Ever heard of the Cook Islands?
*crickets* *blank stares* True story.
People usually respond to me with huh? faces.
Most have heard of Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. But Cook Islands.… what is that? (Me staring out towards the ocean…)
It’s a tropical island paradise in the South Pacific Ocean…
– cloaked in turquoise-coloured lagoons
– and sprinkled with rainbow fruit atop lush green trees
Yeah, right ok
And before you ask, yes we do have electricity
Now that we’ve overcome that awkwardness, let’s talk about another fun thing – music
If you’ve never heard Cook Island music, these songs will get you started.
Here’s a list of 6 tracks to get you in the mood for ura (dance):
– Ruketekete Te Mamae: Brother Love
– Ka Ura : Rex Atirai
– Sakusekuse Zokio Bom: Virgin Voyage
– Enua Manea: Ta’akoka Dance Troupe
– We Three: Sweet Sour and Cream
– Jonah Lomu: Tyson
So why are these tracks the ones to jam to? I’m glad you asked.
And before you YouTube them and end up watching a cat video – let’s check out the vibe each track gives you.
Title: Ruketekete Te Mamae
Artist: Brother Love
Vibe: Famous, classic, upbeat track that’s played at every Kuki (Cook Island) function
Title: Ka Ura
Artist: Rex Atirai
Vibe: The best song to stretch and warm up to! What’s even better is the lyrics tell you what moves to bust on the dance floor. You only need to understand Cook Island Maori language… lol
Title: Sakusekuse Zokio Bom
Artist: Virgin Voyage
Vibe: A track that forces you to keep up with the fast-paced drums and string sounds. Just don’t hurt yourself K
Title: Enua Manea
Artist: Ta’akoka Dance Troupe
Vibe: Classic, well-known track especially for people from the main island of Rarotonga (my island btw, shout out to Ngatangiia and Arorangi)
Title: We Three
Artist: Sweet Sour and Cream
Vibe: Easy-listening slow jam perfect for a Sunday drive. Or when the cousins are finishing up from an all-night bender
Title: Jonah Lomu
Artist: Tyson
Vibe: High energy, cheeky song that gets the party started. Trust me. This is the one.
I’m telling you. These are the tracks to start with. (Shout out to all the Kukis (Cook Islanders) who disagree).
Each song’s performed by different artists to keep the list diverse. (Tracklist justified!).
And there are a ton of other tracks that’ll get you in the mood for ura. I encourage you to do your own research (although I know you won’t).
Dive into the world of Cook Island music (that’s me trynna get YOU to do something with this. Nice try, I know)
And please share the names of your favourite tracks. (Or any track for that matter…)
With love
Lady L
P.S. for real though, write it your fave in the comments… don’t make me come over there!
P.P.S. Keen to learn more about my style fitness? Go here
