Our sentimental, caring, gentle JP Bernard Tairea Part One I am a Gemini child of the 1970’s, born on 19 June in Dunedin to Dr Terepai and Mehau Tairea. My siblings are Celine, Maria and Cyprian (Vou). I attended school in the Cook Islands, Australia and Fiji. I am a Radio Producer, NZ Patient Referral Officer for the Cook islands Ministry of Health and I MC functions. I am also a Justice of the Peace in New Zealand. I live in Mangere, South Auckland How did you feel when you had to leave home, Rarotonga? I was sad to leave everything behind like my work with Telecom, Radio, Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa and community involvement with Church, Taakoka Dance Troupe and family. When and why did you move to NZ? My dad had his second triple bypass and I needed to be here to spend quality time with him and the family who all lived in NZ, except me. My first impressions of New Zealand were that I found it to be quite diverse in cultures and the landscape clean and green. Did you settle in easily? Off course! There are more Cook Islanders that live here in comparison to those in our ipukarea. I felt at home and adapted easily to life here. What was most difficult about moving to New Zealand and aclimatising to life here? When I first arrived NZ in 2002, I didn’t know my way around. I even had to pick up my ill dad from Middlemore Hospital to drive me to work at Telecom NZ because I didn’t know the way to the city! The best thing about growing up back in the Cook Islands was learning our diverse culture, customs and dialects and working hard whilst also living off the land. Growing up in the outer islands was hard at times. Electricity at the time was unheard of in some islands. Chilled foods like ice cream was a rarity and if the inter-island boat was stranded or turned around due to bad weather, we would have to ration all that we had till the next boat. This sometimes meant a whole year of no contact with the outside world except by listening to the radio. I am a better person having lived these experiences. My favourite things to do are work, rest and play! I love life to the fullest and enjoy everything I do; from singing, working, church life, meeting people, hosting friends and generally making the most out of life. My work in the media industry gave me great opportunities to utilise my skills for the benefit of our people. Who were your best friends at school? Are you still friends with them? I have many. During my school years I made many friends at the different schools I attended in the outer islands, Rarotonga and Australia. I learnt so much from them and have formed a lifelong bonds with many throughout our community. What I love love most about our culture is that it is vibrant, energetic, unique and spontaneous. It always excites me to celebrate our culture anywhere and the sound of the drums always gets my feet itching to dance! What do you think is the most important thing your father or mother taught you about life? Be honest and true in everything you do and when you apply yourself to achieving your goals/tasks, do it to the very best of your ability, give it your all! What were the best times back home? Riding my scooter with my friends and just having a good time checking out the parties especially during the 6th Festival of Pacific Arts in 1992. I believe we did a great job hosting that event. I am inspired seeing our people reaching for the stars and striving to achieve their goals and becoming a positive representation of our community. What is the greatest reward/gift you think you have received and why? Being a NZ JP and receiving a Media Award from Tangi Reka. After 27 years in broadcasting and working to promote positive outcomes in our community has been a joy if not an honour for me. I will continue to do what I can to raise the bar for our people. What do you find most challenging? Understanding people who may not always be understood easily by their peers and even those closest to them. Finding ways of helping our communities in times of great need and desperation. If there was one thing you could do for the Cook Islands what would that be? I would make our country debt free so our children and their children will be happy to go back home and live happily ever after. (To be continued)
Posted on: Sat, 15 Nov 2014 05:43:58 +0000
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