Cook Islands team excels at traditional games

The Cook Islands team displayed impressive skills and athleticism at the recent Heiva Tū’aro Mā’ohi traditional games held in Tahiti, French Polynesia.

The Tū’aro Mā’ohi Games are a prestigious regional competition that celebrates traditional sporting and cultural practices of the Pacific Island nations.

The competition culminated on Sunday with the stone lifting, or amora’a ‘ōfa’i, event, which saw Tamaiva-Ariki Mateariki from the Cook Islands compete for the first time.

Cook Islands team leader Viani Tixier-Teau was proud of the performances of competitors Joshua Jim, Ieremia Samuela and Tamaiva-Ariki Mateariki.

Joshua Jim performed very well in the coconut tree climbing competition and won third place.

After the traditional games, the group took time out to experience a day trip to Moorea and an eight-hour safari.

Mary Ariki was also invited to attend the game to cheer on the team. She played a special role in the game and presented awards to the various winners.

Pa Ariki was impressed by Tū’aro Mā’ohi and said the Tahitians were curious about the traditional games of the Cook Islands, especially the rore (stilts) and teka (sticks) events.

She said it was great to see improvements to the Cook Islands Traditional Games which would make the event a bigger, more popular and more regional event.

Tixier-Teau said Pa Ariki played a positive role in the event.

“She was very involved, handing out prizes, dancing on the piano and constantly cheering our children on, accompanied by the president’s staff. She even attended our training session last week where we climbed a coconut tree,” said Tihié-To.

The Cook Islands delegation is expected to return home on Saturday.