come together for the annual Akateni competition.

String bands remained popular until the introduction of the microphone, electric guitar and
electric bass guitar and other instruments allowing easier amplification of sound in the mid-
1960s. In the outer islands, where electrical power arrived later than in Rarotonga, string
bands continued out of necessity until the 1980s. Such large bands, in Rarotonga at least, were
no longer necessary. In the early 1970s about 15 'electric' or modern bands (consisting of no
fewer than four or five members) operated on Rarotonga. Many of these modern bands played
at weekends in the packing sheds and the clubhouses in the villages. A popular venue for
entertainment throughout these years was the Marua'ia'i in Tupapa. Modern hands that played
there over the years included the Volcanoes (with George Browne), Kon Tiki (with Papa Takai
Ngatipa), the Nagabonds (with the Vakapora brothers and Apiti Nicholas), Jake Numanga and
his band (with Andre Tapena), and the Pearly Stars (formed by Pat Peyroux, later joined by
Nia Heather and Rere Kaiaruna). today, the demand for live bands is not great, as contract
rates are much higher, so many bars find it cheaper to play recorded music.

The Pearly Stars, who have been around for 35 years, is the longest-surviving professional
band in the cook Islands. They continue to play at hotels and at private functions such as
weddings and parties. The hotels and bars, as well as the nightclubs which emerged with the
growth of tourism, supplanted the Marua'ia'i. Thereafter, the Banana Copurt, a nightspot that
operated out of an historic hotel, the former Otera Rarotongs (built in 1906 and for decades
the only hotel in the cook Islands) became the premier nightspot from the 1970s through to
the 1980s.

A popular new band on Rarotonga in recent years is the teenaged all-girl group called Always.
Always is the invention of Eddie Wichman of Arorangi, who is related to the four young
artists. The girls sing as well as dance to English and Maori songs, some of which they
composed themselves, as well as songs composed for them by talented family members such
as Mike Tavioni. Always have sometimes been called the Rarotongan version of the popular
British all-girl group, the Spice Girls. Always has been performing since 1998 and they have
produced popular music videos and a couple of CDs and hit songs, 'Tiare o 'Ikurangi',
'Rarotonga (Rakahanga)', and 'Destiny'. They perform frequently at the Punanga Nui Market,
sometimes in conjunction with E. Matike! (St. Mary's) dance troupe (to which the members of
Always also belong). Always also performs every Friday night at the Rarotongan Beach
Resort.

Akateni (string instruments)

The most commonly used string instruments in the Cook Islands are ukarere (ukulele) and
kita (guitar). Ukulele and guitar are believed to have travelled in tandem from Hawai'i via
Tahiti in the late 1800s. Here were two instruments that were unlike anything cook Islanders
had had before, but which appealed to their natural sense of rhythm and music and they took
to both with gusto. Ukulele (meaning 'jumping flea' in Hawai'ian) is a small guitar derived
from the machada, a small four-stringed guitar introduced into Hawai'i by Portuguese from
the Madeira Islands of Portugal in 1879. Many changes have taken place in the shape and size
of the humble ukulele. At first, the ukulele resembled a miniature guitar in shape, but Cook
Islanders improvised and developed their own with coconut shell bodies using one, two and
sometimes three coconut shells. The instrument was never more than 60cm long. Today,
ukuleles, particularly those imported from Tahiti and kamaka ukuleles from Hawai'i, are 80cm
or more in length. Tahitian ukuleles may be banjo-shaped or oblong, while kamaka are guitar-
shaped. both are heavier than the traditional ukulele, with double strings (eight in all, instead
of the usual 4). Most performers in the cook Islands today favour the larger imported ukuleles
because they are easier to play (they have more space for fingering) and produce a more
powerful sound. Ukuleles are sometimes electrically amplified to increase their sound.
Tahitian ukuleles are carved out of solid wood, and their ornate fingerboards are sometimes
inlaid with pearl-shell, or carved with traditional designs by expert craftsman. Coconut shells
are no longer used in the body, and the hole normally found on the front of the instrument is
now at the back. The preferred ukulele in the Cook Islands today is the Tahitian, which came
into vogue in the Cook Islands about 1995, after Te Ava Piti, a popular Tahitian band, aired
them in a music video. Ukuleles are always used in tandem with guitars during performances.

Arorangi prison inmates have for decades made ukuleles as part of their rehabilitation. These
instruments are popular with tourists and holidaying Cook Islanders from overseas. The
signature of the maker usually accompanies idyllic island scenes and island names (most
likely his lace of birth) painted on the face of the ukulele. Locally made ukulele were well
crafted but by the 1980s it became harder to get them, save from a few people in the outer
islands who still made them. Punua Taura'a of Atiu continues to make ukuleles but it is in the
preferred Tahitian style. The late Turakina, a well-known craftsman on Rarotonga, lived in
Takuva'ine. Matapo Tamaka of Ma'uke is another well-known ukulele craftsman in the old
style. Most ukuleles used in dance team and string band performances today are imported
from Tahiti.

The guitar, which has a longer history than ukuleles, having originated in Spain early in the
16th century, derives from the guitarra latina, a late medieval instrument. today, the waisted
instrument with sometimes six or twelve strings, is widely played in the folk and popular
music of many countries, including the Cook Islands. The guitar was a highly valued item in
households when it first arrived in the Cook Islands. For a long time it was costly and
therefore difficult for most people to obtain. What few there were well looked after especially
when they became essential equipment in every band and dance troupe. Some people on
Rarotonga attempted to make their own guitars in the 1960s, but they did not sound as good
as the professionally crafted, imported ones.

Cook Islanders learn to play musical instruments by observation and 'playing by ear'. Few
Cook Islanders take formal lessons on these instruments. Like dancing, they pick up the skills
from watching and listening to older players, including older siblings and friends. Outside of
cinema and dance halls there was not much formal entertainment so it was natural for Cook
Islanders to use these instruments in their leisure time. by the 1920s the guitar was so popular
in the cook Islands that Reverend Hutchin in 1924 lamented its influence."... the young men
and women will be found strumming them at all times ... rather playing guitars than come to
services'. For several generations after the first introduction of these two string instruments it
was a favourite pass-time for people to sit under trees in the evening shade and sing while a
ukulele and guitar played. Children mimicked their elders with musical gatherings of their
own to school playgrounds. this was good grounding for dance teams or bands which some of
them would join later. Today it is less common to gather informally to sing for there is much
more to keep young people occupied, such as soccer, touch-rugby, television, video and
electronic games. However, it is not uncommon to see small puna kava (drinking groups, also
referred to facetiously by some as 'Sunday schools') under trees in the back yards of homes,
with the ever-present ukulele and guitar being strummed and sung to by intoxicated
participants.

Pe'e (chants)

Pe'e are ancient historical chants which commemorate particular events, including brave
deeds of ancestors or legendary warriors. Pe'e were formulaic in structure and ritualised in
presentation. Their very nature is the reason few traditional pe'e survive. Because they were
ritualised and could only be chanted by certain people at certain times - al rites which were
considered heathen by the missionaries - many ancient pe'e fell into disuse and were
consequently lost. Pe'e has also come to mean any chant - old or new. Pe'e were once the
mainstay of 'eva, the entertainment festivals which appear to have predominated in Rarotonga
a the time of the arrival of the missionaries. Many pe'e still used today are tribal in nature and
are reserved for va'a tuatua (orators, family spokesperson, or talking chiefs) of a particular
tribe. some pe'e have been composed for special ceremonial occasions or in recent times are
usually performed by a group. Two pe'e which became popular were entered at different times
by the Tereora College Dance Troupe in the Secondary Schools Culture Festival competition
in the late 1970s. these two, composed by teacher and composer, Maeva Karati, told the
stories of heroic ancestors. 'Uke Ariki, from Ma'uke and Mariri-tu-tu-a-manu from Atiu. Pe'e
composition of this nature is not so popular anymore, either because the exponents of the art
are dying out, or interest in this art form has been superseded by other art-forms such as
singing and dancing. This probably the reason pe'e has been combined with peu tupuna
presentations at the Constitution Celebrations of recent years.

Pe'e tuoro or welcome chants are still commonly used today, usually at the start of formal
functions. A pe'e tuoro is short and is usually executed by one person, usually male. However,
a couple of women in recent years have taken up the challenge. While this has not gone down
well with some of the menfolk, this change is reflective of a general transition to a less
patriarchal society. A pe'e tuoro that is performed today may be ancient, or it may be
composed specially for the occasion, or it may be impromptu - composed on the spot by the
person making the delivery. There is a pe'e to suit every occasion. Two Rarotongan
practitioners of the art of pe'e tuoro today are Tepoave Ra'itia and Tere Ngapare (Pua-ti
Mata'iapo). A typical pe'e tuoro is executed with the person carrying a spear, although women
practitioners will use leaves or their bare hands. Pe'e tuoto probably derived from a challenge
made by warriors in ancient times, to approaching strangers. A challenge entailed asking the
stranger to present his credentials: where he was from, what his tribal connections were, and
his achievements. Any person delivering a pe'e tuoro on a ceremonial occasion will be dressed
in traditional costume of either tapa or kaka or rauti, sometimes a combination of all three. He
may complete his costume with a feathered headdress similar to that of an ariki's investiture
headdress, or a coronet of leaves, or helmet of coconut husk, or hat made from tapa.
Costuming depends on the individual's preference.

Karakia is similar to pe'e in its presentation but it is only recited on a marae. Its subject matter
and purpose differs from ordinary pe'e in that it is an invocation or prayer to the gods. Some
karakia are secret and not meant to be taught to people outside of the tribe. An example of this
is the karakia used at the investiture of an ariki. A senior mata-iapo (sub-chief), who is a
descendant of a long line of mata'iapo, or a family spokesperson who is specially selected to
perform the function, learns the karakia and recites it on the day of the investiture of the ariki.
If the mata'iapo or spokesperson commits an error, or forgets some of the karakia during
recitation, it is believed to be on omen of misfortune. It means the ariki is likely to have a
short reign either because he will die soon or his title will be usurped.

Tako is a special karakia recited by the high priest Potiki Taua of Rarotonga at the investiture
of his ariki.

Peu tupuna (legends)

Peu tupuna may be translated as 'ancestral customs', but it has also come to mean the
re=enactment of old stories and legends. These are usually performed during the Constitution
Celebrations. A peu tupuna performance tries to represent, as fully as possible, a tale that is
well known. Legends are performed complete with the traditional pe'e and dances that belong
to that story. Sometimes the legend being acted out has several versions and the 'wrong'
version is likely to arouse the anger of the party being portrayed negatively in the story.

A striking example of this occurred in the 1970s between Ma'uke and Atiu, over the legend of
Aka'ina, an Atiu warrior who tried to take the wife of a Ma'uke chief. Atiuans portray Aka'ina
as killed and eaten by the Ma'ukeans. The Ma'ukeans refute this - cannibalism is repugnant to
modern day Christians. Besides, they argue, Ak'aina's'inu (bodily essences) were retrieved and
returned to Atiu and for that to happen his body would have had to remain intact after death.
In a situation like this, the dissenting group will not have the opportunity to refute the story, if
they so choose, until the following year's Constitution Celebrations. Two popularity re-
enacted legends of Rarotonga are Katikatia (the cannibal witch who ate children) and the
Momoke of Arorangi (the albino water fairies of Arorangi). Tepoave Ra'itia turned both
legends into successful musicals. A legendary character recognised to most of Polynesia as the
mischief-making demi-god Maui, is also a popular subject of many peu tupuna. In Manihiki,
Maui appears in many different fables. The best known is Mauti-potiki e te Ra (Maui and the
Sun - where Maui slows down the sun by using magic rope made from his sister's hair).
Tepoave Ra'itia recently adapted this legend for a musical called 'Maui and the Sun of the
New Millennium', emphasising the need for environmental protection.
The most common theme for peu tupuna appears to be discovery or origin of the people on
their island. for Rarotongans it is the story of Tangi'ia Nui from Tahiti and Karika from
Samoa, who met at sea and combined forces to overthrow the original inhabitants; for
Mangaians it is the emergence of their island and people from the underworld; for Atiuans it
is their island by Uke Ariki from 'Avaiki; and for Aitutakians it is the arrival of their ancestor
Ru from Tupu'aki (possibly tubua'i in French Polynesia).

Nuku (gospel day)

Nuku, meaning 'a company of people' or 'people banded together', is the name originally
given for the pageants performed on Gospel Day (26 October) each year by members of the
CICC churches to re-enact biblical stories. Nuku now also refers to Gospel Day. Nuku are
performed by large groups from the different CICC churches who gather in one of the church
grounds to compete against one another. All performers dress appropriate to the character they
are playing, be they king, queen, slave, soldier, angel and even God, who might be
represented by a man dressed in white standing atop the church roof, or as an omnipresent
voice on loudspeakers. Much time and expense is spent on preparation of costumes, props and
rehearsals in advance of Nuku day.

Nuku commemorates the arrival of Christianity in the Cook Islands. Evangelisation began at
Aitutaki in 1821 and, with some setbacks, spread through the Cook Islands, guided in the
early stages by Reverend John Williams of the London Missionary Society (which became the
CICC in the 1960s). Nuku may also include the re-enactment of the arrival of Christianity to
these islands. this is done with characteristic humorous portrayal of the ignorant savage
(usually a chief with many wives) and the first sighting of the arriving ship of missionaries, to
disbelief in the power of this unseen God (and reluctance of the chief to choose only one wife
from his harem), and finally, acceptance of the new religion and its Christian precepts - with
some momentary lapses. All Nuku are accompanied by music, singing and dancing - dancing
that is seen as appropriate for telling a Biblical tale - of the kind Salome performed the King
Herod.

Conclusion

Dance has remained, since time immemorial, the pre-eminent performing art in the Cook
Islands. It is only in dance that all the performing arts come together and there have been
added to with the passage of time. Since the arrival of the first Europeans, many art forms
have thrived and evolved. Chants survive but their significance has diminished to parallel
with an oral tradition that has been replaced by a written language. Singing, which was
probably introduced, and string instruments, which were definitely introduced, were both
embraced by Cook Islanders with the enthusiasm of converts.

These performing arts are readily adapted for the benefit of tourists as they have been molded
as an expression of faith. But their future remains unclear, for it is not just the performing arts
that are evolving in the Cook Islands. The nation has evolved rapidly in recent years.
Particularly in Rarotonga, the standard of consumption is rising and a once homogeneous
society is becoming increasingly mixed. The cultural foundation for its performing arts has
become fluid so that while the demand for shows is on the rise, particularly with the growth of
tourism, the numbers versed in these traditional arts may well be on the wane. It is probable
that the trend will be towards a small club of professional performers catering to a mass
audience through concerts, radio, television, video, CD and other forms of sight and sound
mass communication. The hope is that this is not so but the signs suggest that Cook Islands
performing arts will become the preserve of the few dedicated to its preservation and keen to
ensure that its vibrancy is not lost to the generations to come.