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Most probably never think of/care to ask,
but for me, the significance of a place lies in the very meaning of the place name. So I asked the 1st person I found, a BSP staff & kind Muri local who picked us up when Ni & I were given a ride by who was heading home for lunch one day. I asked​ what does the word “Muri†means, and she shared that Muri means “Back, or behindâ€. I later searched in the online Cook Islands Dictionary that it means Back/Behind in Rarotongan and Penrhyn. (I love that every island group has its own language, On the dictionary , it shows that in Mangaian, “Back/Behind†becomes “Muri ake/ Muri atu†Muri is definitely the best side of Rarotonga. It’s the side of sunrise, and it’s the side with the beautiful lagoon water like a place from your dreams. Leila has been going to Muri every day / whenever it’s sunny ;). Muri really is the best, it offers the quietness away from the horrible crowd like on the beach at the Rarotongan resort. In 2017, the Cook Islands government started a project called Mei Te Vai Ki Te Vai with a funny abbreviation of MTV-KTV ^0^. The project is led by a team of experts who are white people, which in itself calls for criticism - for the lack of local leadership as true “expertsâ€. The project identifies Muri as the area of high priority. MTVKTV aims to protect the lagoon waters in Rarotonga & Aitutaki, the 2 most visited & inhabited atolls of this island nation. Indeed, with the high population and occupation by residents and visitors, We really must protect this beautiful lagoon water. The island atolls in all the tropical regions are true treasure islands of the earth. We need to show our effort in caring for them, ​in order for the future generations to appreciate them the way we get to today. Therefore, Conservation and preservation of “Muri†should never be at the Muri of our mind, but a high priority, at all times.  It's like God had planned it. There it was -- This book Pretty sure this was the author that was mentioned in the book I just finished. So I looked him up online. #BenOkri This is bound to be good. I searched on his writing, and browsed passages after passages. He is wise, succinct, yet impactful More than that, Every one of the lines in this very book Coincides with everything I have felt about traveling and wanting to travel. This book is like it was waiting for me to find it here , in this very hut by the sea that is my own, today... Everything it talks about - what Arcadia means - is exactly what I've felt about my travel. It's like nothing could get me better now. As I read the parts about Arcadia, It resounded so strongly within me that I realised: Coming back to the 🇨🇰 now is exactly that. The 🇨🇰 is My Arcadia... Had I not come here then, I'd have gone down a different path. Because of my encounter here, for none else but by fate, My life had changed for the better. I grew so much since then. For that I'm forever thankful. For being able to come back here sooner than i expected myself to, I am grateful. So here I am... Back at the beginning 🇨🇰 My Arcadia, my Home.  |
