Aitutaki Tutaka: Tama i to tatou Enua.
Kua rave’ia atu te tutaka a te enua Aitutaki i te marama o Apirira. Teia rare puapinga tei rave’ia atu na te Marae Ora (Public Health), tauturu’ia atu e te Tuanga Taporoporo (NES) e te Te Tango Akarangatira Oraanga (INTAFF). Kua rare taokotai atu te kātoatoa no te tutaka’anga i te enua, te au ngutuare, ngai pitiniti kia vai akaieie e te natura ua a Aitutaki.
Kua rauka atu i te Opita o te Tu’anga Taporoporo i te akatau e te rekoti i te au tu pakau tuketuke kare e akarare akaou’ia ana i te au ngutuare o te tangata. Pakau rarai, kare e rauka i te akaneke e pera katoa i te maka. Kua kitea ’ia mai koia tikai te au pakau akaoro kare ona puapinga akaou, mei te arote, motoka, pakoti tita akaoro, patikara, pakau tutae auri e te au pakau marererere o te motoka.Tetai au ngutuare te vai ara te matini kare ona puapinga akaou.
Ka riro teia rekoti no teia au pakau tei ko’iko’i’ia mai ei tauturu i te parani tetai au rare atupaka ka rare ia mai, no te au ra ki mua, no te tu’anga o te tāmā’anga i te au tita rikiriki e te au pakau rarai. Ko tetai pakau akamatakite’anga puapinga rava atu ko te au pakau akaoro, ka riro mai teia au ngai ei kainga note namu, ka maringi te inu e tetai uatu vairakau kino o te pakau akaoro ki roto i te enua tae atu ki roto i te tai.
Kua riro teia tutaka i runga i te enua Aitutaki ei akaari’anga i te rare taokotai’anga a te au putuputu’anga rare o te enua pera te iti tangata Aitutaki. Meitaki atupaka ki te katoatoa tei turuturu i teia rare.
Kia okotai tatou i te taporoporo ia Aitutaki kia vai akaieie, ruperupe, e te natura no tatou, ta tatou tamariki ka aru mai, to tatou kopu tangata e no te Ipukarea.
Image: ELVs on Aitutaki
Tutaka Inspection in Mauke
Mauke Environment Officer, Raita Moetaua joined Mauke’s Ministry of Health Tutaka or Health Inspection program for the start of 2025.
The inspections began in the village of Kimiangatau, where the focus areas included septic and water tanks, as well as mosquito breeding sites.
NES also conducted a bulky waste survey during the tutaka to determine how much e-waste, whiteware and end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) were on the island for proper disposal in preparation for the GEF ISLANDS programme that will be rolled out in the Pa Enua this year.
Overall, the two-day Tutaka was very productive. The villages were found to be clean, with even vacant houses well-maintained. While ELVs were identified as an area of concern, waste around homes was generally well-managed, reflecting the community’s strong commitment to a healthy and environmentally friendly living environment.
Image: ELVs on Mauke
Mitiaro Island Inspection 2025
Mitiaro, recently carried out its Tutaka – a full island inspection aimed at ensuring cleanliness, health, and safety across all households and public spaces. Held on a bright and breezy morning, the inspection brought together government officials, health inspectors, island leaders, and the wider community in a united effort to maintain Mitiaro’s reputation as one of the cleanest islands in the Pa Enua. Tutaka (Island Inspection) is a long-standing tradition across the Cook Islands, and on Mitiaro, it holds special importance. Not only is it a time to check for potential health risks, such as mosquito breeding areas or unsafe rubbish disposal, but it is also a chance for the community to come together and reinforce their commitment to communal wellbeing.
Leading the inspection was Te Marae Ora (Ministry of Health) Health Inspector and the National Environment Service. The inspection team moved from household to household, checking yards for leaking water pipes, waste management, assessing sanitation facilities, and ensuring homes were well-maintained and free of unnecessary clutter. Schools, churches, and public buildings were also part of the review. Residents were given feedback and a checklist of things to improve, with follow-up visits planned in the coming 4 months. Many homes were acknowledged for their tidy sections occupied and unoccupied, well-kept gardens and proper rubbish disposal despite the heavy rainfall few days earlier.
One concern raised during the Tutaka was a fewer household feeding their pigs not 50m away from their homes, pile of rubbish on the roadside (inland road) filled with illegal dumping of unnecessary waste. From this report NES will be working together with TMO Health Inspector raising awareness on these issues for the follow up Inspection in 4 months.
