Sir Tangaroa Tangaroa (6 May 1921 – 23 May 2009) was a

Cook Islands The Cook Islands is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands whose total land area is approximately . The Cook Islands' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers of ocean. Avarua is its ...

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

. Born as the only child to Akaruke and Puna, he helped raise his wife's children. He started his professional life as a government radio operator (1939–1954). In 1955 he became a shipping clerk which he remained until 1963 Tangaroa was elected in 1958 to the country's first Legislative Assembly, and subsequently served as member for Penrhyn in the

Parliament of the Cook Islands The Parliament of the Cook Islands () is the legislature of the Cook Islands. Originally established under New Zealand administration, it became the national legislature upon independence in 1965. The Parliament consists of 24 members dir ...

until 1983. In 1969 to 1970, he was the leader of the now-defunct United Cook Islanders party. Tangaroa later became a member of the Democratic Party, and he served in Democratic Party Cabinets in the late 1970s. In 1985, he was the first Cook Islander to be appointed

Queen's Representative The King's Representative is the official representative of , as Monarchy in the Cook Islands, of the realm of New Zealand, in the Cook Islands. The office of King's Representative is established by the Constitution of the Cook Islands. They a ...

. He held the position until 1990, when he was succeeded by Apenera Short. The Cook Islands government website points out that in 2003 he "has the distinction of being the only Cook Islander to have been

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

by Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...

".It was also the case of

Terepai Maoate Sir Terepai Tuamure Maoate (1 September 1934 – 9 July 2012) was Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 18 November 1999 to 11 February 2002. He was a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party. Maoate was born in Rarotonga on 1 September ...

in 2007 In 1977, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal, and in 1990 he received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal. Tangaroa died in New Zealand in late May 2009. He received a

state funeral A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements o ...

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 10,898 of a total population of 15,040. The Parliament of the Cook Islands, Coo ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tangaroa, Tangaroa 1921 births 2009 deaths Knights Bachelor Members of the Parliament of the Cook Islands Members of the Order of the British Empire Queen's Representatives in the Cook Islands People from Penrhyn atoll United Cook Islanders politicians Democratic Party (Cook Islands) politicians Cook Island knights 20th-century New Zealand politicians