The Queens Behind the Scenes: Anuanua In Cook Islands Culture

Last week the Cook Islands celebrated 59 years of Self-Governing. In Avaiki Nui, Te Kuki Airani, this momentous occasion is affectionately marked by Te Maeva Nui (The Grand Celebration.)

Te Maeva Nui is arguably the most vibrant week in the Cook Islands calendar. The nation’s capital runs electric as Cook Islanders from the Pa Enua (outer islands) and overseas flock to Rarotonga eager to represent their respective islands and villages on the stage of the National Auditorium.

The week that unfolds is one filled with float parades, trade and the most cutting edge and unique Cook Islands dancing, singing, drumming and costumes making.

Preparations for Te Maeva Nui begin months in advance with group leaders attempting to secure the best composers, choreographers, costume makers, musicians and dancers to represent their island or village.

With a population of only 17,000 people, every Cook Islander knows who the heavy hitters of Te Maeva Nui are. You know, the people who are going to elevate the performances and take their teams to the A-grade category. We can tell if a team’s items are going to be A1-Meitaki based on who’s behind the scenes and there’s one thing we know for sure ... if you’ve got no queens behind the scenes, you’re not even here to compete.

Cook Islanders have long acknowledged the important role anuanua (rainbow) people, particularly our akavaine (transgender females), play in the preservation, evolution and celebration of Cook Islands culture.

Tatryanna Utanga, lead choreographer of Tupapa Maraerenga and President of Te Tiare Association, the Cook Islands first LGBTQIA+ group, shares her cultural journey with us.

Tatryanna’s first involvement in Te Maeva Nui was in 2004 where as a fourteen-year-old, she danced for Mitiaro. But it wasn’t until 2009 she decided to embark on a new cultural journey, aspiring to one day being a cultural leader.

“In my 20’s I started from the bottom, you know serving the tea to the choreographers. Fast-forward some 14 years later and I’m in a leadership role.”

Taryanna has participated in Te Maeva Nui as a part of Tupapa Maraerenga, Mitiaro, Te Ao O Tonga and even been the female choreographer for Pukapuka - the one island in the Cook Islands with its own distinct language, dances and songs. Needless to say, she knows her stuff!

On culture and the anuanua community Tatryanna says “The two are not mutually exclusive. Anuanua peoples and Cook Islands culture go hand in hand and we anuanua thrive under the values of our culture.”

I propose that the culture too thrives under the values of anuanua community. Just as popular culture has been heavily influenced by queer music, fashion and dance the same can be said for the Cook Islands culture and our anuanua community.

“The Anuanua community are ushering in a new form of culture, in our choreography, costume making and artistry ... 10 years ago people would say that costume or that dance is too ‘drag queeny’. But times have changed. I have seen tangible and valuable contributions to our culture come through from our Anuanua community. We used to be entertainment, but now, in the last couple of decades we’ve become the winning ingredient and that’s thanks to the work of the generations before us” explained Tatryanna.

The Cook Islands, like much of the Pacific, underwent significant changes to our existence, beliefs and culture when the missionaries arrived. Generations of oral history illustrate that anuanua and akavaine have always been valued members of the anau (family), oire (village) and matakeainanga (tribe), but this became tested. Tatryanna is proof of the resilience of anuanua people, who remain integral to the development of Cook Islands culture and communities despite colonisation’s attempt to devalue them.

In April of this year the Cook Islands celebrated its first ever Anuanua (Pride) Week having decriminalised homosexuality in 2023. Although our queens-behind-the-scenes have always been there, their participation in Te Maeva Nui was celebrated anew with many Anuanua artists being credited by their chosen names this year.

Every team involved in Te Maeva Nui this year, and for many years passed, have hailed anuanua peoples in cultural leadership roles. Whether they are present as choreographers, composers, costume makers or critiquing aunties in those final days of preparation. There is no doubt that the culture values the opinions of our anuanua anau.

“The anuanua community have always had ties and continue to have strong ties to Cook Islands culture, despite people trying to stomp us out. You cannot tell me, that Anuanua peoples weren’t leaders in these spaces” exclaims Tatryanna.

But the journey towards anuanua peoples being celebrated in the cultural space post-colonisation has not always been an easy one, so one must ask, what keeps anuanua peoples so committed to the preservation and celebration of a culture which is not always the most accepting of them?

Tatryanna explains that “often this commitment comes from a place of hurt, because we can’t take the floor. We’re therefore drawn to it. When I started, I wanted to dance with the girls, but that wasn’t possible back then.”

Although Tatryanna and other akavaine were prohibited from dancing alongside the girls, their contributions to the culture shione through in other roles. Tatryanna herself has choreographed many a champion dancer of the year, in both the male and female section. She and other anuanua peoples have also made significant contributions to the Miss Cook Islands pageant.

It was also in response to this prohibition that the Miss Thunderhips, a Cook Islands akavaine dance competition was born. Tatryanna expressed how proud she is of the Miss Thunderhips competition (which she has won three times) saying “I am so proud of Thunderhips! It gives us a platform to perform in spaces we otherwise wouldn’t be able to.”

There is no denying that that our anuanua peoples and akavaine have made significant contributions towards the preservation, evolution and celebration of Cook Islands culture. With every dancer of the year competition, Miss Cook Islands pageant, Miss Thunderhips and Te Maeva Nui the anuanua community elevate the performance aspects of our culture.

It is thanks to the work of anuanua cultural leaders from the previous generations, leaders such as Tupe (aka Dora), Aunty Larry, Aunty Piniki Utia and Aunty Kaukura (to name a few) that this new wave of anuanua cultural leaders can stand loud and proud in their queerness and be acknowledged for their contributions to the culture.

It has been said that the Cook Islands likes to display the works of our anuanua community but aren’t as willing to have them be seen or heard. It is my hope that we continue to see this rhetoric be done away with and if the last few years are any indication, we’re heading in the right direction.

Next year the Cook Islands will celebrate their 60th year of self-governance and one thing is for sure! If you want your island or village to be serving up the most cutting edge, immaculate costumes and performances next Te Maeva Nui you better taviviki (hurry up) and hit up the anuanua community because I guarantee they’re your winning ticket!

- Written by Teherenui Koteka