Paradise found
Rarotonga will leave you spellbound Mike Yardley reports
ESCAPE THE HUM-DRUM of the daily grind to the quintessential South Pacific island paradise of Rarotonga, a bewitching blend of saw-tooth mountains, dense tropical jungle, bountiful plantations and deliciously bonewhite beaches. My 70-something parents have just returned from their maiden holiday on Rarotonga, spellbound by their tropical adventures. They loved going on improvised drives around the main coastal road, Ara Tapu, marvelling over the colourful shop fronts, roadside fruit stalls, flower-laden gravesites, groaning banana trees and vast taro plantations. Rarotonga exudes an instant likeability which only grows stronger the longer you stay. Beyond the lagoon, dig a little deeper at Rarotonga’s roots, from the wealth of enriching encounters, with nature and the culture. It’s absolutely where the magic happens. The backroad, Ara Metua, and its adjoining lanes is like entering another world, where the beating heart of Rarotongan authenticity slaps you in the face at every turn with its living history and village vitality. Much of the backroad is 1000 years old, constructed from coral stone and basalt rock, by the great chief Toi. Prior to European contact, Rarotongans predominantly lived in the foothills of the island, in the shadow of the towering volcanic peaks, like Te Manga, serrating the skyline with a Jurassic Parkstyle aura. Villagers would only venture down to the coastline to fish and collect seafood. The interior provided much greater protection from tropical cyclones and potential enemy attacks.
The rich, volcanic soils and tropical climate conspire to produce rampantly fertile growing conditions for a kaleidoscope of lush and verdant vegetation. Rarotonga has become a byword for mango, guava, star-fruit and candlenuts, in my book. Just past Muri village, call into the sacred site of Avana Harbour. It was here in 700BC that Polynesian voyaging canoes made their first Rarotonga landing arrived from Tahiti and Samoa. Avana Passage was also the departure point for the great migration to Aotearoa, in approximately 1350AD. The names of the seven lead canoes are proudly emblazoned on the hoardings at Avana, although some locals told me their oral history suggests 200 canoes actually took part in the Great Migration. You may see Marumaru Atua, a traditional doublehulled voyaging canoe, binding the oceanfaring past with the present.
Let’s be honest, island night shows can be a bit of a tourist trap. But if you want to partake in a mix of local music, dancing and food, with a heightened sense of authenticity and heritage, Highland Paradise is an excellent choice. Perched on the slopes of the sacred peak of Maungaroa, stands the site of the ancient mountain refuge of the Tinomana people. Abandoned in the 19th century, following the tribe’s conversion to Christianity, the village was reclaimed from the jungle just 35 years ago, by Raymond Pirangi, a descendant of the last pre-Christian high chief (ariki) of the Tinomana.
Among 25 developed acres of magnificent gardens affording soulful views, you will experience drumming, singing, dancing, weaving, carving, medicine making, story-telling and umu feasting just as they were more than 600 years ago on this very spot! The lush botanical garden commands soul-stirring views across the west coast of Rarotonga, yet the highlight for me was seeing the remains of the ancient marae, which has been carbon-dated to 500AD. Danny Mataroa has a personal connection through tribal links to the village and guides people through the cultural history of Highland Paradise. Danny pointed out, as we stood in the lush grounds, the neighbouring flat-top mountain of Raemaru.
Legend has it that a major tribal conquest led to the top of the mountain being sliced off and spirited away to Aitutaki, because the locals didn’t have a decent-sized hill on their island. After a moving tapu lifting ceremony in which offerings are made to the ancestors of the marae, guests are welcomed into the cultural centre for an ebullient showcase of traditional entertainment, as you tuck into a hearty buffet dinner, replete with traditional foods including taro, arrowroot, wahoo fish and rukau. (Rukau are the young leaves of a taro plant, and after being boiled for several hours they are mixed with coconut cream to produce a delightful dish. Lock in a magical holiday in a little South Pacific paradise.