Students at Apii Mauke are reconnecting with their cultural heritage while learning practical solutions to reduce plastic pollution through Carving Our Stories: Traditional Knowledge, Turtle and Tavake Conservation, and Plastic-Free Futures, a community-led initiative supported through the Pacific Ocean Litter Project (POLP) Small Grants Incentive Programme.
Implemented by the Te Onu Akauroa Akatokamanava Association (TOAAA) in partnership with the National Environment Service (NES), the project teaches youth about the cultural significance of the Onu (sea turtle) and Tavake (red-tailed tropicbird) through traditional storytelling, carving, and creative arts, while promoting environmentally friendly alternatives to single-use plastics.
TOAAA President Tai George said the initiative is helping preserve traditional knowledge while inspiring young people to become environmental guardians. “This project is about carving our stories into the hearts of our young people. By sharing the traditions of the Onu and Tavake, we are strengthening cultural identity and encouraging the next generation to protect Mauke from plastic pollution and other environmental challenges.”
The project builds on TOAAA’s wider conservation efforts, which include beach clean-ups, waste audits, community awareness activities, and protecting turtle nesting beaches and Tavake habitats from marine litter.
Mii Herman, NES Senior Environmental Partnerships Coordinator, said the project demonstrates the power of community-led solutions. “Through the leadership of TOAAA, Mauke’s youth are learning that protecting biodiversity, reducing plastic pollution, and preserving traditional knowledge all go hand in hand. This is exactly the type of action the Pacific Ocean Litter Project aims to support across the Cook Islands.”
The initiative highlights how traditional knowledge and hands-on learning can inspire lasting environmental stewardship and positive behaviour change within communities.
