CIC holds an exploration license in the Cook Islands EEZ. The company brings together extensive expertise in abyssal geology, oceanography, advanced underwater technology and deep-sea ecosystem analysis to support seabed mineral exploration with a strong emphasis on environmental stewardship.
CIC is not just focused on the economic potential of polymetallic nodules in the deep sea, but also about understanding the broader environmental and cultural impacts of any exploration or harvesting activities on the seabed or in the water column.
www.cic.co.ck/oceansciencecentre
Te Rito O Taku Peu Tupuna was established in 2020 by the founders of CIC Ocean Research to demonstrate their commitment to support Cook Islands’ cultural arts and communities. Te Rito provides funding and resources to local initiatives approved by a Cook Islands advisory group which focuses on the preservation and celebration of Cook Islands’ cultural heritage.
Community
"Community" is divided into three rectangles that shift from light to dark blue. The top, lightest section shows motifs representing young children and young people. In the middle, a darker section features shark tooth designs symbolizing strength and courage. The bottom, darkest rectangle depicts rows of male and female chiefs, illustrating how young people grow into leaders through their courage and strength. Together, these three sections form an hourglass shape—this is the Cook Islands motif for "backbone," which stands for family and community as the foundation of Cook Islands culture.
'Reefline memory' presents a symbolic seascape, where stylized waves, land, and a lone whale tail evoke a quiet yet powerful narrative of movement, thresholds, and belonging. A golden whale tail breaches the surface of a patterned sea, rising just above a distinct horizontal line that marks a reef — the transitional zone between the open ocean and the protective shallows near land.
In Polynesian cultures, the reef is not just a physical boundary — it is a spiritual and ecological threshold. It is where the vastness of the deep sea meets the familiarity of the home lagoon. This transition is echoed in the wave patterns: above the reef, the waves are rendered in bronze, symbolizing the deeper, more distant ocean; below the reef, they become gold, evoking warmth, safety, and ancestral waters closer to shore.
Beneath the sea, the lower section of the painting is filled with golden flower-like motifs, which upon closer inspection represent the beach and sand — the grounding layer of this journey. These motifs recall coral sand or tattoo designs, anchoring the composition in land-based memory and cultural identity.
The whale, depicted mid-dive, represents a guardian or traveler — a sacred being known across the Pacific as tohorā, paʻaleva, or ra’i. It is a creature associated with great migrations, ancient knowledge, and deep connection to place. Its appearance here — alone, graceful, momentary — becomes a symbol of passage, ancestral presence, and the liminal space between ocean and land, past and future.
Together, these elements speak to the deep Polynesian understanding of the ocean not as a barrier, but as a pathway. The reef, the waves, and the shoreline are all stages of a continuous journey — physical, spiritual, and cultural.
'Ocean paths' shows two stylized squid, shimmering gold against a deep, dark oceanic background. The squid, known for their intelligence, adaptability, and elusive nature, are central figures in many marine ecosystems across the Pacific. Their portrayal here is both elegant and powerful, with flowing tentacles and mirrored symmetry evoking movement, communication, and connection.
In the context of Polynesian culture, the ocean is not just a geographic space but a living ancestor — a vast realm of stories, sustenance, and navigation. Cephalopods such as squid and octopus (fe’e or he’e in many Polynesian languages) are often respected for their mysterious behavior and their ability to change form and color — qualities linked with knowledge, transformation, and protection in various oral traditions.
The fine dotted patterns seen in the close-up detail of the painting suggest currents, migration paths, or the bioluminescent trails left in the wake of deep-sea life. These lines subtly reference the navigational motifs found in Polynesian wayfinding, where stars, swells, and marine life were used to traverse the open ocean. The squid, as ocean dwellers that move through deep and often hidden spaces, serve here as symbolic guides — not unlike the celestial and marine cues used by Polynesian navigators.
Together, the elements of this painting express reverence for the ocean as a realm of knowledge, mystery, and connection. It invites reflection on the balance between visibility and concealment, movement and stillness, and the ancient wisdom carried by the creatures of the deep.
'In the wake of ancestors' features a large golden sea turtle, viewed from above as it glides forward through a vast, deep-hued space. Following are smaller golden turtle forms tracing the wake of the adult as they follow in its path. This composition speaks of of guidance, protection, and generational continuity, resonating deeply with values in Polynesian and wider Pacific cultures.
In many Polynesian traditions, the sea turtle — known as honu, fonu, or unu — is a sacred symbol of navigation, endurance, wisdom, and ancestral connection. Turtles undertake epic migrations across the Pacific Ocean, always returning to the beach where they were born to lay their eggs. This natural cycle mirrors the cultural idea of returning to one’s origins, carrying forward the legacy of those who came before.
Here, the adult turtle becomes a symbolic ancestor or elder, leading the next generation through the vast ocean. The baby turtles, small yet luminous, are depicted as both literal hatchlings and metaphoric descendants — the next bearers of knowledge, tradition, and resilience. They follow not just a physical path, but a cultural one, carved by those who swam before them.
The textured patterns on the adult turtle’s shell echo woven or tattooed motifs found across Polynesia, signifying identity, story, and protection. These designs reinforce the idea that the turtle is a living vessel — carrying both physical strength and cultural meaning.
Together, the elements in this painting honor the deep relationship between people, place, and lineage in the Pacific. It reflects the journey of learning and becoming, where the wisdom of the ancestors is carried forward by the next generation — not just through words, but through motion, memory, and the quiet, enduring path of the sea turtle.
'Celebration' depicts a symbolic tropical landscape where palm trees and abstract human forms come together in a vibrant, celebratory scene. The composition draws from visual storytelling traditions to convey a moment of collective joy, ritual, and connection between people and nature.
The palm trees represent both rootedness and resilience, long-standing symbols of life in tropical and coastal regions. Their stylized forms evoke a sense of order and repetition, suggesting cycles of nature, ancestry, and cultural continuity. The golden hue of the trees and figures recalls sacredness, warmth, and memory — referencing sunlight, spirituality, or the value of shared traditions.
The small human-like figures scattered among the trees are dancing together in a communal act of celebration. Their placement and posture evoke the feeling of ritual and festival — a space where individuals come together to express unity, gratitude, or spiritual connection.
The horizontal golden bands across the top of the painting suggest a setting sun, a horizon, and even musical lines — adding a temporal and atmospheric dimension. They hint at the passage of time, echoing the rhythms of ceremony or the fading light of day.
Together, the elements in this painting express a timeless human experience: the desire to gather, to celebrate, and to connect with the natural world. It honors cultural memory and communal spirit, offering a dreamlike yet grounded vision of harmony between people, place, and tradition.
'Voyage of Matariki' represents the Matariki star cluster (or Pleiades), which holds great significance for the Polynesian peoples, including the Cook Islanders. Matariki is not only a celestial marker heralding the New Year but was also a crucial guide for Polynesian navigation during their vast ocean voyages across the Pacific. Polynesian navigators used knowledge of the stars, ocean swells, birds, and winds to traverse thousands of nautical miles in double-hulled vaka (canoes), relying on Matariki among other stars to guide their journeys.
The vaka depicted in the painting symbolize these ancestral seafaring vessels. Each vaka becomes less visible as they sail forward, illustrating the idea of moving into the future while the past gradually dissipates. This conveys a journey through time, honoring heritage and cultural continuity from ancient navigation to future horizons.
The circular arrangement of the vaka forms the outline of a sextant, a navigational instrument historically used in Western maritime navigation. This artistic device bridges Polynesian and Western ways of navigating the seas, signifying a dialogue between cultures and the shared human pursuit of exploration and discovery.
Together, the elements in this painting celebrate the rich tradition of Polynesian navigation, cultural resilience, and the timeless connection between the stars, the sea, and the voyagers who read them.
Between Waves and Light
"Between Waves and Light" depicts the meeting of sea and sky, where golden rays rise like paths of guidance above rolling waves. A small coral figure within the waves suggests a voyager carried by the ocean, connecting people to the natural rhythms around them. In Polynesian thought, both light and water serve as guides, reminding us that every journey unfolds between the forces of earth, sea, and ancestry.
Keeper of the Depths
"Keeper of the Depths" shows a sculpted face emerging from the sea, marked by a single vertical line linking sky, land, and ocean. The closed eyes suggest calm strength and the enduring presence of Tangaroa, the Polynesian god of the sea. In Polynesian tradition, Tangaroa is both creator and guardian—source of life and shaper of islands who sustains voyagers. His quiet watchfulness reflects the deep bond between people and the ocean, where survival depends on respect, balance, and knowledge of the waters. This painting honors Tangaroa as the ever-present spirit guiding and protecting those who travel across his vast domain.
Marakihau are a type of taniwha, monstrous beings in Maori mythology, often depicted with human upper bodies, fish-like lower bodies, and a long, hollow tongue used for various purposes. These creatures were believed to inhabit the ocean and waterways, preying on humans and ships. Some stories suggest they could shapeshift into human form and were sometimes seen as spirits of the dead.
Material testing
Local materials - stone, shell, wood, coral were tested for use with my metal particle painting technique.
