Pa Maretu Ariki (1848 – 1906) was a

sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin , meaning 'above'. The roles of a sovereign vary from monarch, ruler or ...

of the Cook Islands. He was the '' ariki'' of the ''Pa'' dynasty, one of the two chiefdoms of the '' Takitumu'' tribe on the island of

Rarotonga Rarotonga is the largest and most populous of the Cook Islands. The island is volcanic, with an area of , and is home to almost 75% of the country's population, with 13,007 of a total population of 17,434. The Cook Islands' Parliament buildings a ...

Early life

Pa Maretu was originally born at Aitutaki on 15 December 1848, his father being Mataka, a Rarotongan native, and his mother Maria, a native of Aitutaki. Shortly after his birth he was brought to Rarotonga, where he was adopted by Pa Upoko (also known as Mere Pa or Mary Pa) the daughter of Pa Te Pou Ariki and her husband Obura, who was the son of Maretu I (1802–1880), one of the first Christian converts in 1823. He was educated by Congregationalist European missionaries and taught native lore by the missionary Maretu.

Reign

Pa Maretu succeeded his adoptive mother Pa Upoko in 1895. He was appointed native missionary of Ngatangiia, and remained so until his death. He married at an early age to Pati More, a woman of high rank, but they had no children. In 1901 he visited New Zealand, accompanying

Lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

Walter Edward Gudgeon to welcome the Duke and

Duchess of York Duchess of York is the principal Courtesy titles in the United Kingdom, courtesy title held by the wife of the duke of York. Three of the eleven dukes of York either did not marry or had already assumed the throne prior to marriage, whilst two of ...

to the colony. He was a member of the Federal Council of the Cook Islands and of the Rarotonga Council. He was also a native

judge A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers or solicitors of the case, assesses the credibility an ...

of the High Court and of the Land Titles Court, and took a great interest in the government of the islands. He was always of great assistance to Walter Edward Gudgeon in settling native disputes, and things in general, as he was able to view things from a European and native standpoint.

Later life

Pa Maretu retained the title until his death. He died on 7 February 1906 after suffering from heart and lung afflictions for some weeks, he succumbed at last very quickly. He was buried on Friday afternoon on 9 February, and the funeral was officially attended by the Resident Commissioner and the Government officers. He was succeeded by Pa Tetianui (also adopted by Pa Upoko) on 16 February 1906.Cook Islands Gazette, 26 February 1906: 280

Notes

References

*Maretu. ''Cannibals and Converts: Radical Change in the Cook Islands'', translated, annotated and edited by Marjorie Tuainekore Crocombe. (Suva: University of the South Pacific Institute of Pacific Studies, 1983) *Gilson, Richard. ''The Cook Islands, 1820-1950'', edited by Ron Crocombe. (Wellington: Victoria University Press; Suva: University of the South Pacific Institute of Pacific Studies, 1980)

External links