Teariki Franco Mateariki of Ngaputoru 1939 – 2010

The year 1939 when Teariki Franco Mateariki was born in Atiu was the year that General Francisco FRANCO became Head of State of Spain, at the end of the three-year Spanish Civil War which he won, prior to the eruption of World War II on 3rd September, of that same year.
General Franco, who managed to keep Spain neutral throughout World War II, must have impressed Papa Mateariki and the Catholic Priest (Metua Taverio) during young Teariki’s baptism, that they added the name Franco to the given family name Teariki. He proudly carried the name Franco throughout his seventy one years of life on Earth, by which name Franco was popularly known to all who knew him. This personal reflection was shared to both Franco and me in January 1977 by Papa Mateariki when we were both in Atiu during construction of Atiu’s first interim airfield by voluntary labour given freely by the people of Enuamanu with support of the Ui Ariki and Island council of Atiu.
Following the meeting of the Outer Island Airport Development Committee called by Premier Sir Albert Henry in January 1977, that resulted in a visit to Atiu by the Technical Team. Franco was left on Atiu to co-ordinate the work of uprooting all the trees on the Airstrip construction site, by the people of the five villages of Enuamanu manually, using hand-tools. Five days after the survey team had left Atiu to return to Rarotonga. Franco cabled to advise, that all the trees within the construction site had all been uprooted and cleared, leaving only the craters where the trees once stood, awaiting the arrival of the construction-grader and forty-odd drums of machine fuel and oil which were all landed on Thursday the following week, in Atiu.
By 2.30pm that Friday mechanical – engineer the late Jim Brown, and grader-operator the late Tuaine Rima of Rarotonga Ministry of Works had assemble the grader and driven on site to commence the heavy earth works of shaping the landing-strip runway that had already been set-out and flagged; safety clearances under coordination of Franco and Island Council had begun by the village young men in four groups, with chainsaws and operators allocated for each group to manage the heavy tree-cutting.
By Saturday evening of Day-2 a runway 700metres long by 25 metres wide had been skilfully levelled and cut into the hard clay – surrounded by Pineapple fields in the “heyday” of Atiu’s Pineapple Industry for the Kia Orana Juicing Factory in Rarotonga.
On Monday morning of Day-3 it rained and poured-as this was the Hurricane and wet season in any case. But, by mid-day, the rain stopped abruptly and the sun came out with blue sky; and the evaporation mist rose from the wet surface. This was ideal condition for rolling the damp clay surface by using the two army seven-tonne trucks left from the NZ Army construction of Atiu Harbour four years before in 1973. The two vehicles weighted with 5m³ loads of clay on each, continued rolling until after dark with good results.
The compacted runway 750metres long by 25 metres wide at 6am on Tuesday. Day-4 looked satisfactory for the Britten Norman Islander … minimum requirement – Runway 534metres by 15metres wide (50 m strip width). Whilst Franco’s groups continued to complete the sides and ends clearances, the Atiu Radio Operator Porio had transmitted our local field conditions and weather report to Captain Smith of Cook Islands Air in Rarotonga at the 7.30am Radio schedule time.
At 9.30am, Captain Smith replied that they were flying in to land on the new Airstrip at 11.50am. They landed later at 12.20pm because of some minor administrative matter that needed to be overcome, with the landing strip lined with anxious school children and Atiu’s one thousand odd population, excepting for our Mama (Franco’s mother who was unwell in bed) to witness the first Aircraft to land on Atiu. Total costs for the Atiu Airport was less than five thousand dollars ($5,000 NZ) for fuel and shipping, 1977.
Franco, who had bloodline descent from the Ui Ariki of Enuamanu, Nukuroa, and Akatokamanava was well respected in Ngaputoru, being also the grandson of the late Samuela Mana Ariki of Mauke through his late mother Mama Torangi daughter of Samuela Mana Ariki of Ngati Nurau.
In his early working years in the 1960s Franco was among a few scholars on merit awarded scholarships to study at Massey University school of Agriculture with other local prominent Agriculturists William Hosking Jnr., Manea Turepu, Sam Napa, Mike Tavioni, and others over the years.
Franco had displayed keenness and a passion for horticulture – food growing in home gardens to stimulate interests among our local population at village level, especially in our Outer Islands where once lived 49 percent of the Cook Islands’ population on eleven widely scattered outer islands. And particularly on the sandy soil on our six inhabited Atolls; in enabling people on our remote island homes to grow their own citrus lime-tree, green vegetable, tomatoes, beans or cucumber, chinese cabbage, banana and plantain (cooking banana), including flower gardens, in landscaping to beautify their homes and surrounds.
This was the basis upon which his horticulture passion was cradled. Franco was a thinker, often his thoughts expressed in a jovial way, and in serious talking, sometime, followed by an outburst of laughter – his way of putting people at ease, and his sense of humour.
Franco knew what he was talking about. He had always wanted to share his knowledge unselfishly “with the people at grass roots level” or shall we say “taro roots level”. He knew that he was not showing them anything knew, which he often repeated that to them to arouse a sense of recognition. I had watched Franco at work in Rarotonga on some joint projects, and in the Outer Islands performing his role as advisory field officer giving scientific explanations for resolving the particular problems sighted in the field.
His vision and mission in his Agriculture Career revolved around encouraging people in our outer island villages to grow supplementary food-crops, and plants for their own sustenance and livelihood, not to earn millions of dollars for National Economy, but as an investment in a healthy population, one important national asset, by our own efforts. “Where there is a will there is a way.” The essence of his deep thinking was never appreciated in his own land, and taken too much for granted, for lacking commercial incentives in the cash economy of Today.
He then proceeded to go abroad to put into practice what he always advocated, in following his convictions to a far corner of the Pacific. Franco had travelled far a field westward on an agricultural mission to Israel in the Middle-east, and to New York far to the east with impetus in seeking opportunities for fulfilling his horticultural aims and objectives in helping others, in what he believed.
In his quick-wits and humour he often would express a thought – provoking comment as he walked away laughing by his nature, leaving one to ponder what this was all about! He was a good sportsman especially in working with the youths; and, fond of Tennis.
The enthusiasm in horticultural practices that their father had propagated in their young lives has clearly been reflected in the flower and food gardens of Franco’s own children and family today, by their own efforts, determination, and strong will – power, as manifest today in their adulthood.
He shared his vision with those who cared to listen, in targeting especially the urban dwellers and people living in the outer islands who have the right to add green vegetable, banana and citrus to their dietary uptake for good health particularly those who live on Atolls with coral sandy soil which he was always adamant can be improved in fertility by added humus to grow anything – flower and vegetable.
I have witnessed tangible signs reflecting the fruit of his labour, in the Northern Group and some other outer islands that he had passed through leaving a legacy imprinted on the ground “that Franco had been here” putting into practice what he always advocated and believed that can be beneficial to all. Soa Tini the Government Rep in Penrhyn once showed me his citrus lime tree, bananas and home garden in Omoka which Franco helped to develop, after we had enjoyed a refreshing lunch with lime juice, bananas, and green vegetable on top of the local seafood’s from the ocean and lagoon of Penrhyn.
In May 1984 at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister the late Sir Thomas Davis in the Cabinet Room at Teatukura, all the Government Agencies were committed to develop the necessary facilities and venue for hosting the South Pacific Mini Games in July 1985 by the Cook Islands, in Rarotonga.
A Working Committee was quickly formed and a budget was fabricated where none was prepared – like an oversight. Tui Short was elected Coordinator in liaising with Treasury for the Cash-flow and the best venue to develop was Tereora for the Time Frame at our disposal in working through the development weekly work programme for monitoring progress.
Work supervision was allocated for each major section of the Work to key personnel by their respective expertise: Papa Potiki Mataroa of MOW was in charge of constructions with his team of Engineers and Technicians; Oliver Peyroux was overseer for the earthworks with local contractors working to the required formation designed ground level, in the arena and embankments; Divisions of MOW concentrated on the accommodation facilities and amenity areas and the essential infrastructure including Water Supply and Roads; Franco Mateariki for Agriculture was allocated the responsibility of landscaping and development of the grass and lawn in the arena and on the embankments. Storm water drainage network was designed to take any excess rainwater away quickly from the sports field and surrounds so as not to disrupt grass growth.
Young Bobby Mateariki, Franco’s son reflected how they had spent many hours in 1985 mowing the grass to encourage growth and in grooming the general landscape and grass that had to be rolled to maintain an even surface. Franco had shown professional keenness in doing his part in the development of the National Stadium that was created by local efforts in a coordinated team work under Coordinator Tui Short who handed over the completed stadium in May, 1985 to the Sports Organisation, eleven months after construction began in June 1984.
Franco had lived his professional working life to the full in following his vocational convictions of what he could best contribute to humanity by sharing his acquired skills and life experience that were not wasted but appreciated by the people and Government of the Marshall Islands where he passed away in September, 2010. As his nephew Massey Mateariki and daughter Ana had reflected the night they returned, of the flower gardens that where pointed to them, and the works their father and Uncle Franco had under taken, where appreciated by the people and Government of the Marshall Islands.
A memorial Service for Franco was held in the Marshalls before they left to return home to the Cook Islands.
I commend daughter Anna Mateariki-Savage and her cousin Massey Mateariki, for your strong will, courage, and positive determination in venturing to the far corner of North West Pacific to bring your Dad and Uncle back home where he was laid to rest at Nikao Catholic Cemetery with his veteran soldier grand father Sergeant Gasper Kakepare from Enuamanu, who was one of the 500 young men from the Cook Islands who enlisted and served in World War I in France, Palestine and Egypt.
Before Anna left, she had pre arranged all her father’s funeral arrangement’s to alleviate any burden away from her Mum – that is a sign of good family-leadership, maturity and strong will. Congratulations Anna and Massey, even in this time of Grief you have performed all these responsible duties with courage and love for your Dad and Uncle! Well done!

From all families and friends.

Herald Issue 463 10 June
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