A strong voice

laid to rest

ONE of the strongest voices for Pacific women and the rights of traditional leaders was silenced in February with the death of Pa Tepaeru Lady Davis, aged 66.

It was a mark of her mana that she was accorded the largest state funeral ever seen in the Cook Islands. Hers was the only death recognised by an official day of mourning. Flags flew at half mast for two days.

Pa Tepaeru Ariki was the Ariki of Takitumu vaka, the largest of the three vaka in Rarotonga. For the 10 years before her death, she had also been the elected President of the House of Ariki, the highest traditional position in the Cook Islands.

The House of Ariki is considered to be

the final authority on land issues, and it was on these matters which Pa Tepaeru Ariki was most outspoken. Her belief in

the sanctity of traditional land ownership even brought her into conflict with her husband, former Prime Minister Sir Tom Davis, and drew her criticism from some quarters for being too political.

From the age of nine when she recieved her title of Pa Ariki, Tepaeru was raised in the knowledge she was to become the Takitumu leader. Much of her early childhood was spent in New Zealand.

She was educated at Hukarere College and spent many holidays on marae of tribes with canoe links to the Cook Islands. Later, she gave her second daughter to be brought up in the tribe of the Maori Queen, Dame Te Atairangi Kaahu.

And it was in New Zealand, sur rounded by her family, that Pa Tepaeru Ariki died. Despite some dispute about the succession, her daughter Marie Napa was formally installed as the new Pa Ariki a few months after her death. □

Pa Tepaeru Ariki Lady Davis