VUWCIA to Ta'okota'i'anga

VUWCIA is the official Cook Islands student Association at Te Herenga Waka. We offer a place of belonging and discovery for Cook Islander and non-Cook Islander students at Te Herenga Waka. We aim to empower Aotearoa-based Cook Islands youth to become successful and caring individuals, who can in turn become valuable contributors for the development of New Zealand society while celebrating their unique Cook Islands identities.

From the 27th August to 30th August, our association will be representing Te Herenga Waka at the Ta’okota’i’anga (TAK) Conference , which is an annual conference involving all the tertiary Cook Islands students associations around Aotearoa. Through the week, we will be taking part in Speech Competitions, Cultural Debate Competitions and Cultural performances. 

VUWCIA EXECUTIVE TEAM:

• President - Qyanah Taia-Roberts
• Vice President - Kaiata Kaitao
• Secretary - Eve Naicker
• Treasurer - Nate Simes
• Vice Treasurer - Toreakore Ford-takiri
• Cultural Officer - Grace Kairua
• Cultural Officer - Makara Murare
• Communications Officer - Chante Toko-Dyer
• Communications Officer - Mercy Faimata

Our Executive team shares a  strong passion for our Cook Island culture and being able to go to Ta’okota’i’anga gives us the opportunitty to represent and celebrate our culture on a national platform. 

We are extremely grateful to Boosted for helping set up this campaign! 

The money raised from our campaign will go towards:

• Covering all transportation costs
• Costumes for our performances
• Accommodation Costs
• Kai for our team 

At the end of August, there is an annual conference called “Ta’okota’i’anga”, which means unity or coming together. This conference brings together Cook Island Student Associations from universities across Aotearoa, and this year, the Ta’okota’i’anga Conference will be held in Ōtepoti, hosted by the Otago University Cook Island Students’ Association. 

The conference itinerary contains events such as Cultural Performances, Speech and Debate Competitions and Religious Connections. This conference is held to promote and uphold the Cook Island’s language, culture and traditions as well as connecting with other university students.

VUWCIA is preparing to travel down to Ōtepoti to represent Te Herenge Waka. Throughout the week, we will be participating in all activities and performances. We will also spend time with other Cook Island Assocations from across the nation, sharing our culture and experiences. 

We are excited to make the most of this opportunity, as attending this event is a significant highlight for our association and provides a valuable experience for everyone involved.
Being able to represent the Cook Islands at Ta'okota'i'anga allows us to proudly celebrate our culture and strengthen our cultural identity within the wider Cook Islands student community across Aotearoa. 

All the experiences and knowledge shared at the conference will be brought back to our community in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, helping us further strengthen our cultural practices and encourage engagement with our culture and traditions.

Meitaki ma'ata,
VUWCIA