Suppliers thrive at annual trade day

The three-day annual trade day came to a close yesterday and young trader Kesomi Tatola said it was a great experience to have the opportunity to showcase the beauty of the Cook Islands through the crafts of each stallholder.

The event, sponsored by the Bank of the Cook Islands (BCI) and the Business, Trade and Investment Board (BTIB), was held at the Punanga Nui Market, with more than 90 stallholders selling a variety of crafts as well as local delicacies.

Tatola sells Manihiki pearls from his family’s pearl farm in the Northern Islands.

He said the Trade Days event was designed to showcase the beauty of the Cook Islands to visitors and was also an opportunity to showcase its art and culture.

Tatola praised BCI for its excellent support in helping suppliers achieve sales success during the three-day show.

“The vendors were great, too. There was a sense of community among all the vendors, and we all wanted to help each other. It also helped that the weather was nice.”

Tatola sells Cook Islands black pearls from Manihiki at her stall, which has been a family business for nearly 30 years.

“I’m the newest face of the sales department. We do it every Saturday market, but it’s nice to have trade, just to have an extra few days of trade. Just to show how beautiful our pearls are.”

The theme for this year’s Trade Days is “Grow Local, Buy Local”.

In terms of promoting local products, Tatola said: “I think it is definitely a big thing, especially with the younger generation now, they all want to go abroad to find work.”

“I came to the Cook Islands from overseas. I fell in love with the island, the beauty of the island. I married a beautiful Cook Islander woman, but I also fell in love with the culture. I think the trade that is going on now just highlights the beauty of the country.

“How important it is to keep generations on the island, and make them realize that staying on the island is good for the economy, but also to preserve your culture and traditions.”

Most people who travel abroad “lose themselves, lose their identity,” Tatora said.

“You find through these transactions that people can still retain their identity, retain their family lineage, and still live an honest and good life.”

He said he is looking forward to next year.

BTIB’s charity Malaga said it was a fantastic three-day event.

“When we receive the final supplier and customer surveys we will be able to see how to improve next year’s event as it will be the 60th^day It’s also the biggest one.”

Malaga said next year’s event will have more participants from Paenua and overseas countries, and they need to prepare in advance.