Nikao village is located in the core of Rarotonga Island, and what is playfully called the rebirth of culture is going on in it under the supervision of younger generations, not elders. In the 60th anniversary of Cook Islands self-governance, which is dubbed Te Maeva Nui, the Oire Nikao performers, who are new first-time players, are reviving old customs.
The Oire Nikao team, which is small in size, has gained popularity and appreciation due to their sheer dedication to exhibiting the island’s glory through music, dancing, and narrating tales. Cook Islands News reports that the group has been making every effort to bring on-stage performances that depict the history of efforts as well as moments of pride that portray the identity of the community.
Simiona Teiotu, chairman of Oire Nikao, stated that the repertoire was symbolic. It has a story behind everything we introduce, he said. Each of the pieces represents an action or event that lies frozen in our collective memory, from the birth of our first Member of Parliament to the socio-economic struggles of the 1997 recession. Their song of action and Ura Pau dance touches on the history of their village to the development of the nation in aspects of governance and culture.
The Pe’e dance, which is a chant and step peculiar to Polynesian cultures, in the team is alluding to the 1997 financial crisis that caused an extreme burden on the economic growth of the Cook Islands. Back then, a lot of suffering occurred when the government laid off people, and institutions collapsed. Teiotu indicated that by noting such events, it would make the new generation grasp what their ancestors were going through and how it took resilience to continue.
Despite the difficulties of the task (lack of resources, easy opportunity for rehearsal and lack of experienced performers), members of the team are motivated. The majority of the dancers are just teenagers or students who have not experienced the stage or the pressure which comes with performing at Te Maeva Nui. However, they are making strides with the help of the elders and local mentors.
The long-term member Raemaki Karati has also lent his time to help with choreography and stage presence. His impact and other people like the Nikao CICC Church, monthly costume makers and even the community cooks have prepared the group towards their big night. These are the behind-the-scenes heroes who may be unsung heroes who make sure that the performers are well fed, well costumed and well enthused at every turn.
According to Teiotu, the culture is not taught but practised, and he feels that the event is a breakthrough in ensuring that the nation does not lose its identity. He encouraged his people to think about the thehundred-years transition of the colonial governance to self-rule, and the same way culture had a part to play in the preparation of a united and educated nation.
Vaine Mokoroa [member of parliament], Member of Parliament, represented the feeling when he attended one of the rehearsals of the group. Most of these dancers are first-timers, he said. Others are still in school. But the thing is, what they are doing is strong. It is not only about being in business but also being in business. This is what will keep our language, our values and our heritage safe.”
Mokoroa has indicated that young people have been useful not only in the preservation of traditional art forms but also in instilling the aspect of pride and responsibility in the future generation. They are not only performers. He said: They are carriers of the culture.
The 60th Te Maeva Nui, a historic event in the transition of the Cook Islands to self-governance, has also become much more than a political indicator – it is a way of young people reclaiming the past and potentiating it into a subject of their imagination. It is also an opportunity to bring forth the contribution that is attributed to villages such as Nikao and ensure more appreciation of the ancestral knowledge.
In the process of fun production, the younger generation of performers in Oire Nikao acts as an indicator that when culture is left to the young people, it does not die, it changes.
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