ISLANDERS SAY COOK GROUP IS LAND OF PLENTY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 92, 1 February 1950, Page 5

ISLANDERS SAY COOK GROUP IS LAND OF PLENTY

Not only did all members of the Rotary Club who heard him speak show keen interest in Mr J. W. Gainsborough-Smith’s recent address on his experiences and impressions during a short spell in the Cook Islands, but Islanders living here have kindly offered further information for publication, being convinced that there is very wide general interest and feeling that Mr Smith, a visitor to their homeland, was perhaps not able to do it full justice. On their behalf Mr Drury Low, who spent 26 years as an Island trader and super-cargo, and whose wife is an Islander, has contributed a wealth of material, dealing principally with the types of foods available, which he says are far more plentiful and in greater variety than those mentioned by Mr Smith.

Rich Soil “In the volcanic islands,” Mr Low writes, “the soil is rich and grows in large quantities at least 15 odd varieties of bananas, and in some of the Islands these are growing wild.

“There are two kinds of taro. The largest of this is the ‘taro pai’ or dry land taro, the other is ‘taro vai,’ a smaller variety grown in the huge taro swamps, some of which extend for miles. There is also the Kuraka, a coarser kind of taro grown in huge quantities, then comes the Maori potato known as ‘taro tarua,’ which is very nice eating.

“There are acres and acres of arrowroot which grows all the year round and is used every day in many ways. Yams grow in large quantities in all the Southern Cook Islands as also do oranges and manderins. In some of the Islands, mainly Atiu and Mauke, growing wild back in the bush are oranges, limes, guavas, custard apples, pawpaw (or Mummy apple). It is not uncommon to see the ground yelow with fallen and rotting oranges and limes.

Wild Passion Fruit “Wild chestnuts, too, are growing everywhere there, cooked in many ways, are very tasty. Wild and cultivated passion fruit grow well. Also on many of the Islands the' vine apple grows wild, and on all of them it is grown under cultivation and can be bought on most of them at 3/- a dozen. Breadfruit grow on them all, even the attols, and bear most of the year. These are cooked in a variety of ways and are very good to eat. Pumpkins, beans, lettuce, cabbages (Chinese cabbage also) as well as the kumara grow well on all the volcanic islands. “On some of the Islands fish is very plentiful also. is a fisherman’s paradise, and there the flying fish is used mostly only for •bait. Here crayfish are very plentiful and also the big blue swimming crab and the clam. On the fringing reef are to be found various kinds of crabs and shell fish. Along the shores of the salt water lagoons are to be got for the digging for them Pipi, and a large shell fish called Kai.

“Large numbers of goats are kept. Rarotonga has a lot of cattle also. Mauke and the islands of Atiu and Mitiaro have wild pigeons. Rarotonga and Aitutaki have wild fowls in quite large numbers. All these islands have small creeks and springs, and water on hand in the underground caves, but in most cases it is a long way from the settlements.

Fed On Coconut “Most of the people there own their own pigs and fowls, which being fed mostly on coconuts are very fat. Then comes the coconut crab, very rich but also good eating, not to mention the turtle and turtle eggs, which are to be had on most islands, And, of course, on every island grow the good old coconut tree, the great stand by. Space will not permit of telling of all the good things growing there, including the Mango tree, sugar cane, rock and water melons, and many ether fruits. “The Cook Islands people are a grand race, and to them nature has been very kind. They may not have much money, but they have plenty of food and a great variety of it.”