Cook Islands

Alistair Campbell

Playwright

Alistair Te Ariki Campbell, ONZM was a New Zealand poet, playwright, and novelist. His father was a New Zealand Scot and his mother was a Cook Island Maori from Penrhyn Island.

Annie Crummer

Pop Artist

Annie Crummer is a New Zealand pop singer and songwriter who has seen success in both a solo career and as part of various musical groups. She grew up in West Auckland. Her father, a Cook Islander, was one of her strongest musical influences. She did one semester of Cook Island Maori language at Auckland University in 2000. She has worked with New Zealand bands Netherworld Dancing Toys, When The Cat's Away, Herbs. She recorded 'I Hope I Never' as part of the ENZSO project in 1996. She has sung with Australian singers John Farnham and Jimmy Barnes. On stage, she was a soloist in the musical Rent in Australia and, in 2010, in New Zealand, and played Killer Queen in We Will Rock You in Melbourne. The Australian production of WWRY toured throughout Australia and in Japan. Annie joined the South African production of WWRY touring New Zealand and throughout Asia. She is currently working on her third CD, 'project annie.c.' In 2011, she was awarded Senior Pacific Artist Award at the Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards.

Stan Wright

Man

Stan Wright is a Cook Islands international rugby union player and his current club is Stade Français of the Top 14. His favoured position is Prop, being able to play both sides of the scrum. His previous playing experience was for the Marist Club in Whangarei, and for Northland in the Air New Zealand Cup alongside current world rugby super star Rupeni Caucaunibuca. He was also part of the Auckland Blues squad for the 2006 Super 14 season, however had to withdraw through injury. Wright was selected in the 2007-08 Magners League Dream Team along with six other players from Leinster. Leinster ended up with seven stars in the team with the Cardiff Blues, Edinburgh and the Ospreys providing two players each. Wright was voted by his peers the IRUPA Sports Unsung Hero for the 2008-09 Magners League. He was extremely popular with the Leinster supporters and he earned the nickname 'Cookie Monster' because of his home nation, the Cook Islands. He became as forwards coach for Suttonians RFC for the 2009-10 season. Stan's mother, Poila Wright was awarded an OBE in 2007. In 2011, Stan was the highest paid athlete from the Cook Islands.

Henry Puna

Politician

Henry Tuakeu Puna is the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands. He is leader of the Cook Islands Party.

Patricia Taea

Olympic athlete

Patricia Taea is a Cook Islander female sprinter who competed in the 100 metres event at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She was ranked 14th in the Preliminaries for the women's 100 metres in a time of 12.47 seconds, which is her personal best. She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Nikorima Te Miha

Footballer

Nikorima Te Miha in Cook Islands is a footballer who plays as a Forward. He currently plays for Puaikura in the Cook Islands League and the Cook Islands national football team.

Makea Takau Ariki

Deceased Person

Makea Takau Ariki was a sovereign of the Cook Islands. She was the ariki of the dynasty Makea Nui, one of the three chiefdoms of the tribe Te Au O Tonga on the island of Rarotonga. She succeeded her uncle Makea Abera Ariki in 1871. Her reign lasted forty years during a crucial time in the history of Rarotonga and the Cook Islands. It was under her reign that the Cook Islands became a British protectorate in 1888 before being annexed to New Zealand in 1900.

Tom Davis

Politician

Sir Thomas "Tom" Robert Alexander Harries Davis, KBE was a Prime Minister of the Cook Islands and a medical researcher.

Pupuke Robati

Man

Sir Pupuke Robati KBE was a Cook Island politician who was the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 29 July 1987 to 1 February 1989. Robati was from the island of Rakahanga. He completed his primary and secondary schooling in Manihiki and Rarotonga. He studied medicine at the Fiji School of Medicine and graduated as a surgeon in 1948. On returning to the Cook Islands, he worked in Rarotonga, Mangaia, and Atiu. In 1966, he received training from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Otago. Robati was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Cook Islands in the 1965 election as independent representing the district of Rakahanga. He was re-elected in the 1968 election, and in 1972 he joined the newly created Democratic Party. He was re-elected in eight more general elections as a candidate for the Democratic Party. Beginning in 1978, Robati was the Deputy Premier in the Cabinet of Premier Tom Davis. On 29 July 1987, he succeeded Davis as Prime Minister after Davis retired from politics. During his 18 months as Prime Minister, the Parliament of the Cook Islands enacted a constitutional amendment that added a preamble to the constitution which recognised the "heritage of Christian principles" in the Cook Islands and declared that the people of the Cook Islands "remember to keep holy the Sabbath Day, being the day of the week, which, according to a person's belief and conscience, is the Sabbath of the Lord." The Cook Islands also successfully applied for membership in the World Health Organization during Robati's tenure.

Albert Henry

Politician

Albert Royle Henry was the first Premier of the Cook Islands. He was forced to resign from that post in a 1978 voting scandal for which he was later convicted of fraud. Henry was the founder and first leader of the Cook Islands Party.

Geoffrey Henry

Man

Sir Geoffrey Arama Henry KBE was a Cook Island politician who was twice the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands. He was leader of the Cook Islands Party from 1979 to 2006.

Terepai Maoate

Politician

Sir Terepai Tuamure Maoate, KBE was Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 18 November 1999 to 11 February 2002. He was a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party Maoate was born in Rarotonga on 1 September 1934, and educated at Ngatangiia Primary School, Fiji School of Medicine, and the University of Auckland. He worked as a medical doctor before becoming Director of Clinical Services for the Ministry of Health in 1976. Maoate was elected to the Cook Islands Parliament as MP for Ngatangiia in the March, 1983 general election. He subsequently served as Minister of Health and Agriculture in the Democratic cabinet of Tom Davis, and between 1985 and 1989 was also Deputy Prime Minister. In 1998, Maoate became Leader of the Democratic party and Leader of the Opposition. The 1999 election produced a hung Parliament, and following several coalition realignments, Maoate became Prime Minister. He was ousted by his former Deputy Prime Minister Robert Woonton on 11 February 2002, and subsequently became Leader of the Opposition. In early 2003 the Democratic Party re-merged, and Maoate was reappointed to cabinet, replacing Cook Islands Party leader Geoffrey Henry as Deputy Prime Minister. However the arrangement did not last, with Maoate resigning and tabling a motion of no-confidence in the government in November. Continued factional infighting saw Maoate fail to become Prime Minister after the 2004 elections, when a group of Democratic Party MPs split to back Jim Marurai. However, a coalition realignment in 2005 saw Maoate reappointed as Deputy Prime Minister again. In July 2009, he was given the additional position of Foreign Minister.

Jim Marurai

Politician

Jim Marurai is a Cook Islands politician and former Prime Minister of the Cook Islands. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Christian Bouckenooghe

Soccer

Christian "Kris" Bouckenooghe is a New Zealand association football player of Belgian and Cook Island Māori descent. He plays as a defender for Roeselare in the lower divisions of Belgian football.

Adam Cook

Athlete

Adam Cook is a Cook Islander professional rugby league footballer of the 2000s, playing at representative level for Cook Islands, and at club level for Castleford Tigers, as a Prop.

Steve Berryman

Athlete

Steve Berryman is a Cook Islander professional rugby footballer of the 1990s and 2000s, playing at representative level rugby league for the New Zealand Māori team and the Cook Islands, as a Centre, Five-eighth/Stand-off, or Lock/Loose forward.

Daniel Fepuleai

Athlete

Daniel Fepuleai is a professional rugby league footballer for the North Sydney Bears in the NSW Cup. He previously played with Sydney Roosters in Australasia's National Rugby League, and the St. George Illawarra Dragons as well as a stint with the New Jersey Turnpike Titans in the USA Rugby League. He plays primarily as a hooker. Despite never featuring for the Dragons' first grade team, Fepuleai reached the final of the 2009 Pacific Cup with the Cook Islands. He made his NRL debut for Sydney Roosters against the Penrith Panthers in round 5 of the competition in 2010.

Tom Marsters

Man

Tom John Marsters is the 7th Queen's Representative to the Cook Islands.

Apii Piho

Man

Tereapii Piho is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet Minister. Piho was born on Rakahanga and educated in New Zealand. He was first elected to Parliament for the seat of Manihiki as a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party at the 2006 election, defeating Cook Islands Party leader Henry Puna. In December 2009 he was appointed to Cabinet following the sacking of Terepai Maoate and resignation of Democratic party cabinet ministers. He currently holds the portfolios of Justice, Health, Internal Affairs, Youth & Sports, and NGOs. As a result, he was expelled from the Democratic Party on 8 April 2010. Piho failed to win re-election in the 2010 election and was defeated by Henry Puna.

Teina Bishop

Man

Teina Bishop is a Cook Islands politician and Cabinet Minister. He represents the constituency of Arutanga-Nikaupara-Reureu. Bishop was born in Aitutaki and was educated at Araura Primary school, Aitutaki Junior High School, and the University of the South Pacific before working as a teacher. He was first elected to Parliament in the 1999 election. In 2003 he resigned from parliament over budget cuts to his constituency, precipitating a by-election in which he was returned unopposed. Bishop was elected Deputy Speaker in 2004 and held the position until 2005. He served briefly as Minister for the Environment and Outer Islands in 2006.

Robert Wigmore

Man

Robert George Wigmore was a Cook Islands politician and former Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands and Cabinet Minister. He was leader of the Cook Islands Democratic Party. Wigmore was born on Rarotonga. He was educated in Titikaveka, and worked as a farmer. In 1985 he was elected President of the Cook Islands Producers Federation. He was first elected to Parliament as a Democratic Party candidate for the seat of Titikaveka at the 1999 election. He served as an under-secretary to Prime Minister Robert Woonton before being appointed to Cabinet as Minister of Agriculture in November 2002. At the 2004 election he apparently won his seat on the night, but the result was overturned three months later by an electoral petition. In the intervening period there was a leadership dispute within the Democratic party, in which Wigmore remained neutral. In 2005, in a further ruling on the 2004 electoral petition, the Cook Islands Court of Appeal upheld a High Court finding that Wigmore had bribed piggery owners in his electorate in an effort to gain their vote. At the 2006 election, Wigmore's election in the seat of Titikaveka was declared invalid by an electoral petition. He was re-elected in a by-election on 7 February 2007.

Tuka Tisam

Soccer Midfielder

Tuka Tisam in the Cook Islands is a footballer who plays as a Midfielder. He currently plays for Nikao Sokattack F.C. in the Cook Islands Round Cup and the Cook Islands national football team.

Roger Manuel

Soccer Midfielder

Roger Manuel in the Cook Islands is a footballer who plays as a Midfielder. He currently plays for Tupapa Maraerenga in the Cook Islands Round Cup and the Cook Islands national football team.

Anthony Samuel

Athlete

Anthony Samuel is a Cook Islander professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s, playing at representative level for the Cook Islands, as a Second-row, or Loose forward/Lock.

Luisa Peters

Weightlifter

Luisa Peters is a Cook Islands professional weightlifter, who represented Cook Islands at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She competed in the women's +75 kg category at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, finishing with a total of 182 kg in 12th place.

Junior Puroku

Soccer Midfielder

Junior Puroku is a Cook Islands football player who currently plays for Cook Islands national football team.

Teariki Mateariki

Soccer Midfielder

Teariki Mateariki in the Cook Islands is a footballer who plays as a Midfielder. He currently plays for Nikao Sokattack F.C. in the Cook Islands Round Cup and the Cook Islands national football team.

Geoffrey Strickland

Soccer

Geoffrey Strickland in the Cook Islands is a footballer who plays as a Forward. He currently plays for Tupapa Maraerenga in the Cook Islands Round Cup and the Cook Islands national football team.

John Pareanga

Soccer Defender

John Pareanga in Cook Islands is a footballer who plays as a Defender. He currently plays for Matavera in the Cook Islands Round Cup and the Cook Islands national football team.

Paul van Eijk

Soccer Defender

Paul Luiz van Eijk in Cook Islands is a footballer, with Dutch ancestry who plays as a Defender. He currently plays for Nikao Sokattack.

Makea Pori Ariki

Man

Makea Pori Ariki was a sovereign of the Cook Islands. He was the ariki of the Makea Nui dynasty, one of the three chiefdoms of the Te Au O Tonga tribe on the island of Rarotonga. He succeeded his father Makea Tinirau Ariki after his death in 1823. In the same year, the English missionary John Williams arrived at Rarotonga, intending to convert the population to Christianity. After agreeing to destroy their temple and the pagan idols of his tribe, Makea Pori Ariki was baptized in 1825. He died 28th of October 1839 and was succeeded by his eldest son Makea Davida.

Sam Pera, Jr.

Man

Sam Pera Junior is a weightlifter from the Cook Islands, competing in the +105 kg category. He was born in Rarotonga. He is the son of weightlifter Sam Nunuku Pera, who represented the Cook Islands at the Summer Olympics in 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004. At the 2006 Commonwealth Games he competed against his father in the 105 kg category, and won with 293 kg to 281 kg, ranking 9th. Sam Pera Junior ranked 32nd at the 2007 World Championships, with a total of 330 kg. He won the bronze medal at the 2008 Oceania Senior Championships, with a total of 335 kg. At the 2008 Junior World Championships he ranked 13th, with a total of 340 kg. He is representing the Cook Islands at the 2008 Summer Olympics, competing in the +105 kg division. He served as the Cook Islands flag-bearer in the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Ngamau Munokoa

Woman

Ngamau Mere Munokoa OBE, also known as "Aunty Mau", is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet Minister. She was the third woman elected to the Cook Islands Parliament and the first to hold the post of Cook Islands Deputy Prime Minister. She is a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party. Munokoa was born in Rarotonga and attended Arorangi, Avarua and Nikao Primary schools and Tereora College. She had a career as a businesswoman before being elected to Parliament as MP for Nikao-Panama in a by-election in 1996. From 1999 to 2002 she served as Minister of Internal Affairs and Works in the Cabinet of Sir Terepai Maoate. She later served in the Cabinet of Robert Woonton, and in 2003 was appointed Deputy Prime Minister, becoming the first Cook Islands woman to hold the position. She later resigned from Woonton's Cabinet following his decision to form a coalition with the rival Cook Islands Party, but was reappointed in 2005 by Jim Marurai. She continued to serve in Cabinet, holding various portfolios, until December 2009, when she resigned over the sacking of Democratic Party leader Terepai Maoate. She was re-elected at the 2010 election. Munokoa was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2010 New Year Honours.

Albert Oti

Soccer

Albert Oti is a footballer who plays as a Forward. He currently plays for Nikao Sokattack F.C. in the Cook Islands Round Cup and the Cook Islands national football team.

Nathan Tisam

Soccer Defender

Nathan Tisam in the Cook Islands is a footballer who plays as a Defender. He currently plays for Nikao Sokattack F.C. in the Cook Islands Round Cup and the Cook Islands national football team.

Patrick Kuru

Athlete

Patrick Kuru is a Cook Islander rugby league footballer, playing at representative level for Cook Islands, and at club level for Bay of Plenty Stags, and Altona Roosters, as a Second-row.

Tahiri Elikana

Soccer Defender

Tahiri Elikana in the Cook Islands is a footballer who plays as a Defender. He currently plays for Avatiu in the Cook Islands Round Cup and the Cook Islands national football team.

Makea Te Vaerua Ariki

Woman

Makea Te Vaerua Ariki was a sovereign of the Cook Islands. She was the ariki of the Makea Nui dynasty, one of the three chiefdoms of the Te Au O Tonga tribe on the island of Rarotonga. Makea Te Vaerua succeeded her elder brother Makea Davida with the involvement of the missionaries and her village was the headquarters of the mission. She was the first female to succeed the title of ariki, even though she had surviving younger brothers. Hers was a peaceful reign. She supported the work of the mission and was very hospitable to all the missionaries of her time. She married the Tahitian missionary Tiberio. She was the eldest daughter of Makea Pori Ariki and the birth-mother of Makea Takau. She was succeeded after her death by her younger brother, Makea Daniela.

Joseph Miitamariki

Soccer Defender

Joseph Miitamariki in Cook Islands is a footballer who plays as a Defender. He currently plays for Tupapa Rarotonga in the Cook Islands League and the Cook Islands national football team.

Teunu Eliaba

Cricket Player

Teunu Eliaba is a Cook Islands Māori cricket player.

Chris Brown

Cricket Player

Christopher Mark "Chris" Brown is a former Cook Islands cricketer, who previously played representative cricket for Auckland at New Zealand domestic level. Born in Rarotonga, Brown's early cricket was played for Auckland under-age teams, and he went on to represent the New Zealand national under-19s in several matches as a right-arm fast bowler. Making his first-class debut during the 1993–94 season of the Shell Trophy, he took ten wickets in his debut match, and represented the New Zealand Cricket Academy twice later in the season. Brown regularly played for Auckland in both the first-class and limited-overs competitions during the mid-1990s, despite the squad also including several international bowlers. However, after the 1997–98 season, he ceased playing for Auckland. Brown resumed his career in the early 2000s for the Cook Islands national cricket team, playing in regional competitions, and going on to play for a representative East Asia-Pacific team. He regularly captained the country of his birth throughout the remainder of the decade, becoming one of the only first-class players to play for the country. After retiring from playing, Brown took up umpiring, and is currently a member of New Zealand Cricket's Umpiring "A" Panel,

Eugenie Tatuava

Soccer

Eugenie Tatuava in the Cook Islands is a footballer who plays as a Forward. He currently plays for Tupapa Maraerenga in the Cook Islands Round Cup and the Cook Islands national football team.

Richard Piakura

Athlete

Richard Piakura is a Cook Islander athlete and professional rugby league and rugby union footballer of the 1990s and 2000s, playing representative level rugby league for the Cook Islands, and playing representative level rugby union for the Cook Islands at rugby sevens.

Apenera Short

Man

Sir Apenera Pera Short, KBE was a Cook Islands politician and from 1990 to 2000 was the Queen's Representative in the Cook Islands. Short was born on Rarotonga. He was a school teacher in Ngatangiia at from 1951 to 1956 was a teacher at Tereora College in Avarua. In 1939, he married Maui Timata i te Rui Cowan; the couple had 14 children, including two sets of twins. In the 1965 Cook Islands election, Short was elected as a member of the Cook Islands Legislative Assembly and joined the Cabinet of the ruling Cook Islands Party as a Minister of the Crown and Deputy Premier. Short held this position until 1978. On 19 December 1990, Short was appointed to succeed Sir Tangaroa Tangaroa as the Queen's Representative. Short held this position until 14 December 2000. He was succeeded by Lawrence Greig, who held the position in an acting capacity until Frederick Tutu Goodwin was appointed in 2001.

Tai Tura

Man

Tai Tura is a Cook Islands politician and member of the Cook Islands Parliament. He is a member of the Cook Islands Party, and represents the electorate of Mauke. Tura was born in Rarotonga, but has lived on Mauke for 30 years. He served as island secretary for ten years but retired in order to run for Parliament in the 2010 elections. Shortly after his election he called for wage increases to counteract the higher cost of living in Mauke.

Turori George

Man

Turori George also known as Toro George born in Rarotonga, Cook Islands is a Cook Islander/New Zealander amateur featherweight and professional feather/super featherweight boxer of the 1960s and '70s who as an amateur won a bronze medal at featherweight losing to eventual silver medal winner Ali Juma of Kenya in the Boxing at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Australia, and as a professional won the New Zealand Boxing Association featherweight title, Australasian featherweight Title, and Commonwealth featherweight title, his professional fighting weight varied from 123 3⁄4 lb, i.e. featherweight to 130 3⁄4 lb, i.e. super featherweight.

Aturangi Putere

Soccer Midfielder

Aturangi Putere in the Cook Islands is a footballer who plays as a Midfielder. He currently plays for Avatiu in the Cook Islands Round Cup and the Cook Islands national football team.

Tangia Tongiia

Athlete

Tangia Tongiia is a Cook Islander rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s, playing at representative level for Cook Islands, and at club level for Papanui Tigers, and Canterbury Bulls, as a Wing.

Iona Lupena

Soccer Goalkeeper

Iona Lupena is a Cook Islands football player who currently plays for Tupapa Maraerenga Football Club..

Raymond Ruaporo

Athlete

Raymond Ruaporo is a Cook Islander professional rugby league and rugby union footballer of the 2000s and '10s, playing representative level rugby league for Cook Islands, and at club level for Canberra Raiders, and playing club level rugby union for Tuggeranong Vikings.

Tino Etita

Cricket Player

Tino Etita is a Cook Islands Māori cricket player.

Patrick Tuara

Olympic athlete