Juki’s creations

Women

By Christine Hatcher

“TO BE visually enveloped by Tuki

Wright’s tie-dyed pareu , strung on lines like multicoloured flags, is like walking into the centre of a kaleidoscope.

These are her creations and they have won Tuki the distinction of being the first ever “Woman of the Year” in the Cook Islands.

They flutter in rainbow hues, welcom ing those wanting the “cheapest and best” on Rarotonga. The nerve centre of the business she loves, started here, in Titikaveka.

Cheerful and bright though the array of tints are to look at, their medley represents long hours of hard work and abundant dedication.

Tuki laughs wryly as she remembers those hard old days, only seven years ago.

“After cyclone Sally destroyed the shop next door to my husband’s office in town, we found inks and screens at the back, while we were clearing up the rubble. I took them home and started playing around with them on the dining room table.”

David, accountant and husband of 20 years, says, “It was a real nuisance.

There were bottles of ink, material and tee-shirts everywhere!”

But Tuki didn’t listen to David’s grumbles. An opportunity had presented itself and she was going to explore it to the end. A deeply religious woman, she confidently trusted this path had become available for a reason. Nothing could stand in her way.

“I wanted to buy a truck, but I didn’t have a single cent in my pocket! Friends in the trade gave me a reference and I was able to raise a loan,” she says simply.

More credit was arranged for textiles and screen printing materials and Tuki »et to work “because I wanted to give my children a good education, feed them food”.

Then, finished products were pegged an a couple of washing lines strung to the ront gate of the home she shares with ihose five children. A hand-painted aoard was perched against the road-side aedge, and the “Tuki’s Pareu” dream aegan to materialize.

Before long, an ambitious and ten acious Tuki was selling from the back of her new truck, door to door, in town.

She tosses her head back, and laughs, “I knew which day was pay day, I knew where to go!”

Six years later, Tuki’s Pareu’s Ltd, a large retail shop, opened its doors in downtown Avarua.

“Everything we sell, we make,” she

explains.

Now director and owner of a self-made empire, Tuki employs four people. One sews the shorts, shirts, pareu and hats at the back of the shop to sell in the front.

Others work at home base in Titikaveka, selling pareu from that same clothes-line and doing all the silk-screen printing tie dying work.

It was not only for this rapid, self determined climb up the business ladder that Tuki was named Woman of the Year but also for her community dedi cation, academic achievements and organizational, leadership abilities.

Nominated by Joelene Bosanquet of Manuia Beach, who simply said, “She is the epitome of what the award is all about”, Tuki was chosen from 19 candidates, six of whom came from the outer islands.

As president of the organizers, the Cook Islands Business & Professional Women’s Association, Dr Takiora Ingram, related Tuki’s long list of achievements. A former nurse, involved

Juki Wright and the qualities which made her Cook Islands’

Woman of the Year

as vice-president of the Cook Islands Council of Women, secretary to the CICC Vainetini and Sunday school, assistant deaconess, representative for Pukapuka, her home island’s Sunday School committee member of the Pukapuka hostel and official timekeeper for the Titekaveka Netball Club, are just some of her credentials.

“The days women were only good in the kitchen are gone,” she declared, receiving her award, $5OO in cash, weekend at Manuia Beach Hotel and meal vouchers to the value of $250.

“Today the women in the Cook Islands can play a crucial role in the welfare of this country, in all areas of importance, and I believe any woman can achieve whatever she sets her mind on, whether it be in the field of business, the church, the community and even politics,” she said to a capacity crowd, that night in September.

And “set” is a good way to describe Tuki’s mind.

Firmly on her agenda is expansion.

Already exporting successfully to Fiji, Samoa, Hawaii and Niue, her hope is to have a shop on each outer island starting with her home island, Pukapuka.

And as for politics - Tuki has am bitions in that area, too.

“I believe women should be in decision making positions,” she says firmly despite her husband’s obvious discomfort at the suggestion.

He almost grudgingly confesses, “She’s smart, motivated and works from morn ing until night.”

Then David smiles, despite himself, admitting, not completely without pride, that his wife, in her own right, is well up the road of success.

“There will be no stopping her now,” he says.

Christine Hatcher

Juki: epitome of the award'