On Monday, 10 March 2025, Te Kauono Tutara e te Mana Tiaki – Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Immigration (MFAI) had the privilege of supporting the reintroduction of the flag raising ceremony by the 2025 student leader’s cohort of Tereora College, the national college of the Cook Islands.
In addressing the large gathering of more than 750 students, principal and teachers, Orometua Nikao CICC, Minister and Secretary of Education, Chair and members of the Parent Teacher Association, and MFAI representatives, the Head Boy Ezekiel Tuatea Tatuava-Enjoy speaking on behalf of student leaders said, “Today’s flag hoisting ceremony is not just about hoisting a piece of cloth. It is about reviving our traditions that symbolises who we are as Cook Islanders. Our flag represents our people, our land, our freedom, and our future. It is a reminder of our culture, our values, and the pride that we hold as Cook Islanders.”
The re-introduction of the flag hoisting ceremony each school morning is the first initiative implemented by the 2025 student leadership cohort, which Tatuava-Enjoy said leaders hoped would be a commitment by all Tereora students to “uphold our culture, respect our school, and strive for excellence in all aspects of our lives.”.
MFAI, who have partnered with Tereora on a number of student leadership initiatives over the years, was honoured to sponsor the new flagpole now proudly positioned at the entrance of Tereora's drive-through, ensuring this new tradition will stand tall for years to come. Student leaders were presented with Cook Islands flag badges, which they were encouraged to wear with pride.
A proud former student and Head Girl of Tereora, MFAI Secretary Tepaeru Herrmann encouraged students to carry this sense of national pride and service leadership responsibility in their actions. She noted that while the flag and its symbolism was important, more important was the flag they should cultivate on the inside—the values, pride, and identity they uphold as Cook Islanders and the national service obligations they have committed to in taking on student leadership responsibilities.
MFAI again congratulates the student leadership cohort of 2025 and looks forward to continuing its partnership with student leaders and the Tereora community in 2025, investing in the future of our nation. The re-introduction of the flag-raising ceremony this year is particularly poignant as the Cook Islands celebrates 60 years of self-governance in free association with New Zealand and Tereora celebrates 135 years since the school was first established. MFAI understands that Tereora was first established by the London Missionary Society in 1895, closed in 1911 by the New Zealand colonial administration, and reopened in 1954 as a public school. The school buildings were built in the 1950s. The publication “Below the Bluff,” published in 1995, details the early history of the school.
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See Cook Islands Television coverage of the flag-raising ceremony at https://www.facebook.com/cookislandstelevisionnews/videos/1169408311216288