#cook islands

A Kīhei fifth grader is turning recyclable cans and bottles into learning opportunities and joy for students on a remote island 3,000 miles away. 

The open-ocean crossing is expected to take about two weeks, depending on weather conditions.

As part of the Moananuiākea Voyage, the Polynesian Voyaging Society reports that voyaging canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia will soon depart Rarotonga, Cook Islands, for Aotearoa (New Zealand).

Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia will sail directly from Rarotonga, Cook Islands to Aotearoa (New Zealand), and postpone visits to American Samoa, Samoa and Tonga.

The Polynesian voyaging canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia arrived Wednesday morning at Avatiu Harbor in Rarotonga, marking their first visit to the Cook Islands since 2014.

Departure from Bora Bora marks the end of a roughly 6-week stay in the islands of French Polynesia.  Rarotonga, Cook Islands,  will be the final destination for the Moananuiākea Voyage leg 14 crew, which began in Tautira, Tahiti more than two weeks ago. 

Polynesian voyaging canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia arrived in Bora Bora on Sunday after a two-day sail from Tautira, Tahiti. Bora Bora is the final port of call in French Polynesia before continuing on to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.

The crews of Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia were welcomed by the village of Tautira in a series of cultural engagements that honored the nearly 50-year relationship between the canoes and this cherished Tahitian community.

The 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture (FestPAC), the world’s largest celebration of indigenous Pacific Islanders convenes on O‘ahu from June 6-16, 2024. More than 2,200 delegates from 27 Pacific nations will gather for 10 days of cultural exchange, appreciation, and celebration at various venues across the island. More than 50 festival events, including the opening and closing ceremonies, Festival Village, heritage dance and contemporary music performances, heritage arts demonstrations, visual arts exhibits, and more, will be free and open to the public.

Hawaiian Airlines this afternoon gathered its guests to commemorate the inauguration of nonstop weekly flights between Honolulu and Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Hawaiian previously operated the HNL-RAR route from 1987 to 1993.