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Ka tama tiki, tama tiki, tama ranga, tama ranga.Ka apai nuku, ka apai rangi, Ka apaipai te

rangi e—Ka rutakina, Ka nua aii, Ka nua aiio.Ana mai koia ko Ru takinuku,Koia i tokotokoa te rangi, Iirangakina, rangakina

te rangi.Koia i tokotokoa te rangi.

Oh son, oh son, raise my son, raise my son.Lift the universe! Lift the heavens.The heavens are lifted. It is moving. It moves. It

moves.Come, O Ru taki nuku, Who has propped up the

heavens.The heavens were fast but were lifted. Our work

is complete.(Traditional chant from Aitutaki Island)1

MMissionaries who enter the Cook Islandscome face-to-face with the traditionsof the indigenous Maori people in the

form of chants, oratory, and drum rhythms. Theabove amu, or melodious chant, of Ru-taki-nukuwould be one such dirge that has survived the

dynamic and changing religious environment ofthe islanders. Such chants preserve Cook Island-ers’ traditional views about the world beyond.This chapter explores the concepts of heavenand hell through the eyes of the Maori in threetime periods: Tuatau Poiri: “Age of Darkness”(pre-European contact), Tuatau Marama: “Age ofEnlightenment” (arrival of the London MissionarySociety), and Tuatau ‘Anga‘anga: “Age of Works”(arrival of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).2 The work of Latter-day Saint pio-neers in the Cook Islands is discussed along withthe Cook Islanders’ powerful traditions of reli-gious dedication and commitment that precededtheir arrival. In this study, heaven refers to apleasant final place for some spirits of the dead,and hell denotes a final place of torment for otherspirits. The definitions of these places expand ineach of the three periods discussed. Althoughthis chapter focuses on the islands of Rarotongaand Aitutaki, the general historical backgroundof their social and cultural environment reflectsmost if not all the Cook Islands.3

Heaven aand HHell iin tthe Eyes oof CCook IIslands MMaori:

A CComparative RReview oof TThree TTime PPeriods

Jon Tikivanotau M. Jonassen

Chapter19

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The Cook Islands are a group of fifteenislands totaling only 237 square kilometers inland area but covering 1,830,000 square kilom-eters of the Pacific Ocean. Since 1965, they haveenjoyed a special postcolonial political statusknown as “self-government in free associationwith” New Zealand.4 In this arrangement, theCook Islands government controls its own inter-nal and external affairs, enjoys international per-sonality, and maintains special access to NewZealand for its citizens.5 The association betweenthe two countries dates to the early migrationof Maori double-hulled canoes from the CookIslands to New Zealand prior to AD 1300. Duringthe nineteenth century, the influence of the Lon-don Missionary Society (LMS) in both countriescreated another link, as did the shared colonialexperience spanning from 1888 to 1964.

Historically, life in the Cook Islands hasbeen based on a rich sea-voyaging tradition thatbecame entrenched by its central location in theMoana Nui A Kiva (Pacific Ocean). Today, theCook Islands’ economic activities include pearlfarming, fishing, offshore international banking,exporting specialized agricultural product to NewZealand and Hawai‘i, and tourism. The people ofthe Cook Islands have an extremely rich and dy-namic traditional culture represented throughtheir dances, chants, and drumming. Respect forthe spiritual is at the heart of that tradition. WhenChristianity arrived, many Maori Cook Islandersconverted, and some became pioneer missionar-ies for the London Missionary Society.6 Thatsame missionary spirit was also apparent amonglater converts to other religious denominations,including the Latter-day Saints.

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TTuuaattaauu PPooiirrii :: ““AAggee ooff DDaarrkknneessss””(Before EEuropean CContact)

The amu, or melodious chant, at the begin-ning of this chapter focuses on Ru-taki-nuku (alsoknown as Ru-toko-rangi), an ancestor of the Maoripeople of Aitutaki who, with the help of the gods,lifted and stabilized the heavens of Aitutaki.7 Otherprogenitors include Teerui (Clear Darkness) who,with his brother Matareka (Smiling Face), madethree unsuccessful attempts to leave their homein the utter darkness of Avaiki, the place of origin.They eventually sought the help of a priest whochanged the name for the masts of their canoesto O-tu-i-te-rangi-marama (Erect in the Light ofHeaven). The brothers finally made it to the land oflight where they raised a sunken island and appro-priately called it Aitutaki, meaning “God Led.”8

Even if the stories of Ru-taki-nuku and Teeruiare merely symbolic, it is clear that the Maoripeople had a profound link to God, and morespecifically to heaven, during what is now re-ferred to as te tuatau poiri, or “age of darkness,”the period prior to European contact. In this era,when people talked of hell or heaven, a particu-lar image was conjured up in their minds. Theybelieved that hell captured the spirits of the un-wary, and even on the God-led island of Aitutaki,it was expected that at death human spirits de-scended to the domains of the goddess Miru, adeformed and frightful being who feasted on thespirits of the dead. By contrast, heaven, knownas Iva and under the guardianship of Tukaitaua,was a desirable place with an abundance of goodfood. Fortunate spirits spent eternity there chew-ing sweet sugarcane or sweet ti leaves.9

According to oral tradition, Miru fed her vic-tims a bowl of living centipedes, which causedthem to writhe in agony. Eventually such torturedspirit victims, raging with thirst, would dive into alake for relief, only to be drowned and eaten byMiru. The ancient warrior Tekauae, however, dis-covered her activities and outwitted her. As heneared death, Tekauae directed his friends to geta coconut, crack it during his last breath, sepa-

rate the kernel from the shell, and place the ker-nel in a cloth next to his stomach. When he arrivedat the underworld, Tekauae secretly ate the co-conut kernel while allowing the live centipedes tofall to the ground. After a long wait, Miru allowedher visitor to return to the upper world. Throughthe story of Tekauae, the people of Aitutakilearned how to avoid hell and would place a co-conut kernel next to their stomachs in order todeceive Miru so they could instead embark on ajourney to heaven.10 Such concepts of heavenand hell changed after the arrival of the LondonMissionary Society missionaries in 1821.

TTuuaattaauu MMaarraammaa:: ““AAggee ooff LLiigghhtt”” (Arrival oof tthe LLondon Missionary SSociety, oor LLMS)

Tika-i-te-ope foretold the arrival of Christianmissionaries in the Cook Islands. He was an oldman from the village of Rangiatea in Rarotonga,where the inhabitants worshiped the idols Tan-gianui and Tongaiti. On one occasion, Tika-i-te-ope became possessed and spurned all the idols,saying: “The gods you worship are not real gods.They are impotent gods. God is in the heavens.. . . He is the only god, he who created all things.. . . Soon the cocked hat [laden with roosterfeathers] (pare kota’a), and the red [sacred] hat(pare kura) and the bible-bearing ship will come.”For several days and nights, he repeated hisprophecies.11 Tika-i-te-ope’s words came true in1821, when Reverend John Williams, on his wayto Australia, took the opportunity to drop off inAitutaki two Raiatea LMS missionaries, Papehiaand Vahapata. The pair were taken under theprotection of the paramount chief, TamatoaAriki, and were allowed to proclaim their mes-sage. Within fifteen months, idol worship hadlargely been abolished on the island.12

Gradually, local concepts of heaven and hellalso changed. Heaven was now where the spiritsof faithful Christians dwelled. Hell was where thespirits of non-Christians and evil folk generallywould go to be burned and destroyed. No longer

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did the Maori pursue the practice of placing a co-conut kernel close to the stomach at death; how-ever, curiously, a non-LMS practice developedinvolving the placing of coins on the navel andthe eyes. The LMS missionaries stressed hellfireas a deterrent to sin, which they also linkedto natural disasters and mysterious diseases. En-terprising missionaries seized upon the impres-sive try-pots of whalers, which bubbled forseveral days on beaches with fires flaring into thenight, as a symbol of Satan’s domain. In thewords of one popular song, Naai te pani auai?(Who has the smokey pot?) Na Tatane te reira(Satan has).13

In addition to teaching new concepts ofheaven and hell, the LMS missionaries tried toquash much of the traditional Maori culture. Forexample, women were given the opportunity tohold chiefly titles, while men were encouraged totake on the role of priest and missionary, result-ing in the access to land rights subtly changingbecause titleholder patterns shifted. Still, theLMS preachers’ powerful influence on the lives ofthe people could not prevent the dawning of anew era with the arrival of the Latter-day Saint,Seventh-day Adventist, and Catholic missionar-ies to the Cook Islands.

TTuuaattaauu ‘‘AAnnggaa‘‘aannggaa:: ““AAggee ooff WWoorrkkss”” (Arrival oof TThe CChurch oof JJesusChrist oof LLatter-dday SSaints)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daySaints began its missionary efforts in the CookIslands in 1899 when Daniel T. Miller, missionpresident in French Polynesia, saw an opportu-nity to extend the work to the people of the CookIslands.14 Close family connections between theSouthern Cook Islands and Austral Islands ex-isted, as well as between the Tuamotu Islandsand the Northern Cook Islands; moreover, regu-lar shipping trade had been established betweenTahiti and Rarotonga.15 President Miller assignedElder Osbourne J. P. Widtsoe, and Elder Mervin W.Davis to study the Rarotongan language for sev-

eral months and then sail to Rarotonga.16 OnMay 23, 1899, after a journey of three nights atsea, Widtsoe and Davis arrived in Avarua, thecapital of what was then referred to as the Her-vey Islands. Once in Rarotonga, they dedica-ted the island for the preaching of the restoredgospel.

The two missionaries found Rarotongafriendly, but the LMS form of Protestantism hadbeen in existence in the islands since the 1820s,and seventy years of religious change had cre-ated a society entrenched in LMS practices.These included uapou, popular social exchangesof biblical verses; imene tuki, traditional songspresented with religious themes; and apare andkave eva, powerful adapted forms of funeral ritu-als. “Blue laws” based on strict moral behaviorwere also in practice, and under this law, theparamount chiefs and LMS pastors controlledthe social behavior of most Maori. Even the LMSchurches and the LMS Pacific-wide missionarytraining center stood on land donated by theCook Islands’ most powerful chiefs, and the earlyLMS missionaries had established a firm hold onthose chiefs by marrying their daughters. Mis-sionaries were generally held in great respect fortheir courage and ability to communicate andaccept cultural differences. Notably, the RaiateanLMS missionary Papehia was held in such greatesteem that he is buried in the cemetery groundsreserved for royalty. Thus, there was considerablepressure for the Maori people to remain with theLMS church.

Not surprisingly, when Elders Widtsoe andDavis initiated their meetings, they ran into directopposition from Queen Makea Takau. “After ourfirst meeting,” wrote Elder Davis, “the edict of thepowerful Queen backed by the Protestant preju-dice went forth prohibiting the people from at-tending other meetings than those held in theProtestant Church.” Though they soldiered on inRarotonga, improving their language skills andteaching whenever they could, the Latter-daySaint missionaries found that the queen’s oppo-sition effectively “put an end to our meetings.”17

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The next year, Elders Widtsoe and Davis ex-tended proselytizing to Aitutaki, the previouslymentioned island about 140 miles from Raro-tonga. After dedicating the island and its peoplefor the reception of the gospel of Jesus Christ,they published two tracts in the RarotonganMaori dialect. Although the people were friendly,there was much hesitancy to attend Latter-daySaint meetings. LMS ministerial pressure, the useof the Rarotongan rather than Aitutakian dialect,and the opposition of all three paramount chiefson Aitutaki were the key factors.18 As a result,Widtsoe and Davis had no baptisms on Aitutaki.

In mid-1901 two new Latter-day Saint mis-sionaries arrived in the Cook Islands—Elder Ben-jamin A. Johnson and Elder Thomas Loveland.Although two years had passed, the restoredgospel still had no visible foothold in the CookIslands, and the missionaries had recorded no

baptisms. About this time, the First Presidency ofthe Church issued a directive to Tahitian Missionpresident Edward S. Hall to close all parts of themission where elders had been for a year ormore without making any converts. As a result,the missionaries were withdrawn from the CookIslands in November 1903.

Almost forty years passed before anothersustained attempt was made to establish TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in theCook Islands. During World War II, shipping andmissionary work were both generally restricted,so New Zealand Mission president Matthew Cow-ley asked a local baker in Avarua, Rarotonga, bythe name of Fritz Bunge Kruger to work towardestablishing the Church in Rarotonga (fig. 1).Kruger had come to New Zealand in the fall of1941. By May 1942, he had married a NewZealand Maori girl, Maudina Ngawiki from Paeroa

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Fig. 11. Fritz Bunge Kruger’s bakery in Avarua, RarotongaCourtesy of Church Archives

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(New Zealand), had been or-dained by President Cowley,and had returned to Rarotongaanxious to spread the gospel.19

He and his bride soon madetheir first converts—the SamuelGlassie family.20 They werebaptized on May 12, 1942.21

Brother Glassie actively joinedin the missionary work, both asa translator and a teacher.Three months later, the Tu-akana Vahua family joined theChurch.22 Meanwhile, the otherchurches began circulatinganti-Mormon literature.

In 1943 Latter-day Saintchurch meetings were beingheld at Tuoro on the northeast-ern end of an area in thePuaikura District. Initially, the meeting venue wassuccessful in attracting new members that nowincluded the Pikika‘a and Aratangi Benioni fam-ily. Soon, however, anti-Mormon rumors ofpolygamy surfaced, claiming that Tuakana Vahuahad “two wives.” This necessitated a change inmeeting location, and the weekly gatheringswere moved temporarily to the Benionis’ rentalhome, which was closer to the village center andthe more heavily residential area of Ruaau. Aftera short period, Sunday meetings were again re-located, this time to Muri (Takitumu), on theother side of Rarotonga. At first the Saints met inthe home of Brother and Sister Harry Strickland.Then the first coconut-thatched Latter-day Saintchapel in the Cook Islands was constructednearby. Aratangi Benioni recalled that at first,branch members were picked up for Sundaymeetings in “a Mormon truck.”23

Church membership continued to increaseslowly. While the chapel in Muri remained, mem-bers on the Puaikura side of the island movedtheir Sunday meetings back to Ruaau, to thehome of John and Ara Mateara. John himselfwas not a member of the Church, but his wife,

“Mama” Ara, was fully committed to the work ofthe restored gospel. Touched by his wife’s faith,John allowed a church to be built on his family’sold residence grounds. A coconut-thatched chapelwith a coral base was built in 1943. The newstructure afforded much visibility for the Churchsince it was in a heavily populated area on themain road and within the confines of the tauraoire, or village center. The building was also veryclose to the residence of the district paramountchief, Tinomana Ariki, and the limestone LMSchurch of the main village. Its presence signaledan increased local acceptance of the Latter-daySaints.24 By 1945 active members of the Churchin Arorangi included Matia and Ruta Dean andthe families of James Vahua, Pikika‘a Benioni,and Samuel Glassie. In June 1946 the thirtymembers on record also included Uu Tipoki,Sister Teha and her daughter, Ngapoko Deanand his son, and the families of Torea Strick-land, Pai Goodwin, Poko Cummings, and ManuCummings.25

The story of Manu Cummings is a goodexample of the great faith and commitment ofLatter-day Saints in the Cook Islands. Born

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Fig. 22. Adorned with leis, women in the Cook Islands offer a typical welcome.Courtesy of Jon Jonassen

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February 9, 1910, under the name of ManuaAereau Cummings, which can be interpreted as“battleship traveling in peace,” Manu later metand married Josephine Teakapeka on June 18,1938. Ironically, prior to marrying this Catholicwoman, Manu had trained as a pastor in theLondon Missionary Society. The couple was in-troduced to the Church in September 1944.Nine months later, on May 12, 1945, Manu andJosephine Cummings were baptized by FritzBunge Kruger. Fourteen Latter-day Saint convertswere baptized in the Avana stream on that mem-orable day. Manu went on to become a strongpillar in the Church. He assisted with the transla-tion of various Church publications, especially thescriptures, into Cook Islands Maori. In spite ofmuch ridicule from members of their extendedfamily, Manu and Josephine remained activeLatter-day Saints throughout their lives.26

In 1944, Elder Fritz Bunge Kruger sold hisbakery business, settled all financial accounts,and devoted himself to full-time missionary work.He was assisted in his labors by his wife or eitherTuakana Vahua or Pikika‘a Benioni, who bothhelped translate the Book of Mormon into CookIslands Maori.27 Eventually faced with a depletionof funds, Elder Kruger prayed for help. “The nextday, six American servicemen bought a large col-lection of island souvenirs Kruger had amassed,allowing the Krugers to continue as missionar-ies.” This money also paid their airfare back toNew Zealand at the end of their mission.28

The Krugers’ return to New Zealand in1946, however, left the Rarotongan Latter-daySaints without priesthood leadership. Shortlyafter the Kruger family left Rarotonga, two expa-triate brethren on assignment to survey the needfor chapels in the Pacific Islands met with themembers in Rarotonga. While there, they con-ferred the Melchizedek Priesthood upon SamuelGlassie and Harry Torea Strickland and ordainedthem to the office of elder. In September 1946,Trevor Clarke and Mildred Patricia Hamon arrivedin Rarotonga from the United States with theknowledge that the construction of a more per-

manent chapel was imminent.29 By October, achapel made of stick walls and coconut-frondroofing was available for use in Avarua, and thefirst official branch of The Church of Jesus Christof Latter-day Saints in the Cook Islands was or-ganized. Trevor Clarke Hamon became thebranch president, Harry Torea Strickland was or-dained as first counselor, Manu Cummings be-came clerk, and Samuel Glassie was ordained asSunday School supervisor. The construction of achapel in Avarua, the country’s center, stimulatedeven more interest in the Church.

As Church membership grew, anti-Mormonsentiment increased.30 But this did not stop thework. One particularly significant baptism oc-curred three years after the first branch was or-ganized in Rarotonga. Emily Williams joined theChurch at age sixty-three. Her maturity and de-votion proved to be a tremendous example offaith and commitment to the other Saints. Intime, she became the first Cook Islander to gothrough the temple, and she remained activeuntil her death at the age of ninety-one.31

Toward the latter part of 1949, it was de-cided that missionaries should revisit the islandof Aitutaki. At that time, the missionaries in Raro-tonga were William and Una Thompson of NewZealand, Duane Chadwick from the UnitedStates, and Melvin Tagg of Canada. Elder Chad-wick was assigned to travel to Aitutaki accompa-nied by local orator Tangaroa Kainuku.32

Although the visit was full of uncertainty, it waswarmly received in Aitutaki by Norman and LilyMitchell. The Mitchells accepted the gospel, andthe first sacrament meeting in Aitutaki was heldin their home on January 8, 1950. Lily also of-fered land for the first chapel. She gave an ac-count of the chapel construction: “Practically thewhole village of Tautu helped gather poles andkikau leaves to build our chapel. One personasked the very logical question of the others,‘Why are we doing this stupid thing of building achurch for the Mormons?’ Someone else spokeup saying, ‘Do you know that the orometua(elder) understands every word of Maori you are

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saying?’ Silence ensued, and the chapel was builtin record time.”33

In January 1950, Elder Matthew Cowley, onhis way to Tahiti, made a surprise visit to theisland of Aitutaki. Cowley, and his traveling com-panion, Alma Burton, stayed in the home of Lilyand Norman Mitchell. Although the visit wasshort, it left a lasting impression on the strug-gling Saints. In the years that followed, a numberof Aitutakians became stalwart members of theChurch, including Tutai Arama, Nga Manapori,Manarangi of Vaipae, Mere Arona and Tuara,Nane and Geoffrey Henry, and the families ofSadaraka and Mitchell.34

The Church also extended to the islands ofMangaia, Atiu, Mauke, and to the northern CookIslands. However, the shortage of missionaries,the animosity from other churches, and the oc-casional pressure from government officials, in-hibited Church growth. Yet in areas around theCook Islands, Latter-day Saints continued towork, and a number of memorable events oc-curred after 1950. One love story concerning adoctor and the queen could have changed theCook Islands’ history. This story is not recordedin the official annals of the Church, which merelynote that “on 28 June 1947 an Apostle of theLord visited the Cook Islands. Elder MatthewCowley arrived by plane. He met with the mis-sionaries and gave counsel and direction. On2 July 1947 Elder Cowley departed the Cook

Islands.”35 What is left out is that Elder Cowley’svisit involved a special request from Dr. “Nahi”Paewai for marriage to the young Rarotonganqueen Pa Terito Ariki. While attending school inNew Zealand, Queen Pa Terito Ariki stayed in thehome of Matthew Cowley, where she met and fellin love with Dr. Paewai. It was a mutual attraction.As a special emissary, Cowley hoped to seek theagreement of the paramount chief Makea Arikifor the wedding union. Unfortunately, Paewai’sproposal was acceptable to the local paramountchief only on the condition that the doctor wouldreturn to live in Rarotonga. However, this was acommitment that Dr. Paewai could not make be-cause of his own ties to his people in NewZealand. Therefore, the wedding never tookplace, and Paewai and Queen Pa Terito Ariki wenttheir separate ways.36

A second story involved Elder Henry WilliamKanahele, a popular Hawaiian missionary whomade much progress in the Cook Islands be-cause of his familiarity with the local customsand Maori language. Still, he almost lost that in-fluence after an incident on the island of Atiu.Not long after his arrival, the island experiencedsome bad weather. Unaware of the increaseddryness of the vegetation, Elder Kanahele madea small fire that got out of control and engulfedthe local church and spread into the hills. Kana-hele quickly exited the island, but he left a legacyfor local historians to add to their tales about theunruly powers of the Latter-day Saint missionar-ies. The episode, humorous in the aftermath, be-came a positive foundation for introducing theChurch to successive generations of potentialmembers. Ironically, Elder Kanahele’s daughterwas assigned to the same island many years lateras part of an educational exchange program be-tween the Cook Islands and the KamehamehaSchools of Hawai‘i.37

Another amusing incident that opened thedoor for missionary work involved a Church sta-tion wagon and a group of building missionaries.Ropiha “Boydie” Campbell recalled that in 1969he, Ra Puriri, and Teina Ngatikaura from New

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Fig. 33. Missionaries in the Cook Islands in the 1960sCourtesy of Jon Jonassen

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Zealand, together with abrother from Rarotonga, wereworking together as Churchlabor missionaries. Amongother structures, they were tobuild the first public flush toiletson the island of Rarotonga.One day the men drove toAvarua to purchase some sup-plies. They left their vehicleparked in the central market-place. When they returned, theyfound that the vehicle’s hand-brake had slipped, and the carhad gone over a six-foot sea re-tainer wall and was now floatingin the ocean. A large amusedcrowd had gathered to view thespectacle that was furtherdramatized by a rising tide.With community assistance, use of two longplanks, a tractor, and a prayer, the station wagonwas retrieved. Despite public declarations thatthe vehicle would never run again, the labor mis-sionaries created a stir on the island when the carwas running within twenty-four hours. Indeed,both the locally based national radio station anda large crowd turned up the next morning to wit-ness the engine’s first spark back to life. Prayersand an overnight flushing of the engine paid offfor the missionaries, and they became instantheroes on the island. The car became a center oflocal news, and the missionaries were welcomedinto many new homes for the duration of theirsix-month mission.38

If these human-interest stories have im-pacted Church life in the Cook Islands, so have avariety of institutional decisions. For instance, theCook Islands have been passed back and forthbetween nearby missions over the years: theyhave been attached to the Tahitian Mission atleast twice, to the New Zealand Mission twice,and to Sa-moa, Tonga, and Fiji.39 For a few yearsin the early 1960s, the Cook Islands was its ownmission, headquartered in Avarua.40 Current Cook

Islands Saints hope for the return to a separateCook Islands Mission. In spite of administrative,economic, physical, and spiritual challenges, thou-sands of Cook Islanders have accepted the gospelof Jesus Christ, and many have since served mis-sions throughout the world.41

The Church in the Cook Islands continuesto face many challenges: a transient populationon a migratory path to New Zealand and Aus-tralia,42 a perceived lack of regular visits from topChurch leaders,43 and exclusion from represen-tation at the Church’s high-profile PolynesianCultural Center in Hawai‘i.44 The Church alsocontinues to face opposition from outsiders.“Where were you when our ancestors were hea-thens?” some ask. “Why are you here when weare now civilized and are already Christians?”others question. Latter-day Saints give an action-oriented response: “Seek ye the truth. If you wantto know the fundamental teachings of JesusChrist, ponder the scriptures thoughtfully, repent,and be baptized. We are among you to extendthe love of Christ, to spread his gospel, and be-cause you have yet to be baptized by proper au-thority.”45 Queries by nonmembers pave the wayfor useful discussion about being a follower of

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Fig. 44. Siblings Josephine Sadaraka, Michael Jonassen, and Anne Georgehave passed on a pioneering legacy to their many descendants.Courtesy of Jon Jonassen

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Jesus Christ who demonstrates faith by works.And slowly, the work in the Cook Islands contin-ues to move forward.46

CCoonncclluussiioonnThrough it all, how heaven and hell are con-

ceived continues to be an underlying issue of greatinterest to the Maori. For those who accept therestored gospel of Jesus Christ, the notions ofheaven and hell become clearer. As explained inthe Bible Dictionary, the term heaven refers to theplace where God lives and the future home of therighteous Saints (see Genesis 28:12; Psalm 11:4;Matthew 6:9). Latter-day Saints also clearly dis-tinguish between “paradise” and “heaven.” Jesusvisited paradise after His death on the cross, buton the third day thereafter He informed Mary thatHe had not yet ascended to His Father in Heaven(see Luke 23:39–44; John 20:17). Moreover, cer-tain expressions about heaven made by Churchleaders in the twentieth century have come to becherished by modern Cook Islands Maori. Theseinclude the declarations that “the only road toheaven is the road of service,” and heaven is “acontinuation of the ideal home.”47

In terms of hell, Latter-day Saints in theCook Islands believe some will be “thrust downto hell” until the last Resurrection but then will beredeemed and given telestial glory (see D&C76:81–85). Hell, as well as paradise, must deliverup its captive spirits so that they can be rejoinedwith a renewed physical body (see 2 Nephi9:10–16). David’s statement “For thou wilt notleave my soul in hell” reflects this view (see Psalm16:9–11).

As Maori Cook Islanders in recent centurieshave moved through the three time periods dis-cussed in this chapter, they have ever been insearch of securing a pleasant afterlife. Thosewho have lived during the third stage and havebecome members of The Church of Jesus Christof Latter-day Saints testify that they have gaineda much clearer view of the plan of salvation. Theynow understand, more than ever before, the im-portance of personal sacrifice, individual com-mitment, and service to others.48

Jon Tikivanotau M. Jonassen is a professor of politicalscience at Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i and aformer head of the Ministries of Cultural Developmentand Foreign Affairs in the Cook Islands government.

NNootteess1. William Wyatt Gill, Myths and Songs from the

South Pacific (New York: Arno Press, 1828–96;reprinted 1977).

2. I wish to acknowledge the information and in-sights shared by the following Cook Islanders and Lat-ter-day Saint missionaries of the Cook Islands: MimouTom, Angaroa Williams, Duane Chadwick, Colin andRaewyn Shelford, Tania Mahoney (nee Sadaraka), TiaRoos (nee Murray), John Taylor, Glassie Leilani, Mat-apo Teava, Ropiha Campbell, MacCormic Cummings,John Cummings, Nooroa Taea, Wesley Duke, andHenry Kanahele.

3. Aitutaki, “God-led,” is a name viewed by itspeople as referring to the body of their island. Thespiritual name is Araura, which means “fragrantwreaths for dancing.” For the main island, Rarotonga,meaning “down south,” the spiritual name is Tumu-Te-Varovaro, “the foundation” (Alfons Kloosterman, Dis-coverers of the Cook Islands and the Names TheyGave [Rarotonga: Cook Islands Library and Museum,1976], 10, 45).

4. Implemented under the United Nations’ su-pervision, this unique political status has since beenadopted by various other governments including Niue,Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, andPalau.

5. International personality refers to the coun-try’s ability to be a signatory to multilateral or bilateraltreaties with other independent countries and interna-tional intergovernment organizations.

6. Cook Islanders served in Sa-moa, French Poly-nesia, New Hebrides (Vanuatu), Papua New Guinea,Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Fiji, New Caledonia, andHawai‘i (John Herrmann, Akangateiteianga [Raro-tonga: USP, 1987], 19–23).

7. The chant implies that Ru-toko-rangi is alsoRu-taki-nuku. Ru-taki-nuku arrived from Avaiki, “placeof origin,” on his katea, or double-hulled canoe,named Ngapuariki (Gill, Myths and Songs from theSouth Pacific, 139–42).

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8. Gill, Myths and Songs from the South Pacific,139–42.

9. Carved slabs, images, and objects of sennit(plaited coconut fiber) covered with highly-valued redfeathers of the tavake, or bosun bird, representedgods (Te Rangi Hiroa, The Material Culture of the CookIslands [Aitutaki] [New Zealand: The Board of Ethno-logical Research, 1927], 21–25).

10. Gill, Myths and Songs from the South Pa-cific, 172–77.

11. Maretu, Cannibals and Converts, trans. Mar-jorie Crocombe (Suva: USP, 1983), 55.

12. Aitutaki islanders were the first Maori CookIslanders to accept Christianity. Two years later it wasintroduced successfully to the people of Rarotonga(Taira Rere, The Gospel Comes to Rarotonga [Raro-tonga: Taira Rere, 1980], 10).

13. Dick Scott, Years of the Pooh-Bah (Raro-tonga: CITC, 1991), 19.

14. There have been suggestions that an earlierLatter-day Saint missionary effort was made by ElderSidney Hanks, who, on his way to Tahiti, preached thegospel on Tongareva in 1857 (see Mere Fiore, unpub-lished research papers; see also Christopher Cooper,“Cook Islands: A Legacy of Faith,” Church News, Sep-tember 6, 2003).

15. Scott, Years of the Pooh-Bah, 13–28. At thattime, there were also notable numbers of Cook Island-ers migrating to French Polynesia to work in the guanoand phosphate mines, and the connection betweenthe LMS church in Tahiti and that in Rarotonga was al-most inseparable because their followers and mission-aries made regular visits.

16. What follows relies on R. Lanier Britsch, Untothe Islands of the Sea (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book,1986), 34–35.

17. French Polynesia Mission, Historical Records1900–30, CR 3039 Series 11 (7432), September 7,1901, as cited in Britsch, Unto the Islands of theSea, 34.

18. Aitutaki Maori had always displayed a strongsense of pride in their individual dialect. Tamatoa Ariki,Vaeruarangi Ariki, and Teurukura Ariki had previouslycommitted themselves to the LMS efforts in the Pa-cific. Many of their sons served missions among theheathens. Tamatoa Ariki, in particular, assisted in thespread of the LMS throughout the Cook Islands (seeMaretu, Cannibals and Converts, 36).

19. “Fritz and Carol Kruger: Keeping the Com-mandments Brings Blessings,” Australia-New Zealand

Newsletter [n.p., n.d.]. Fritz Bunge Kruger was born inSa-moa in 1913 and joined the Church at age twelvebefore moving to New Zealand in 1937. In 1939 he setup the first bakery business in Avarua, Rarotonga.

20. Britsch, Unto the Islands of the Sea, 332;Mere Fiore, unpublished research papers.

21. Deseret News 2003 Church Almanac (SaltLake City: Deseret News, 2002), 318.

22. Aratangi Benioni, interview in Tokoroa,March 24, 2000.

23. Benioni, interview in Tokoroa, March 24,2000; Lily M. Jonassen, interview in Auckland, March24, 2000.

24. Lily M. Jonassen, interview in Auckland,March 24, 2000.

25. Mere Fiore, unpublished research papers.26. Papongi Manea talks about his parents as

early converts to the Church, Avarua Branch Confer-ence, Rarotonga, 1997.

27. Pikika‘a Benioni continued his translationwork until his migration to New Zealand around 1960.His daughter, Mata, did much of the early typing of theMaori transcripts that required particular care(Aratangi Benioni, interview in Tokoroa, March 24,2000).

28. “Fritz and Carol Kruger: Keeping the Com-mandments Brings Blessings,” Australia-New ZealandNewsletter.

29. Mere Fiore’s research indicates that the Ha-mons arrived a year earlier than that indicated inBritsch, Unto the Islands of the Sea, 334.

30. In her unpublished research papers, MereFiore says that death threats were made to ElderHamon. However, Aratangi Benioni, who spent muchtime with the Hamons, could not recall any such deaththreats. She did remember that there was much neg-ative resistance from members of other church de-nominations (Benioni, interview in Tokoroa, March 24,2000).

31. Her legacy of strength is found in many of herdescendants. I can still recall when Angaroa Williams,granddaughter of Emily, bore testimony to the legacyof her grandmother during the pioneer sesquicentennialmeetings in Rarotonga in 1997. Williams also repeatedthis testimony at the Pioneers in the Pacific Conference,La-‘ie, Hawai‘i, October 10, 1997.

32. Tangaroa Kainuku later became talking chieffor the paramount chief, Kainuku Ariki, of Takitumu inRarotonga. He also fell away from the Church but

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never lost his testimony (see Tangaroa Kainuku, inter-view in Wellington, March 1998).

33. Duane Chadwick recalls entries from his mis-sionary diary at a sesquicentennial meeting of CookIslanders and Cook Islands returned missionaries (see“Special Session on Missionaries to the Cook Islands,”Pioneers in the Pacific Conference, La-‘ie, Hawai‘i, Oc-tober 10, 1997).

34. Mimou Tom, “Presentation on the Church ofJesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Aitutaki,” Pioneersin the Pacific Conference, La-‘ie, October 10, 1997.Josephine Sadaraka, an early member of the Churchin Aitutaki, continued to be a tower of strength to oth-ers and played a pivotal role in the conversion of manynew members. Her son Sadaraka “Cookie” Sadarakawas a government senior official and successful busi-nessman, and served for many years as district presi-dent in the Cook Islands.

35. Cited in Mere Fiore, collection of notes onChurch history, Rarotonga, 1999. Among her notesare some loose documents from the Avarua Branchcollection in Rarotonga.

36. Rena Ariki Jonassen, interview in Rarotonga,1999. Rena affirms that this potential marriage was onereason that Queen Pa Ariki, who later became presi-dent of the House of Ariki and a committed Bahai,maintained a warm relationship with The Church ofJesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout her life.

37. Henry Kanahele, “Special Session on Mis-sionaries to the Cook Islands,” Pioneers in the PacificConference, La-‘ie, Hawai‘i, October 10, 1997.

38. Ropiha Campbell, interview in La-‘ie, Hawai‘i,March 25, 2000. Unbeknownst to Ropiha, the vehiclehe was referring to was sold within that year to my fa-ther, who gave it to me in New Zealand. The engineran perfectly for years but the body was full of holes aswould be expected from its salty exposure. Friendscalled the car “holy vehicle,” and the marvelous won-der was that it never broke down. I sold it three yearslater when I departed from New Zealand.

39. John Taylor, “Politics and Culture Session onCook Islands,” Pioneers in the Pacific Conference, La-‘ie,Hawai‘i, October 10, 1997. The Cook Islands was partof the Samoan Mission in 1954, the New ZealandNorth Mission in 1966, Fiji Mission in 1971, and theTahiti Papeete Mission in 1975. The Cook Islands isnow part of the New Zealand Auckland Mission (Des-eret News 2003 Church Almanac, 318).

40. The Rarotongan Mission was organized onNovember 20, 1960, and continued until April 1966,

when it was absorbed into the New Zealand North Mis-sion (Britsch, Unto the Islands of the Sea, 335–36).

41. Cook Islanders have served in French Poly-nesia, Tonga, Federated States of Micronesia, UnitedStates, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and SouthAmerica. Labor missionaries such as Patoa Benioniand Teina Ngatikaura served in the building of theChurch College of Hawai‘i (now BYU–Hawai‘i), thePolynesian Culture Center, and the Hawai‘i Temple.

42. Significantly, the estimated total population ofCook Islands Maori in the early twenty-first century isaround twenty thousand in the Cook Islands, over sixtythousand in New Zealand, and around twenty thou-sand in Australia. As a result, most Cook Islands mem-bers of the Church live outside of the Cook Islands.

43. President David O. McKay had a transit stop-over visit in Aitutaki in 1955, and President Spencer W.Kimball made a transit stopover in Rarotonga in Feb-ruary 1981. Kimball’s visit allowed for a short servicewith Rarotonga Latter-day Saints to be held in the air-port hangar at the Rarotonga International Airport (seeDeseret News 2003 Church Almanac, 318).

44. Over the years, the Cook Islands governmentand Latter-day Saint leaders have often requested rep-resentation at the Polynesian Cultural Center withoutsuccess. Representations to Polynesian Cultural Cen-ter general management have included Cook Islandsprime minister Sir Albert Henry in 1968, prime minis-ter Sir Thomas Davis and paramount chief Makea Arikiin 1969, minister of cultural development Hon Tan-gata Simiona in 1970, and prime minister Sir GeoffreyArama Henry in 1993.

45. Aratangi Benioni, interview in Tokoroa,March 24, 2000.

46. This includes growth in Church facilities aswell. The recent relocation of a chapel in Arorangi, forinstance, could not have occurred without assistanceand sacrifice from Michael and Lily Jonassen. Thoughnonmembers, they support their children who havejoined the Latter-day Saint faith (see Jonassen, inter-view in Auckland, March 24, 2000).

47. Dean R. Zimmerman, Sentence Sermons (SaltLake City: Deseret Book, 1978), 91–92, citing Charles A.Callis, in Conference Report, April 1939, 126, andDavid O. McKay, in Conference Report, April 1964, 5.

48. Cook Islands Latter-day Saint sacramentspeakers sometimes refer to the words of Elder Ster-ling W. Sill, who said, “One can get to heaven on halfthe effort that we usually burn up in going to hell” (inConference Report, April 1947, 90).

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