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Te Tika Mataiapo - Dorice Reid

Te Tika Mataiapo - Dorice Reid is a traditional Chief from the district of Takitumu on the island of Rarotonga. For nine years, she has served as President of the Koutu Nui of the Cook Islands (a Council of Traditional Leaders). She was a member of the Cook Islands Maori Language Policy Committee which formalised the completion of the legislation for Parliament.

As Traditional Leaders, the Koutu Nui of the Cook Islands consider themselves to be custodians of the Land, from the mountain to the sea, environment, traditional knowledge and practice, language, cultural heritage
and to protect the welfare of the people.

The Koutu Nui actively brought the various communities, stakeholders and private sector together to successfully re-establish the Raui system of traditional marine protection, which had not been practiced for over 50 years, in Rarotonga.

The Koutu Nui of the Cook Islands with other NGO's and community stakeholders, pressured Government to declare the island of Suwarrow (which was being considered for lease to an Australian company for pearl farming) as a Sanctuary for wild birdlife.

Te Tika has voyaged to Hawaii and return to Rarotonga on the Vaka "Te Au O Tonga", a double-hull ocean voyaging canoe. Vaka Voyaging is one of the purest forms of ancestral experience in Polynesia, confirming the global communion Polynesians have with their environment.

Te Tika represented the Koutu Nui of the Cook Islands at meetings held with the company Diatranz. (Diatranz was working to use advance experiments using pig cell implants as a cure for diabetes patients).

Te Tika Mataiapo - Dorice Reid (Cook Islands) Photo:COE