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

Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , langu ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

. 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 Penryn is a Cornish word meaning 'headland' that may refer to: *Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom, a town of about 7,000 on the Penryn River ** Penryn railway station, a station on the Maritime Line between Truro and Falmouth Docks, and serves the t ...

in the

Parliament of the Cook Islands The Parliament of the Cook Islands ( rar, Pāremeta te Kuku Airani) is the legislature of the Cook Islands. Originally established under New Zealand’s United Nations mandate it became the national legislature on independence in 1965. The Pa ...

until 1983. In 1969 to 1970, he was the leader of the now-defunct

United Cook Islanders The United Cook Islanders was a political party in the Cook Islands. It was established on 16 February 1968 in order to challenge the then-dominant Cook Islands Party and provide a more organised opposition. The party was organised by David Hosk ...

party. Tangaroa later became a member of the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

, and he served in Democratic Party

Cabinets A cabinet is a body of high-ranking state officials, typically consisting of the executive branch's top leaders. Members of a cabinet are usually called cabinet ministers or secretaries. The function of a cabinet varies: in some countries ...

in the late 1970s. In 1985, he was the first Cook Islander to be appointed Queen's Representative. 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 by Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

at Buckingham Palace".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 The Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (french: link=no, Médaille du jubilé d'argent de la reine Elizabeth II) is a commemorative medal created in 1977 to mark the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession in 1952. The medal is p ...

, and in 1990 he received the

New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal The New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal was a commemorative medal awarded in New Zealand in 1990 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, and was awarded to approximately 3,000 people. Background The New Zea ...

. 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 Etiquette, protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive ...

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 ...

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