Cook Islands Kukicast

John Roberts•www.cookislands.org.uk

Society & Culture

Places & Travel

Documentary

Discover the South Pacific paradise of the Cook Islands through fascinating chats with those who have a unique insight

Last refreshed: July 11th, 2025 at 10:34 AM ⓘ

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Episodes

A young family's Cook Islands legacy

This is a very personal story of a young family from London, England who moved to the Cook Islands to work as missionaries at a pivotal point in its history. It’s told in a new book by way of some of the hundreds of letters, photos and documents they sent home to their parents. Their son, Simeon Sturney talks about what that legacy reveals about Islands' life in the late 1950s and early 60s and why he’s sharing it. He also relates an emotional story about how he was born on the island of Aitutak...

Jul 09, 2025•27 min

The biggest birthday party in Cook Islands' history

2025 marks 60 years of self-rule in the Cook Islands and big celebrations are planned. Emile Kairua from the Ministry of Cultural Development is organising them and in this podcast he gives an insight into what's planned and the challenges he faces putting together the biggest party in Islands' history. He talks about what it is to be a Cook Islander and why the celebrations are an exciting "family reunion" for young and old alike . He also looks back 60 years and forward to reflect on what the ...

May 05, 2025•27 min

PALMERSTON ISLAND - An Englishman's Legacy

PALMERSTON ISLAND , 500kms North West of the capital island of Rarotonga, is populated by the descendants of Englishman William Marsters who settled there in 1863 . And although it’s part of the Cook Islands, a law passed in 1954 gives those descendants ownership of the island in perpetuity. Six main islets are scattered around its 39 sq. kms of lagoon and the easternmost is home to just 25 people according to the most recent census. Stella Neale is one of the residents descended from William th...

Apr 24, 2025•27 min

Hold the front page!

Meet the man who knows more about the Cook Islands than nearly anyone else…because it’s his job to know. Rashneel Kumar is the editor of ‘Cook Islands News’ , the six days a week national newspaper. It’s a must read for thousands of islanders and many more overseas who keep up with what’s happening through its on-line edition. Rashneel talks about what’s involved in his day job and the challenges of reporting a nation of 15 islands spread across nearly 2 million square kilometres of the Pacific ...

Mar 12, 2025•22 min

Why the Cook Islands should be on every bucket list

The Cook Islands are a very long way from anywhere unless you happen to live in New Zealand…and even then they’re a three and a half hour plane journey away. So how do you persuade people from the UK, Europe and the USA to discover this remote South Pacific Paradise? That’s the challenge facing Robert Skews every day as he promotes the Islands through his Cook Islands’ businesses ‘Island Hopper Vacations’ and the ‘Turama Pacific Travel Group’. His focus is very much on the Northern hemisphere ma...

Mar 03, 2025•14 min

AITUTAKI - Jewel in the Cook Islands crown

Aitutaki is the second most visited of the Cook Islands and a picture-perfect paradise with a lagoon so blue you’d think someone had painted it that colour! Swimming or snorkelling among its colourful coral and abundant sea life is like being in a gigantic tropical fish tank. Tourism is well-developed but Aitutaki still remains unspoiled and life moves at the sort of pace the rest of the world has forgotten. It’s also easy to get to from the capital island of Rarotonga and even if you haven’t th...

Feb 28, 2025•21 min

16 years alone on a deserted island

The idea of living alone for years on a deserted island might be a nightmare for some, but for Tom Neale it was his dream come true. He spent 16 years of his life on remote Suwarrow in the Cook Islands and became world famous when he told his story in the book, “An Island to Oneself” . Now, nearly 60 years after its publication his daughter, Stella Neale has provided a new perspective on the remarkable story with her own epilogue in a new edition of the book. In this podcast, Stella reflects aff...

Nov 22, 2024•25 min

Fish sandwiches and beer - Ian Rankin's Cook Islands

The Cook Islands are a world away from Edinburgh in Scotland where best selling author, Ian Rankin lives and his novels about Detective Inspector John Rebus are set. But in this episode, Ian recalls his holiday in the Polynesian paradise. The unspoiled beauty, the friendly locals…and the fish sandwiches and local beer all made a big impression. He also talks about Rebus, why the curmudgeonly cop is unlikely ever to end up there and what might be next for his much loved maverick. It’s a unique an...

Nov 06, 2024•25 min

Introducing Kukicast

Find out what KUKICAST is all about in this short introduction with clips from some of the episodes. Presenter John Roberts tells of his love for this Polynesian paradise in the South Pacific and how this podcast is his way of sharing it with the help of guests including tourism boss, Karla Eggleton, Aitutaki Mayor Nick Henry and best selling author, Sir Ian Rankin. Discover the Cook Islands through the eyes of those who have their own insight. ABOUT ME I'm a retired BBC radio and TV journalist ...

Nov 06, 2024•6 min

Sharing the love: Cook Islands Tourism CEO

WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES THE COOK ISLANDS SO SPECIAL? Karla Eggelton definitely knows because she’s lived there all her life and is uniquely placed to tell us as she’s Chief Executive of tourism . In this episode, she gives us a unique insight into the capital island of Rarotonga, its next most visited neighbour, the stunningly beautiful Aitutaki and some of the 13 other islands which make up this Polynesian paradise in the South Pacific . Among them are some of the most remote and unspoiled places...

Aug 04, 2023•29 min•Ep. 3

"Trader Jack" Cooper - a Cook Islands legend

Trader Jacks near the harbour on Rarotonga is iconic . In this episode, Jack's daughter, Vanessa talks about its colourful history and its legendary owner. Sadly, Jack Cooper died in June, 2022 but his legacy lives on in a new book. Vanessa chats about that and shares some of the 40 years of trials and tribulations, hilarious stunts and downright unbelievable events in the life of a man who was dubbed the "Gordon Ramsey of the Rarotonga hospitality ecosphere". Jacks' book, "40 years behind bars....

Jul 21, 2023•21 min•Ep. 2

A Young Adventurer on Penrhyn/Tongareva

24 year old Tom Robinson from Brisbane, Australia was on an 8,000 nautical miles voyage from Peru to Australia aiming to become the youngest person ever to row single-handed across the Pacific. He spent 12 months a tiny boat he designed and built himself and made landfall along the way to resupply and explore the cultures of the South Pacific. Tom ended up on Penrhyn (Tongareva) in the Cook Islands by sheer chance after being blown off course and that's where I caught up with him. He gives a un...

Jul 17, 2023•16 min•Ep. 1

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