When the Covid-19 pandemic hit the globe and international travel came to a halt, it drastically affected our Pacific nations and people living there. Jay Taivairanga, who currently manages the behind-the-scenes action of an online platform organisation, Kuki Learning, is proud to discuss the successes of a positive initiative that was built off the back of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Our Founder Charlie lost his job during the pandemic and is a friend of mine. He is the founder of Kuki Learning and due to his situation he had extra time on his hands. We built and created an online engagement programme that targets anyone who is interested in learning the Cook Island language, customs and about our culture.” 

Taivairanga also says that the overall process of building and stabilising Kuki Learning has been created from a place of fun, but the authentic goal is to evolve the Cook Islands language by revitalising it.

Kuki Learning can be found on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. The engagement received for their content is one of the most successful in the nation in the category of Pacific learning. With 14,000 Facebook followers and close to 6,000 followers on their instagram, the high interaction comes as no surprise.

Taivairanga stresses the importance of sustainability, acknowledging the growth and vision for Kuki Learning to continue providing for eager learners. 

“The organisation is doing great now but moving forward into the future we want this project to become an official certification programme. Right now we have our interactive videos, but the plan for next year is to launch a programme that sees education right through different levels and for people to come out certified in the language. This would remain online through a learning portal, similar to other educational providers, and have pre-recordings and support for our students."

With the growth of Kuki Learning, they are aiming to franchise across the nation and on a global scale.

Now that Kuki Learning is officially a registered business, the partnership with Pasifika Futures (PFL) has become important from a funding perspective to help Kuki Learning reach the levels of success that it aspires to. Taivairanga says that the relationship with PFL is a positive one.

PFL Practice Advisor for the South Island, Antonio Filimoehala, says that the partnership between Pasifika Futures and Kuki Learning aligns well with what PFL stands for when it comes to innovative growth for Pasifika generations.

“Kuki Learning is an awesome organisation for us at Pasifika Futures to work with because they cater to the younger generations who know how to engage with modern technology. Learning about your roots contributes to your identity and overall wellness. Language, culture and customs start in our own homes and Kuki Learning starts on the screen in your place of comfort and achieves exactly what it aims to.” 

Taivairanga says that the most rewarding aspect of his role within Kuki Learning is seeing families connect together because it's making that language barrier disappear. 

“It’s truly rewarding that this has led to a strong sense of identity for our people, a true sense of self that is rooted. We know for our Pasifika people that language and culture create this."

They have also created an initiative called the “Papaanga Pack” which resembles well with the Māori Mihi. The interactive pack connects younger students with their grandparents or parents who know their Cook Island language. Just like the Māori Mihi, the Papaanga Pack aids young people to fill in the gaps of their identity into a speech form, noting which islands they are from, which villages they belong to, acknowledging their mountains, family names and bloodlines, also encouraging them to interact with their elders to make these connections. Taivairanga and his team are proud to see the positive intergenerational shifts within families.

“All we want is to serve our people, give them a true sense of self and give back."