CI Times Weekly | Current Issue 265 | 25 August 2008
Te Tivaevae O Te Aroa
Early Childhood Education (ECE) Teachers on Rarotonga gifted ECE Cook Islands Advisor Bernie Atger with a tivaevae at the end of her two year term in the Cook Islands. The ECE teachers felt that it would be an appropriate gift to thank Bernie for all the work that she had done for EC education while based in the Cook Islands.
Ina Tamarua instigated the making of the bedspread and the design was based on an old tivaevae of hers. Tungane Broadbent President of the Ooa Fabric and Fiber Arts Group cut the pattern and assisted with the overall design. According to Ina the design was five flowers of Rarotonga with the fifteen stars in the center representing the Cook Islands.
Each preschool participated in making the gift by sewing one pair of flowers each and four leaves.
Senior ECE teachers from Avarua School Mrs. Ina Toru and Mrs. Metua Vakapora oversaw the putting together of the tivaevae and were on hand to assist those women who did not know how to sew.
While the main objective of the exercise was to create a gift for Bernie there was unexpected results. Not only did the making of the gift unite the women but the benefits of working together and sharing ideas led onto other ventures. Some of the teachers learnt a new craft and others banded together to design and sew a tivaevae for themselves.
Ina Toru said that it was the first time that a project such as this was undertaken and encouraged by the spirit of unity and cooperation it will definitely be not the last.
