Te Maeva Nui o Aotearoa New Zealand Charitable Trust will host a special awards and recognitions event, to celebrate Cook Islanders who have made a significant mark on the world. These people have made advances in fields ranging from community service, to business and enterprise. The Tu Rangatira Awards is our opportunity to bring recognition to their achievements – giving each recipient a platform to share their strengths.
In the first of the Rangatira awards, we recognised and said thank you to the Mama’s of our communities. This year, that recognition spreads to all members of our community – from our youth to the elders. The difficulties and hardships encountered during COVID have brought to light the outstanding achievements of the people of the Cook Islands in New Zealand.
The board of trustees will recognise Cook Islanders in the following categories.
Awarded to an individual
in business, or governance who has created channels for trade and enterprise – developing products, and services identified as uniquely Cook Islands, or for the benefit of Cook Islanders, and delivering them on a large and measureable scale across New Zealand.
Awarded to a Cook Islander who has been instrumental in engaging or promoting Cook Islands goods and services, or culture across the globe.
The winner will be chosen based on the level of advancement and recognition developed in the international community for Cook Islands, its goods and services and/or its culture.
Awarded for high achievement in sports, excelling in their sports code, and representing their country of residence, as proud Cook Islanders.
The scope of the Sports award will be wide, covering all sports codes across many decades.
A special award in which a young person between 16 and 25 are chosen for their excellence in any field, where their interaction and contributions have lead to a significant uptake in that field, or where their influence has brought about positive change. This broad spectrum award aims to celebrate the achievement of young people, who are often overlooked because of their youth.
Awarded for significant contributions to health. This award is not limited to practioners, and can be applied to academia, where an individual has developed a treatment, a practice, or any other medical/health related discovery which has improved the quality of life of Cook Islanders around New Zealand, and the world.
Awarded for excellence in
services to education, across
early-childhood education,
primary, secondary and tertiary education.
This award is presented to
an individual who has been
instrumental in advancing
educational endeavours which
has directly lead to the uptake, and increased education of
Cook Islanders in New Zealand.
This broad category is reserved
for those in the arts, broadcast
media, music, photography,
cinema and other creative
platforms. This is awarded to an
individual whose has excelled
in the creative industries –
whether it be through costume
making, music composition,
film making, carving, weaving,
traditional log drumming and
others
Nominations for the Tu Rangatira Awards are now open. Do you know someone who deserves an award? Nominate them today using the form below.