Nature’s Nurturers: Youth Holiday Adventures in Sustainability and Indigenous Culture

The recent school holidays drew in a number of senior youth members from Pukapuka, the southern group islands and Rarotonga to participate in a week-long environmental-themed program led by Kōrero o te Ōrau (KO), Te Ipukarea Society (TIS) and Muri Environment Care (MEC). This particular youth program was also able to provide a cultural and environmental exchange opportunity for two Kamehameha High school students from the Maui campus in Hawai’i, plus five additional teachers which included Cook Islander Tevairangi Worthington Lopez.

Highlights of the week included visiting a range of different ecosystems Rarotonga holds. First up was the taro planting terraces (wetlands) in Takuva’ine Valley where students were able to help clear the weeds from one of the plots. Students were reminded by Dr Teina Rongo about the importance of maintaining these grounds not only for food, but for personal health benefits by keeping our people active and building our immune system by being exposed to the microbiomes in the mud while growing our food.

The Takitumu Conservation Area (TCA) was also visited and students were able to hear about the history of the TCA. They learned about rat control efforts carried out every year to bring the kākerōri, Rarotonga Flycatcher, back from the brink of extinction with only 29 Kākerōri found in 1989. The on-going rat control work has resulted in the kākerōri making quite the comeback with over 1000 kākerōri now estimated between Rarotonga and Atiu – where a translocated population now resides. Students also practiced their native and endemic bird identification skills using binoculars at the look-out spot. Rachel Selwyn from Volunteer Service Abroad introduced students to the radio tracking techniques used in her recent ‘ī’oi – Rarotonga Starling – research program.

Muri Environment Care’s nursery site, home to a selection of native and endemic seedlings and potting plants, showed students the plants MEC are growing to support coastal protection projects and community-led stream restoration programs. Students learned how to sow new seeds as well as build a new compost site, which makes organic soil from broken down green and dry vegetative material.

For coral reef ecosystems, students practiced their fish identification skills and had the opportunity to visit KO’s coral restoration site in front of the Rarotongan.

After experiencing the beauty of our wetlands from native forest to coral reef ecosystems, the group visited the Arorangi Landfill to witness some of the human pressures our environment has to contend with. The Infrastructure Cook Islands Waste Management Division provided a guided tour of the landfill and explained how only PET plastics (i.e., Coke and Sprite bottles), aluminium cans and glass are sorted and separated to prevent these items from ending up in the landfill. It was also explained that only PET plastic bottles are sent off island for recycling; all remainder plastics like cleaning products (plastic bottles, plastic food containers, and plastic bags) all remain on island in our landfill. Solutions discussed to reduce the amount of waste ending up in the landfill included being a conscious consumer, and choosing to buy glass and aluminum drinking products over plastic bottles as glass can be crushed and reused for concrete or fill while aluminum cans – which have some economic value  – can be sent off island and recycled. By also choosing to use a reusable drinking bottle, less plastic waste then enters our landfill. Students were also encouraged to save money by utilising refillable water containers at free UV-treated water stations around the island.

Along the waste theme, the ‘Maine Mura’ reusable feminine hygiene program was shared with the female students by TIS. This was to promote and encourage the use of reusable period undies, which can be rinsed, washed and reused, thereby saving money and contributing less disposable waste entering our landfill. Each female student received two pairs of period undies to try. Special thanks to the New Zealand High Commission for supporting the women’s health awareness program, which will be shared with all senior high schools on Rarotonga over the next two years.

Although it was a busy week, the youth remained engaged, enthusiastic, and energetic throughout. Discussions and questions were insightful/curious, showing a desire to learn and understand. Many indicated they gained new and useful understanding and a deeper appreciation and awareness of the environment around them.

A special thanks to the program's sponsors including Air Rarotonga, the National Environment Service, Cook Islands Voyaging Society, Rongohiva, Synchronicty Earth, GEF SGP, Nia Tero, Cook Islands Red Cross, Climate Change Cook Islands, New Zealand High Commission, Infrastructure Cook Islands, Bank of the Cook Islands, Ministry of Agriculture, CS Fund, Vodafone, INTAFF’s Social Impact Fund, UNESCO Participation Programme, Arataki Organic Garden, and the US Embassy New Zealand for supporting the exchange learning opportunity for Rarotonga, Pa ‘Enua, and Kamehameha Maui students.