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Published: January 24th 2007
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Today, we broke the monotony of sunbathing and relaxation by taking an
Island 4x4 Safari which promised to unearth the history of Rarotonga and the Cook Island people. We were not disappointed.
Our little adventure began shortly before 9AM when a tattered Land Rover, circa 1985, stopped in front of our hotel. Gina and I had thoroughly doused ourselves in a nearly lethal combination of DEET and SPF knowing that the rear of the Rover was exposed to the elements, passengers lining two bench seats. John, our coconut tan driver wearing board shorts and a pair of old flip flops, hopped from the driver’s seat and introduced himself. He opened the rear gate of the Rover and motioned us in with another couple whom he had picked up prior. Off we went.
As we drove towards another pick-up point, Gina and I mused at the beauty of the turquoise lagoons and flora that dotted the roadway. To say that Rarotonga is merely beautiful and lush would be an understatement. The island is a nearly unspoiled paradise owned solely by its bloodline, who ensure gross development and pollution is kept to a minimum. Unlike Tahiti, you will not find over-water
bungalows crowding the lagoons; according to John, so not to disturb the coral and fish that populate them.
After the remaining tourists boarded our all-terrain-adventure-vehicle, we began our climb into the interior of Rarotonga - the only volcanic island in the Cook Island chain. The other 14 Cook Islands, scattered about the South Pacific, are coral atolls rising a few feet at maximum from sea level and containing 4,000 inhabitants out of the 12,000 who call the Cook Islands home. John carried on as we passed several types of bush and tree about how a majority of the farming is organic and that over the past 30 years certain crops have rotated out of favor and new ones in. Currently, the hot commodity in the Cooks (and Tahiti) is Noni plantations. For those who have never heard of Noni, it is an unassuming green fruit with a ribbed skin that is boiled and let to rot in large drums before being bottled and sold for medicinal purposes.
Cook Islands Viagra as John referred to it.
We carried on past several more plantations with various crops and John told us how fish poaching has become a problem during the
past decade with many Chinese fishing vessels entering Cook Islands waters without permission. When the Coast Guard discovers the vessels, they impound them and request bail for the vessel and crew from the offending company. Unfortunately, many companies send new crews to Rarotonga and bail out the boat but not its previous crew. The crew members who were not bailed out are then rented as cheap labor by the Cook Islands government until they can pay off their bail at a wage of $2.50 NZD/hour.
Over the course of our day, we stopped at the token waterfall, exercised the four wheel drive up a few nasty climbs to wonderful vistas and stopped at an ancient Cook Island marae (religious site). We heard about how four competing cannibal tribes once inhabited the island and fought over land, the victor eating his opponent as the spoils of war. Several other interesting facts that came out during our day included:
* The Chinese government is actively donating public works projects throughout the South Pacific island chains (Cooks, Tahiti, Samoa) hoping that if they decide to one day allow offshore fishing license that they will be first in line to bid
on them. Currently, the Chinese are building a new police station that looks like something out of Newport Beach and recently finished a new courthouse - free of charge?!?!
* The only land owners in the Cook Islands are those who descend from one of the four original tribes. Everyone else must lease land on 60 year terms, including the Government of New Zealand and the Cook Islands.
* The cost to build an average one bedroom house is $70k NZD
* It is illegal to sell land. All land must be procured by your mother from the Chief.
* 3 of the 4 current Chiefs are women
* It took 7 years for the Christian missionaries to convert the cannibals
* Once you have a piece of property, you must make use of it within seven years or it is relinquished to the tribe. Many people often build the foundation to a home and that eliminates the possibility of losing the land
* 7 canoes left with Cook Islanders in the 1800s and populated surrounding countries, including Tahiti and New Zealand. As a result, many Cook Island descendants live outside of the Cooks.
* 80% of all farms are
run by a single New Zealander
* There are 3 types of taro root: Taro 1, 2, 3. The best varieties are Taro 1 & 2 which are kept in the Cooks for sale in local markets and Taro 3 is exported.
* 90%!o(MISSING)f farming is organic
* Never call for an ambulance as it will take over an hour to reach you. You can drive the whole island in 20 minutes, so you’re never further than 20 from the hospital.
* The hospital is 60%!o(MISSING)ccupied with elderly as Rarotonga has no retirement homes.
* It costs a Cook Islander $7 NZD to see a doctor and receive medicine. Though, the main medicine seems to be aspirin?!?
*
From Frommer's Guide to the South Pacific : Male transvestitism, homosexuality, and bisexuality are facts of life in Polynesia, where families with a shortage of female offspring will raise young boys as girls. Some of these youths grow up to be heterosexual; others become homosexual or bisexual and, often appearing publicly in women's attire, actively seek out the company of tourists. In Tahitian, these males are known as mahus; in Samoan, magus; and in Tongan, fakaleitis.
We concluded
our day with a lovely broadbill barbeque (that even Gina enjoyed) on the beach. I never knew that barbequed banana tasted so damn good.
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Gene
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What a Life !!!
To think I was worried that all you two would have to do is sightsee, meet new people .............and drink.