Michael Field's South Pacific Tides

Michael Field's South Pacific Tides

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Michael Field's South Pacific Tides
Michael Field's South Pacific Tides
Another Family Fight in Polynesian Realm

Another Family Fight in Polynesian Realm

Aotearoa & Cooks tangled in century-old colonial hangover—neither keen to let it go

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Michael J Field
Jun 22, 2025
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Michael Field's South Pacific Tides
Michael Field's South Pacific Tides
Another Family Fight in Polynesian Realm
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For a Polynesian nation, it's odd that one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s more prominent public statues boldly honours an imperialist who wanted to civilise Pacific nations and create a “greater New Zealand”.

Premier Richard John Seddon (1845-1906) failed in empire building - losing out on Fiji and Samoa - but snaring the Cook Islands in 1900, and hoping for more: "What was there to prevent the federation of the Islands? New Zealand had taken a great interest in the Cook group, and saved it from falling into the hands of a foreign nation.”

In 2001: Aotearoa Prime Minister Helen Clark given a Cook Islands welcome in Rarotonga. Photo Michael Field

Seddon’s fear had been France, spreading out from its annexed Tahiti. While his statue at Parliament honours his 13 years as premier, his Cook Islands role is mostly forgotten in a subsequent sea of bickering between Wellington and Rarotonga. 

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Given global tensions currently, news that two really small Pacific states are snarling at each other is, understandably, struggling for media shelf space - it is Duchy of Grand Fenwick without the wit.

The latest in over a century of scrapping between Aotearoa New Zealand and the Cook Islands - exposed this time by the venerable and reliable Cook Islands News - is a childish row which many a more significant power would be happy to have. Sadly though it underscores a colonial trait present in Aotearoa.

Complicating matters is the presence of China, said to have ideological aspirations for the 15 islands with a total land area of 238 km2 (smaller than Aotea Great Barrier in Aotearoa) even as few can spell out any strategic gains to be had.

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