Cook Islands Sun Magazine

CoOK ISLANDS SuN
SEE & DO
25
Kura Happ is the real deal!
Amazing live entertainer
and now reef tour guide
KURA HAPP IS A
GIFTED AND ARTISTIC
RAROTONGA-
BORN VOCALIST,
GUITARIST AND
SONGWRITER WHOSE
PERFORMANCES
AROUND THE ISLAND’S
MUSIC SCENE
ARE SOULFULLY
ENTERTAINING AND
SPIRITED.
She is one of those unique
restaurant entertainers
who performs in an
unpretentious yet eye-catching
manner at a sound level where
you can both appreciated her
sweet music and enjoy your
meal. But, Kura wasn’t always
this way!
Kura Happ has been on a
musical journey since she
was a young child when her
grandparents brought her
along to church to sing with
the choir.
Born in Rarotonga, raised
in Sydney, Kura began her
musical pathway learning the
piano, but she got disinterested
with it and didn’t continue.
As a teenager still at school
Kura and her sister Leilani
practiced their musical skills
busking during the holidays in
Sydney’s busy shopping district
around Pitt Street, the Town
Hall and Central Station,
and also nearer to home at
Hurstville and Cronulla.
“My best friend is my sister.
We’re both singers. I would
play guitar and she had the
ukulele.”
“We’d carry those little fold
out stools with our instruments
on our backs and a little
Djembe drum. We’d walk
around and set up at the best
place; no sound system just
acoustic.”
Kura said they played different
styles of music from the R&B
music of Destiny’s Child
and TLC, to Dr. Hook, The
Eagles, Cat Stevens and Bob
Dylan (influenced by their
parents taste in music): “I love
Dr. Hook!”
“My mum was the one that
really got us into our music.
She can play. And, she took us
to musicals like Miss Saigon,
The Lion King and Ipi Tombi.
There was so many I can’t
remember them all!”
Kura and Leilani ultimately
became a duo R&B group
called Brown Sugar for a
period with some success
around the club circuit.
“We did a few big gigs like
Waitangi Day.”
Ariimoana, king of the ocean
Kura Happ, queen of the Rarotonga music scene
Kura later joined a group called
Indigo: “It was a really good
band, but I was also in other
groups.”
When Kura’s mum and dad
retired they returned to
Rarotonga; Kura moved back
and forward until eventually
settling back in her homeland
when she was 23.
“I learned to play the guitar in
Raro by watching and listening
to local musicians.”
I Love it! If I could
live down there, I’d
leave this place and
go live in the ocean
forever.
For the past fifteen years
Kura Happ has become well
known locally as an individual
performer around the music
scene presenting her own
distinctive style. She has also
performed internationally.
Kura is also half of one of
Rarotonga’s most popular
and accomplished acoustic
percussion duos known as
Trigger Fish, with Maurice
Newport (Mo). They perform
a mix of soul, reggae and jazz
in both small and large venues,
including heading off to Tahiti
often to play at the Hinano
Live concert. “I love Tahiti!”.
Kura is on guitar and vocals,
and Mo on the Cajón (a box
shaped percussion instrument
originally from Peru): “It’s
really cool!”
"I love the music scene in
Rarotonga. The only thing is
(Photographer: Alisha Street)
(Photographer: Jaiah Arai)
all the good concerts and my
favourite musicians I love to
listen to, are often on the same
nights as me."
Recently Kura has expanded
her horizons starting a unique
‘eco’ venture called Ariimoana
(King of the Ocean).
"I’m an outdoor nature 'waterbaby',
big kid at heart! I love
being in the ocean: snorkeling,
spear fishing, scuba diving,
free diving and reef walking. I
love to scuba dive but I prefer
to free dive with friends."
I Love it! If i could live down
there, I’d leave this place and
go live in the ocean forever.
Working for Captain Tama’s
Lagoon Cruizes at one stage
as ‘Captain Happy’ exposed
Kura to visitors, contributing
to her confidence speaking as a
tour guide, and supporting her
believe that she could create a
business focussing on her love
of the ocean. “Also, working
with Ariki Adventures, I learnt
so much there, which gave me
the confidence and courage
to start my Ariimoana reef
walkabouts.”
In 2019, Kura began
Ariimoana walkabouts.
The Ariimoana reef walks
are designed to explore the
lagoon’s marine life close up.
The walkabouts last around
three hours during low tides.
“We go on the reef at low tide,
which is the best and safest
time to go. We find sea life
including moray eels, starfish,
sea urchins, octopus, reef fish,
and sea cucumbers, and talk
about their roles in the ocean
world. I tell stories about how
the locals use to live fishing
the reefs. All those stories my
grandparents would share with
me. I was raised on the beach.”
For more information about
Ariimoana reef walks call 70
070. Facebook - Ariimoana;
Instagram - ariimoana_
walkabouts.
Kura Happ is the real deal!
Amazing entertainer and now
‘eco’ tour guide. It’s going to
be difficult not to come across
Kura if you love the best things
Rarotonga has to offer – local
live music and the pristine
lagoons!
PA'S
TREKS
Across Island Trek with Bruce
• About 3.5 hours
• Reasonable fitness needed
(not suited for those with heart, ankle,
knee or hip problems)
• Transport & light lunch provided
• Monday to Friday - weather
permitting
Medicinal Nature Walk with Pa
• A gentle walk through the noni
plantation and taro fields to
the mountain. Enter pristine
rainforest, visit the sacred Marae.
• Hear stories of Pa’s ancestors and
learn about local herbal remedies.
• Tuesday & Thursday
Eco tourism
at it’s best!
THE TRUE STORY OF
PA & THE DOLPHINS
Written and
illustrated by his
wife Jillian Sobieska,
this story will delight
and inspire children
everywhere.
Available from Bounty
Bookshop or directly
from Pa and Jillian
Bookings 21079 or email pastreks@gmail.com | www.pastreks.com