Cook Islands Sun Magazine

32 COMMUNITY CoOK ISLANDS SuN
What Mana Tiaki means to
the Cook Islands and to you!
“TIAKI MEANS KEEPER OR GUARDIAN AND MANA
TRANSLATES AS INFLUENCE OR POWER. IT
MEANS GUARDIANSHIP WITH SACRED PURPOSE,
TO PRESERVE IT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
THE KEEPER HAS THE POWER OR ABILITY TO
KEEP OUR CULTURE AND HERITAGE ALIVE. MANA
TIAKI ALSO REFERS TO OUR RESPONSIBILITY
AS GUARDIANS OF THESE ISLANDS AND
ENVIRONMENT”.
(Source: www.kiaorana.cookislands.travel)
During 2019 the Cook
Islands, as a nation,
moved further
towards protecting its ‘Little
Paradise’ with the launch and
introduction of Mana Tiaki
Eco Certification designed
for businesses, particularly
tourism-related, to contribute
to a sustainable future for the
Cook Islands.
Attending the
official launch
of Mana Tiaki
Eco Certification
(MTEC) at the
Discover Marine
& Wildlife Eco
Centre in Arorangi
was Prof. Simon
Milne of Auckland University
of Technology, whose
highly regarded ongoing
Cook Islands Visitor Survey
provided background on why
this certification scheme is
important to the sustainability
of the islands.
“The Cook Islands
International Visitor Survey
highlights the number one
reason for visitor interest
in the Cook Islands as our
pristine natural environment.
With increased numbers of
visitors, comes a strain on our
biodiversity, infrastructure
and local communities. It
Mana Tiaki Week
The Mana Tiaki Eco-Certification
launch and Green Expo at the
Discover Marine & Wildlife Eco Centre
in Arorangi, coincided with the annual
Mana Tiaki Week in Maire Nui Park in
Avarua, where Cook Islands Tourism ‘Kia
Orana Ambassador’ legends Aunty Nane
Papa and Aunty Lydia Nga presided.
Nane and Lydia are great friends who
have known each other from school days
at Titikaveka College; one year apart in
age, Lydia admits to being the eldest.
They have worked together for over ten
years at Cook Islands Tourism; now
both are the most recognised public faces
is vital that these issues are
carefully managed and that
responsibility lies within our
communities, government,
and our private sector,” said
Prof. Milne.
Also in attendance was
Kelvin Passfield, the technical
director of the eco-active
NGO environmental
organisation,
Te Ipukarea
Society, who run
the certification
program: “Mana
Tiaki Eco
Certification comes
as the country
notches up record
numbers of visitors,
but there is a genuine desire to
curb the impact visitors have
on the natural environment”.
For some time now, the
original Mana Tiaki program
has enabled visitors to engage
with local conservation efforts
by supporting the work of Te
Ipukarea Society financially.
Donations to the Mana
Tiaki program are primarily
made through Mana Tiaki
collection boxes at various
tourism outlets, including
accommodation, attractions,
and food and beverage outlets.
Monies collected go to various
Te Ipukarea Society projects.
of Tourism, not
only as Kia Orana
Ambassadors,
but also featuring
together in Cook
Islands Tourism
promotional
videos, print ads,
posters, and TV
commercials.
However, the MTEC moves
an important step closer to
supporting the Te Ipukarea
Society mission to “Protect a
Little Paradise”.
The steady growth of tourism
in the Cook Islands has
made the protection of the
country’s natural environment
more critical to the long-term
sustainability of the tourism
industry. And, the tourism
industry is aware of the
contribution they can make
through MTEC, whereby an
eco accredited business follows
a set of standards established to
embed biodiversity considerations
and basic conservation efforts
into its day-to-day operations.
Business operations that
achieve Mana Tiaki Eco-
Certification are rewarded
with the recognition that this
type of ‘green accreditation’
can bring, particularly the
long-term sustainability of the
tourism industry.
Mana Tiaki Eco-Certification
(aka ‘eco accreditation’ or
‘green accreditation’) is
jointly undertaken between
the National Environment
Service through the ‘Ridge to
Reef’ project, the Te Ipukarea
Society, the Cook Islands
Tourism Corporation, and
the Cook Islands Tourism
Industry Council.
Sue Fletcher-Vea, president
of the Cook Islands Tourism
Industry Council, said at
the launch: “I would like
to encourage everyone in
tourism to step up and become
certified. I can't emphasis
enough how important it is
that we in the private sector
protect the very reason our
Nane said: “As Kia
Orana Ambassadors,
we are pretty much
the ears and eyes of
Tourism out in the
community.
We visit schools, businesses
and community groups making
presentations about the Kia Orana
Values. There is three core values
of Kia Orana: Kia Orana, Meitaki
and Mana Tiaki.
“Kia Orana is both a blessing and
a wish for good fortune, and Kia
Orana communicates the essence
of our people and islands. Meitaki,
which means thank you, also refers
international visitors come to
the island.
“It is absolutely our
responsibility to ensure that
whilst enjoying the financial
benefits of tourism that we
do it in such a way that we
are protecting our beautiful
‘little paradise’ for future
generations.”
The CEO of the Cook Islands
Tourism Corporation, Halatoa
Fua, said at the launch:
“We are here today to mark
a great milestone in our
tourism industry, which is the
introduction of Mana Tiaki
Eco-Certification.
“Our natural environment,
together with culture and
traditions, are the most
important assets of any
tourism industry. This
certification is a ‘step up’
strategy to protect the essence
of our growing tourism
industry.”
Since the launch dozens of
tourism operators have already
earned their MTEC. Look for
the MTEC logo around the
Cook Islands, and support and
recognise its membership.
Aunty Lydia and Aunty Nane are not just great friends, they are the
embodiment of Kia Orana Values
Nature guru Pa Teuruaa is spiritually connected to the ecosystems of Rarotonga.
to how we are feeling if we are feeling
good. And, Mana Tiaki that refers to
our responsibility as guardians of these
islands and the environment”.
Lydia added: “We both love what we do!
We don’t count the minutes, and that
includes the ‘meet & greet’ at the airport
all hours of the day and night; and we
happily attend openings of businesses,
buildings and events representing Cook
Islands Tourism.
NOMINATE
SOMEONE FOR
AN A1 MEITAKI
AWARD
Simply complete an A1 Meitaki Award
form at any Cook Islands Tourism
Information Centre, or at Rarotonga
International Airport, and nominate
an individual or a business in
the Cook Islands for excellence
in service to a visitor.
When an A1 Award is given,
the recipient receives nothing more
than grateful acknowledgement and
a certificate.
YOUR CHANCE TO SAY
MEITAKI!
Reward excellent service in the Cook
Islands by nominating an individual or
a business for an A1 Meitaki Award.
Alana Smith shows off one of
Te Ipukarea Society’s more
recent initiatives: 800ml insulated
thermo-flask bottles, which keep
their contents hot or cold for up to
24 hours. There are five colours to
choose from: red, silver, black, blue
and gold. A great souvenir from
Rarotonga too!
Help reduce the amount of plastic
bottles entering the waste stream;
say ‘no’ to single use plastic bottles,
and refill a reusable bottles instead!
They cost around $30.00 and can
be purchased from the Te Ipukarea
Society’s office, next door to Bamboo
Jacks, on the main road at Tupapa,
near Avarua. All profits go into Te
Ipukarea Society projects.