Untold Pacific History | Episode 4: Rarotonga - The Cursed Cook Islands Hotel | RNZ
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Published 2021-06-07
Untold Pacific History is a dynamic, often provocative, but accessible account of New Zealand’s relationship with the Pacific, and the broad impact it's had on NZ’s own history and relationship with Pacific peoples in Aotearoa today.
This is a story of indigenous land rights gone awry, a makutu from an aggrieved family and the failed business ventures of an infamous haunted hotel in Rarotonga.
In pre-colonial times, it was the scene of bloody battles between rival tribes, and ancient spirits are said to patrol the area. It is also the subject of a bitter ownership dispute that dates back more than a century, and which gave rise to the curse that is still said to hang over the area.
This is the cursed Sheraton hotel complex in Rarotonga, a long-abandoned luxury resort lain derelict for a quarter-century. The stories of Italian Mafia connections, failed government business dealings, and indigenous land rights come together in this episode of Untold Pacific History.
*We apologise for any offence caused by Pa Ariki's incorrect statement in this piece that "the More family are all dead" in context of the historic family involved in this land dispute. We acknowledge there are descendants of this family alive today, and that this context was unclear in Pa's statement in this video.
Made possible by the RNZ/NZ On Air Innovation Fund.
All Comments (21)
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RULE #1...Never sell ancient family land for foreign $$$. Ancestors anger will be forced to avail its power. I BELIEVE IN ANCESTRAL CURSES...End of Story.
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More’s children are still alive RUDE 😡 she mentions DEAD 💀 use your words wisely MARIE you making a fool of yourself on this HUGE Platform the world’s EYES are watching you I can SAY this because I am MORE RUA’S DAUGHTER very much ALIVE 👍🏽
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The land isn’t cursed, it’s protected.
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They are not all dead.. More's children are still alive how rude to say More's family are all dead.
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The descendants of More are very much alive
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Ummmm….. Heres what I think….. Makutu is just as real today as it would’ve been back when it was casted. Weather you believe in it or not this land was stolen and the ariki was murdered. The tupuna are protecting this land and as long as people who are not of descent tries to set up business on that land, trouble will continue to invade that space. Kia kaha koutou! Take the land back and build for your own people, you’ll be fine!
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It is the Greed that is cursed, as it should be. Once true kaitiakitanga is again practiced over the the living land will you see the health of the environment return. Kia Kaha Rarotonga. Our thoughts with you! Taranaki, Aotearoa.
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I drove onto the property back in '16 and its such a waste, needs to be torn down and left alone in its natural state.
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What a beautiful Island.
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Fascinating story showing how naïve the Cook Islands government was at the time. Also under that system of landownership you will never see a successfully completed hotel.
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Very rude thing to say. More's family is dead is an insult to that family. Even Mike talking down about Tourism yet he has his own cafe and carving bussiness which are Tourist attractions in the country🙄🙄🙄.
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Pa ariki should remove her title after saying that about her own people
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Give the land back.
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Blessings iyah greetings from Vanuatu 😃😁👍🇻🇺🇻🇺🇻🇺
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Bust it down, turn it into something useful for the people.
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Thank you ra 😔
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i never knew about this island till now ,
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Great to finally hear the truth about this situation 😊
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Really keen to get my crew over just to finish the building side of it! Still have great bones! Every time I’m on holiday in Rarotonga I see this place as a vision. to complete it just for the sake of the people on the island. They deserve something special I would do it for free but I don’t know if all my team will be up for it but I’m here for it!!!!
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The exploitation of indigenous land and culture is an on going atrocity the world over and that is really sad.
