Announcer: Welcome to "Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope"... Whoo hoo!

where you join us as we accept the world's invitation to visit.

Both: Santé!

[all cheer] Joseph: Today on "Travelscope," I explore the Cook Islands, a South Pacific paradise and celebrate its cultural heritage and scenic treasures.

Announcer: "Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope" is made possible by... Emerald Waterways.

It's been said that if experience is the best teacher, then travel is the best experience.

River-cruising seeks to immerse travelers deep within a culture while moving gently through it.

With Emerald Plus, in-depth cultural experiences are included on every European cruise.

Emerald Waterways.

And No-Jet-Lag jet lag prevention.

Joseph: A South Pacific paradise, the Cook Islands is located halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii in more than 850,000 square miles of ocean.

It consists of 15 islands and hundreds of islets, or motus.

The largest and most populous is the mountainous isle of Rarotonga.

Avarua is the Cook Islands' largest town and the site of the weekly Saturday market that brings out locals and tourists alike.

There are about 14,000 people that live here in the Cook Islands, and about 9,000 of them live on the island of Rarotonga.

You'll see most of them here at the Saturday market.

The locals are here to pick up their bread or fruits and vegetables for their household, and some of the 125,000 visitors that come to the Cook Islands each year come for lunch, arts and crafts, and to be entertained.

[Drums beating] Joseph: Flowers?

Yeah.

That's not very manly, but what do you think?

Ha ha ha!

It's all right?

It's all right.

I mean, I should have something, like, more-- You're wearing a shirt with flowers on it.

So?

Touché.

Looks OK?

Yeah.

Looks good.

Manly man.

This is called a kissing angel.

The thing about it...

Yes?

call it kissing angel...

Yes?

because you can't take a drink until you've kissed an angel.

Julie?

Come on.

Mwah!

That's my angel.

Now something magical's gonna happen to you now.

I feel better already.

I love your headdress.

Oh, thank you.

Did you make that yourself?

No.

I--I bought it.

You bought it.

Ha ha ha!

Yeah, it looks like a lot of work.

Ha ha!

Yeah.

Joseph: The reef encircles the island of Rarotonga for 50 miles, and the island coastal road does it under 20, which makes scootering a fun, flexible, and comfortable way to take the island in.

Agriculture has long been a mainstay of the islanders.

Arrowroot and taro are staple vegetables, while a wide array of fruits from coconuts and bananas to papayas and passion fruit are enjoyed.

And miraculously, at the Koteka Winery, the proprietor can turn most anything into wine.

This morning, we're going to have a local breakfast.

This is how you open the passion fruit.

Very simple.

Mmm.

Then you stir the passion fruit up a bit.

Stir it up?

Yeah, stir it up.

Now it's sauce.

Throw it up, one go.

One go.

Try that there.

Wow.

So what we-- what we usually do... Uh-huh?

Take your seeds in that...

Yes?

Ah, just throw it out the window.

Oh, really?

Mm-hmm.

Another plant will grow.

It's, uh, organic farming.

That's organic farming.

Ha ha ha!

So we'll wash that down... OK. with coconut liqueur.

How do you say "cheers" in the local language?

Kia manuia.

Kia manuia?

Mmm.

Kia manuia.

Kia manuia.

Ha ha!

Hmm?

Oh, my gosh!

Hmm?

That is nice.

Now, uh, uh, how alcoholic is that?

It's 15% alcohol.

15%.

Mmm.

So our next breakfast menu is...

Yes?

All right.

You're gonna put a bit of passion fruit...

Yes?

in your glass.

So we're adding the passion fruit.

Oh.

Yes... and a bit of banana liqueur in it.

Is--is that one of your more popular liqueurs?

Banana's our main batch that we make because there's plenty of bananas on the island.

Plenty, plenty of bananas.

Kia manuia.

Kia manuia.

Mmm.

Breakfast.

Oh, wow.

Hmm?

That's delicious.

Last one is chili.

Chili?

What kind of chili is it?

That is a bird, actually.

It's a gift from the birds?

Yes, so there's option; you can have it straight, we can mix it with passion fruit.

Let's try it, yeah.

I want to taste it.

Mmm.

Oh, it is spicy.

This is medicinal.

I feel it right back here.

It's medicinal?

Gonna clear your sinuses out.

It certainly is doing that, yes.

Yeah.

OK. Kia manuia.

Thank you very much for introducing me to this experience.

It's--was a wonderful breakfast.

[Speaks native language] Joseph: Oral tradition holds that around 1,400 years ago, huge, double-hulled, catamaran-like canoes called waka sailed from Polynesia with people who settled the Cook Islands.

Then, about 900 years later, 7 canoes--waka-- left from this spot and sailed to establish a new settlement on the island of Aotearoa, Today, the island of Aotearoa is also known as New Zealand.

In the annals of seafaring people, the Cook Islanders and their Polynesian ancestors are without equal.

I'm honored to have had the opportunity to come to this site and pay my respects to them.

The first Cook Islanders were part of the Polynesian migration, which began in 1500 BC.

To their new home, they brought with them their ancient customs, traditions, and beliefs.

There are dozens of ancient stone maraes scattered throughout the islands.

The maraes were a sacred gathering place, a place where the ariki, or the local tribal chief, would be invested with his power; a place of religious worship, celebration, feasting.

This one was founded in 1350 and is still sacred and being used by the local tribe today.

Beyond food, drink, and living life in the slow lane, another traditional passion of the Cook Islanders is making music.

Music accompanies most every occasion, and one of their most beloved instruments is the ukulele.

This, the Tahitian ukulele.

OK. 8 strings... Uh-huh.

Or usually the ukulele comes with 4 strings only.

Can we hear a Cook Island one?

[Vocalizing] Something like that.

That's great.

How long has your family been making instruments like this?

As far as I can remember.

Great-grandpa.

And I understand here in your shop, people can actually make their own ukulele.

How long does it take to make a ukulele?

Up to you.

Really?

One day, two days, 3 days.

So if you have a day, you can have a ukulele to take home with you.

Yeah.

When you just want to play for yourself, is there anyplace that you go and actually do that?

Yeah.

Under the coconut tree over there.

Uh-huh.

[Ukulele playing] Fabulous.

Teach me a chord.

You have two ways of playing the ukulele.

OK. You have the white man's way... [Chuckles] and the Polynesian way.

Oh, I want to play the Polynesian way.

Yeah.

C--open chords.

Just strum it.

Oh.

Yeah.

A minor, with your thumb.

Is that right?

Yeah, there's a lot of shortcut.

It's not the proper way of playing it.

But it's-- But it sounds the same.

I love shortcuts.

Ha ha ha!

Yes.

And then you keep your thumb here and you press down here.

If this is a shortcut, I can use whatever finger I want, right?

Yeah, as long as you get the sound that you want.

You know, Polynesian way is like this.

The tune is here.

Mm-hmm.

As long as you stay around, you're good.

You don't need to be exactly on the tune.

OK. That's the Polynesian style.

I love that.

I love that.

[Laughing] That's--that's the island way.

OK, so I'm gonna just...

I'm just gonna do this.

That's C. [Chuckles] [Playing a tune] [Continues playing] Ha ha ha ha!

Easy one.

Oh!

Meitaki.

Meitaki.

What fun!

Joseph, voice-over: In order to have more up close and personal experiences, accompanied by my newest, dearest, and closest friends, I hop aboard a progressive dinner, hosted in Cook Islander homes.

[Men singing, ukulele playing] [Chanting in native language] [All respond] [Boy's chanting continues] Hi.

My name is Murera.

I'm actually the, um...

The boss.

the head of this family.

[Laughter] The boss.

Now, here in Rarotonga, the woman leads the household, not the man.

[Women cheering] See, my uncle, he, like, can actually vouch that.

Ha ha ha ha!

You are part of our family.

You get to experience and dine with us tonight.

[Singing] They have a lot of different kinds of fruit here in the Cook Islands, right?

Oh!

Lots of them.

In, uh, Rarotonga, passion fruit, it's a parapotini.

Parapotini.

Yes!

Hey!

There you go.

That wasn't bad, was it?

OK, so what--what's this fruit?

Pawpaw.

Pawpaw.

And that--the island name is nita?

Nita.

Nipuonga.

Oh, there's-- there's about 4 names for this.

[Laughter] Well, I like your names better, and whatever it is, it tastes wonderful.

[Laughter] [Singing continues] All: Orana.

Orana, orana, orana.

Everything that you see on your table... Joseph: Yes?

was actually locally grown, around the house.

The Cook Islands is just a--a paradise of fruit.

That's why we all look very healthy.

Joseph: Yeah.

[Laughter] And always happy.

Woman: Yes.

Always happy.

It's the fruit.

I thought it was the weather.

Woman: No!

It's the fruit.

Children: Thank you, Father, for the food we are about to eat and the water we are about to drink to make us strong for your service.

Amen.

Joseph: Amen.

The fruit that we've already been having here, shredded into salad with shrimp, and this is the first course of tonight's progressive dinner.

Wonderful.

Woman: Mmm.

[Soft ukulele playing] Bye!

Bye!

Have a bumpy ride down!

[People singing in native language] Orana.

Hi.

Very nice to meet you.

Mwah.

Mwah.

Ha ha!

[Indistinct chatter] I'm Kafo.

I'm the boss of the home.

Kafo: On my left here on the guitar is my houseboy.

[Laughter] His name is Pai, but at night we sleep together, so he profess to be the houseboy.

We've been looking forward to seeing you today and to eat a meal with us and sit in our house and enjoy a bit of time.

Father in heaven, we thank you for bringing our visitors home today to share the paradise that You have blessed us with, the Cook Islands.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Guests: Amen.

You happy here?

I'm very happy here, particularly happy coming here.

This is your first time?

First time to Cook Islands.

Oh, can I adopt you?

Yes, absolutely.

Can I adopt you?

Ha ha ha!

Why do you like doing this?

Why did you agree to have all these strangers come into your house?

Oh, I love meeting strangers, and I love hosting people.

Oh, it's so wonderful to be able to sample all the different specialties from the island.

We have arrowroot made into fries... Beautiful.

and we have the rukau.

It's the taro leaves, OK?

One of the national dishes here, and I've lived here for 40 years.

What do you like most about it?

I just like the island life.

I won't live in a place like New Zealand, Australia.

You like that laidback island life.

Yes.

I do, too.

Good on you.

So you stay?

I'm staying.

Thank you so much.

Thank you for your hospitality.

Very nice to have you.

Woman: Bye-bye.

Yeah.

[Singing in native language] [Laughter] [Singing continues] Joseph, voice-over: Next morning, I crawl out of bed and join my guide Paul on a 4-hour cross-island trek, but first, another island breakfast.

A little, uh, fortification for our walk.

Y-yes, uh-- Orana.

Orana!

I think this is what we need.

There's many ways of freeing a coconut, but the simple way, nice and faster.

There is one.

See?

Yeah.

And then you open it.

Ah!

Look at that.

Kia manuia.

Kia manuia.

Joseph: The Needle, Rarotonga's 1,300-foot landmark, is considered a center of spiritual energy, and Pa is nature's perfect priest to lead me to it.

Like most everything on the Cook Islands, our walk begins with prayer.

Amen, amen, amen.

Amen, amen, amen.

Joseph: Walking into the temple.

After that prayer, that was wonderful.

Amen.

Now, careful here.

Ah, this is like a temple with many chapels.

Amen.

I found an inner peace over here.

Yes.

The roots are like a stairway.

Your right foot-- oh heavenly Father.

Yes.

Your left foot-- that's called the Mother Earth.

Slow is lovingly.

Oh, my gosh.

There it is.

This is fabulous, Pa.

I--I know they call it The Needle, but that isn't the original name, is it?

Polynesian way-- Terua mana.

There's actually a god carved in the rock.

People use the words of the carving, you know, the arrow god, with the Christianity, and they were right here.

You'd be the first one to be eaten.

Ha ha ha!

But we don't do that.

We became Christian.

Became Christians.

Amen.

Amen.

This is one of the main energy points in the world.

One of the good energy points that been played by the Dalai Lama was Rarotonga Island.

I hope that we brought some energy, you and me, and-- You give it to us, we're giving back... Well... worldwide.

Meitaki.

Thank you for bringing me here.

Joseph, voice-over: What goes up must come down.

Two hours more of stream-foraging and mountain-trekking brings me to my just reward... Whoa!

Papua Falls.

Waiting for you.

Ha!

[Drums beating] Joseph, voice-over: Culture is king on the Cooks.

The Highland Paradise Cultural Center is an educational and entertaining experience in Cook Islands Maori culture through historic re-enactments and ceremonies, as well as traditional foods, music, and dance.

Visitors are turned on to the islands and its people.

Man: Come with us as we take you on this journey through time itself with the drums of our ancestors.

[Speaks native language] [Chanting in native language] Joseph: The island spirit is contagious, and if you're not careful, you could catch Cook Island fever.

[Cheering and applause] Just ten square miles and with only 2,000 people, Aitutaki, a 45-minute flight away, makes Rarotonga seem like a metropolis and gives "island escape" a whole new meaning.

Its stunning lagoon is rich with sea life and picture-postcard tropical splendor, which tempts you to dive right in.

Whoo hoo!

While the Cook Islands consist of 15 islands, the island of Aitutaki has 15 islets of its own.

A good way to get to them is by kayak.

While certainly its main lure, the lagoon is not Aitutaki's only attraction.

On a Punarei cultural tour, I'm introduced to the traditional umu, where all Cook Islanders love to cook.

I hope you like pumpkin, my friend.

I like the taste because of smoky taste, see?

So this is what on the menu today: plantain, banana, breadfruit, pumpkin, and free-range chicken.

Joseph: Now--now this is an umu that we are in, and umu is also the oven?

Yes, also the oven.

So we're actually using the banana leaves and the stems.

And the stem, yeah.

So I just need to cover the rocks with this.

Yeah, cover everything up.

You know, they say the coconut is the tree of life, but, uh, seems the banana is here, too.

So I'll put this here, and then you put the pumpkin around it.

Around it.

Yeah, around it like this 'cause I like my food to be pretty, yeah?

I love these baskets.

You like it?

There's the cooking leaves being used as a basket.

Yes.

Look at that.

So now the banana-- same procedure as you go around it, eh, and I've got the breadfruit here.

Now, breadfruit has a very important history here in the Cook Islands going back to Captain Bligh days.

Exactly.

You know, he took it to the Caribbean so-- to feed the workers.

To feed the slaves.

Yeah.

Ngaa: All right, Joseph, you ready to cover our earth oven?

You can see all the steam is coming out, eh?

Mm-hmm.

That's actually from the steam of the banana, steam that you put it on the rock.

So you notice that we don't have any taste or flavor on the chicken.

What--what gives it the flavor, then?

The banana steams.

All right.

This is the last part.

We're going to put the coconut palms on that we call the... [speaks foreign word] which is a mat woven out of the palm leaves.

This is what they do 3,000 years ago.

OK, well looks like all we have to do now is wait.

All right, Joe, you ready?

Yeah, let's get that.

All right.

Ha ha!

Perfect.

Now we're going to move around here, move these ones.

Got one.

There you go.

It looks fabulous.

Let's eat.

Is there a good word for "delicious" here?

Roro.

Roro.

Ngaa: Yeah.

Roro means delicious.

This is roro.

Ngaa: Yeah.

Meitaki.

[Conch horn blowing] Joseph: The lagoon calls, and a cool way to experience its turquoise waters, uninhabited islands, and undersea wonders is by catamaran.

Whoo hoo.

Look at that.

Oh, that looks like a lot of fun.

[Guitar playing] [Indistinct chatter] Joseph: The catamaran tour turns visitors on to Aitutaki's beautiful beaches, balmy breezes, and gin-clear water... Yoo hoo!

alive with colorful sea life.

The sea, sand, sun, and island fun is intoxicating enough to make a boomer turn on to the island vibe, find his groove... and jump in!

Thank you for joining me on my Cook Islands adventure.

"Paradise" is a word freely bantered about in the travel world.

Defined as an idyllic place or state, vacation spots that embrace the label are often more paradise lost than paradise because tourism can be a double-edge sword.

It can give local people a path to prosperity otherwise unavailable and be a means to the preservation of nature and culture, or it can develop in such a way as to destroy a destination's original attraction.

Cook Islands is a traveler's paradise.

With its impossible turquoise waters, sugar-white beaches, colorful history, special island lifestyle, and a homegrown welcome beyond belief, it is a breath of fresh air in an ocean of hype.

In addition, during my visit to Rarotonga and Aitutaki, the Cooks' most popular islands, I experienced tourist attractions that have chosen to educate visitors as well as entertain them.

By doing so, the Cook Islanders have managed to save their heritage from crass commercialization and perpetuate their cultural wealth by passing on their legacy to future generations.

Heh!

Apart from its touristic treasures, that alone is reason to visit the Cook Islands.

Until next time, this is Joseph Rosendo reminding you of the words of Mark Twain: "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness."

Happy traveling.

Announcer: "Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope" is made possible by... Emerald Waterways.

It's been said that if experience is the best teacher, then travel is the best experience.

River-cruising seeks to immerse travelers deep within a culture while moving gently through it.

With Emerald Plus, in-depth cultural experiences are included on every European cruise.

Emerald Waterways.

And No-Jet-Lag jet lag prevention.

For a DVD of today's show, or any of Joseph's "Travelscope" adventures, call 888-876-3399 or order online at Travelscope.net.

You can also email us at TV@Travelscope.net or write us at the address on your screen.

Joseph: Now that we've explored the Cook Islands together, learn more at Travelscope.net, where you can follow my worldwide adventures through my e-magazine, blog, podcast, and on Facebook.

Stay in touch--888-876-3399 or TV@Travelscope.net.

Can I do the kissing part again?

Come on.

[Toot] Ha ha ha!

Man: Awesome.

Man 2: Guys?

Cool.

Cut.

Nice.

Thank you.

Chopstick.

Chopstick.

Yeah.

OK, that's it.

There you go.

And then just-- Tada!

Ha!

Don't drop your nut.

Don't drop your nut.

OK. Two eyes on the head and tip on the side.

Look at this.

Oh, wait.

That's it.

Ladies and gentlemen... Tada!