The CITC in Rarotonga is the closest the Cook Islands get to a superstore and for more than 100 years it’s been a part of daily life. Its story is entwined in the nation’s history thanks to the strength, determination and commitment of its founding father, Robert McKegg from Goodwood, Otago on New Zealand’s South Island, but little has been known about this enigmatic figure until now. Thanks to meticulous research and a treasure trove of family photos, letters and documents, his grandda...
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The CITC in Rarotonga is the closest the Cook Islands get to a superstore and for more than 100 years it’s been a part of daily life. Its story is entwined in the nation’s history thanks to the strength, determination and commitment of its founding father, Robert McKegg from Goodwood, Otago on New Zealand’s South Island, but little has been known about this enigmatic figure until now. Thanks to meticulous research and a treasure trove of family photos, letters and documents, his grandda...
The CITC in Rarotonga is the closest the Cook Islands get to a superstore and for more than 100 years it’s been a part of daily life. Its story is entwined in the nation’s history thanks to the strength, determination and commitment of its founding father, Robert McKegg from Goodwood, Otago on New Zealand’s South Island, but little has been known about this enigmatic figure until now. Thanks to meticulous research and a treasure trove of family photos, letters and documents, his grandda...
MAUKE is the most easterly of the Cook Islands and even though it’s just a short flight from the capital island of Rarotonga 277 kms away, it’s very different in landscape and lifestyle. There are few visitors but those who venture there discover probably the warmest and most welcoming people anywhere in the Islands. Our guide is Mauke’s Mayor, Joanne Stephens who tells me how her leadership focusses on service, integrity and love. She talks about the challenges her island faces from wi...
What do the best breadfruit stew, the unveiling of 15 stunning murals and a colourful and noisy parade of dancing, drumming and singing in the streets have in common? They're just some of the events so far in a whole year of celebrations marking 60 years of self-government in the Cook Islands. In this podcast, we look back at what's been happening and hear from those who've been part of the celebrations which have brought the tiny nation together in an unprecedented way. But this is ha...
The Cook Islands is having the biggest celebration in its history. 2025 sees a whole year of events marking 60 years of self-government and this is a special edition of Kukicast as the main events get underway. Pride in identity is reflected in the chosen theme for the year, "I know who I am. I have a homeland" (Kua Kite au i toku turanga, a Avaiki toku"). The Islands have a past to be proud of but face an uncertain future with threats from climate change, fears about deep sea min...
This is a very personal story of a young family from London, England who moved to the Cook Islands to work as missionaries at a pivotal point in its history. It’s told in a new book by way of some of the hundreds of letters, photos and documents they sent home to their parents. Their son, Simeon Sturney talks about what that legacy reveals about Islands' life in the late 1950s and early 60s and why he’s sharing it. He also relates an emotional story about how he was born on the island o...
2025 marks 60 years of self-rule in the Cook Islands and big celebrations are planned. Emile Kairua from the Ministry of Cultural Development is organising them and in this podcast he gives an insight into what's planned and the challenges he faces putting together the biggest party in Islands' history. He talks about what it is to be a Cook Islander and why the celebrations are an exciting "family reunion" for young and old alike. He also looks back 60 years and forward to reflect on what th...
Send us a text PALMERSTON ISLAND, 500kms North West of the capital island of Rarotonga, is populated by the descendants of Englishman William Marsters who settled there in 1863. And although it’s part of the Cook Islands, a law passed in 1954 gives those descendants ownership of the island in perpetuity. Six main islets are scattered around it 39 sq. kms of lagoon and the easternmost is home to just 25 people according to the most recent census. Stella Neale is one of the resident...
Send us a text Meet the man who knows more about the Cook Islands than nearly anyone else…because it’s his job to know. Rashneel Kumar is the editor of ‘Cook Islands News’, the six days a week national newspaper. It’s a must read for thousands of islanders and many more overseas who keep up with what’s happening through its on-line edition. Rashneel talks about what’s involved in his day job and the challenges of reporting a nation of 15 islands spread across nearly 2 million square kil...
Send us a text The Cook Islands are a very long way from anywhere unless you happen to live in New Zealand…and even then they’re a three and a half hour plane journey away. So how do you persuade people from the UK, Europe and the USA to discover this remote South Pacific Paradise? That’s the challenge facing Robert Skews every day as he promotes the Islands through his Cook Islands’ businesses ‘Island Hopper Vacations’ and the ‘Turama Pacific Travel Group’. His focus is very much...
Send us a text Aitutaki is the second most visited of the Cook Islands and a picture-perfect paradise with a lagoon so blue you’d think someone had painted it that colour! Swimming or snorkelling among its colourful coral and abundant sea life is like being in a gigantic tropical fish tank. Tourism is well-developed but Aitutaki still remains unspoiled and life moves at the sort of pace the rest of the world has forgotten. It’s also easy to get to from the capital island of Rarotonga an...
The idea of living alone for years on a deserted island might be a nightmare for some, but for Tom Neale it was his dream come true. He spent 16 years of his life on remote Suwarrow in the Cook Islands and became world famous when he told his story in the book, “An Island to Oneself”. Now, nearly 60 years after its publication his daughter, Stella Neale has provided a new perspective on the remarkable story with her own epilogue in a new edition of the book. In this podcast, Stell...
Find out what KUKICAST is all about in this five minute introduction with clips from some of the first episodes. And presenter, John Roberts tells of his passion for this Polynesian paradise in the South Pacific and how this podcast is his way of helping to share it.EXPLORE ALL 15 OF THE COOK ISLANDSMy website is the most detailed guide on the net at Cook Islands complete guide. It's also THE ONLY TOTALLY INDEPENDENT GUIDE ON THE INTERNET with information about each and every one of the...
The Cook Islands are a world away from Edinburgh in Scotland where best selling author, Ian Rankin lives and his novels about Detective Inspector John Rebus are set. But in this episode, Ian recalls his holiday in the Polynesian paradise. The unspoiled beauty, the friendly locals…and the fish sandwiches and local beer all made a big impression. He also talks about Rebus, why the curmudgeonly cop is unlikely ever to end up there and what might be next for his much loved maverick. It’s a ...
WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES THE COOK ISLANDS SO SPECIAL? Karla Eggelton definitely knows because she’s lived there all her life and is uniquely placed to tell us as she’s Chief Executive of tourism. In this episode, she gives us a unique insight into the capital island of Rarotonga, its next most visited neighbour, the stunningly beautiful Aitutaki and some of the 13 other islands which make up this Polynesian paradise in the South Pacific. Among them are some of the most remote and unspoiled place...
Trader Jacks near the harbour on Rarotonga is iconic. In this episode, Jack's daughter, Vanessa talks its colourful history and its legendary owner. Sadly, Jack |Cooper died in June, 2022 but his legacy lives in his new book. Vanessa talks about that and shares some of the 40 years of trials and tribulations, hilarious stunts and downright unbelievable events recalled by a man who was dubbed “the Gordon Ramsey of the Rarotonga ecosphere”Jacks' book, "40 years behind bars. A publican in ...
24 year old Tom Robinson from Brisbane, Australia is on an 8,000 nautical miles voyage from Peru to Australia aiming to become the youngest person ever to row single-handed across the Pacific. He's spending 12 months a tiny boat he designed and built himself and making landfall along the way to resupply and explore the cultures of the South Pacific. Tom ended up on Penrhyn (Tongareva) in the Cook Islands by sheer chance after being blown off course and that's where I...
The CITC in Rarotonga is the closest the Cook Islands get to a superstore and for more than 100 years it’s been a part of daily life. Its story is entwined in the nation’s history thanks to the strength, determination and commitment of its founding father, Robert McKegg from Goodwood, Otago on New Zealand’s South Island, but little has been known about this enigmatic figure until now. Thanks to meticulous research and a treasure trove of family photos, letters and documents, his grandda...
