You Wanna Make A Memory...

Time for something a little different, something really personal and happening, like right now.

My niece-in-law Memory, the daughter of Mary's sister, is competing in the Miss Cook Islands 2019 pageant that ends this coming Saturday night, October 26. Yeah, I hear what some of you are saying, just another meat market! Actually, no this one is different.

You see, the Cook Islands is that group of Pacific Ocean islands in the South Seas that lie south of the Hawai'ian Islands and Kiribati, north of New Zealand and the Kermadec Islands, west of French Polynesia, and east of the Niue, Tonga and Samoa group of nations. So, what's the definition of the middle of nowhere? You got it, the Cook Islands!

In fact, they're right about here: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cook+Islands/@-21.5481021,-167.9255661,5.13z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x71548aefb97bdedd:0x24ca50e8808b4d8!8m2!3d-21.236736!4d-159.777671

Btw, the photo you see at the top left is the beach near Amuri on the island of Aitutaki. I stayed about 100 yards from that beach when I visited for nearly two months, 25 years ago. Around the small headland to the north is Paradise Beach.

Anyways, the reason Mary and I left New Zealand in October 2003 and moved across to Australia was to take care of Memory. Her mother was working hard as a travel consultant, so would often be overseas evaluating tours. Memory was too young to be left alone, so Mary and I agreed to relocate.

Remember: you can choose your friends, your family well, you just have to suffer your lot. Blood is blood, and in-law blood seems to me to be the stickiest!

Mary's a traditional Cook Islands dance choreographer and trainer, and tutor of their language. Memory grew up in an environment full of te reo (language) and 'ula (dance). As well as a gifted netball player, she became an outstanding solo performer and was often the first pick to perform traditional solo Cook Islands dance for weddings and birthdays across Australia, as well as in New Zealand, the Cook Islands and elsewhere.

A few months ago, Memory and her mother moved back to the Cook Islands. Memory got selected to join the pageant. Of course, that came as a big surprise to her! You know what family are like, always trying to do the best for you (yeah right!). So, she reluctantly agreed. Having been performing in front of thousands of people at a single event on many occasions, we had no doubt she'll find this contest to her liking.

OK, so where does a pageant on a small island in the middle of a monster sea fit into affiliate marketing, you may wonder?

Right, here's the goss. The Cook Islands is in the process of hooking up to a new Pacific Cable stretching from the west coast of USA to New Zealand then on to Australia, completing the loop back to the USA via Asia and Europe. That new fibre optic cable will humungously increase internet traffic to our part of the world.

So what, you may say, the Cook Islands has only about 25,000 people living there. Well, true just that the people there are heavy Facebook users and they love sharing and caring. Also, there are about 140,000 visitors every year, mostly from New Zealand and Australia. Affluent visitors most of these, ones that have disposable income, on holiday with their smartphones; relaxing, interested in what's happening around them, checking out Facebook messages.

Facebook has a reach that no other platform can generate; much like the McDonalds restaurant chain, where the children of children go to, creating an perpetuating demand.

Suggestion: tap into this visitor market, I mean not just the Cook Islands, everywhere!

At the moment, the Cook Islands has that pageant, and a captive audience. To be able to enter the Miss Cook Islands group, you will need to show a connection, a familial link through blood or relationship. If you are able to enter, no spamming please, just leave a simple comment and get yourself known.

From time to time, if you are able to, join other Cook Islands groups and comment. That's all you'll need to do. Let time be your friend there. Create a presence, perhaps even a curiosity, let the people come back to you, to follow the path that leads to you.

Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/pg/misscookislands/community/

Oh, that's right, Mary and I are a top fan here. Funny that!

You wanna make a memory...

Ian Ballantine
Wellington, New Zealand
October 22, 2019.

Lyrics: https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/bonjovi/youwanttomakeamemory.html

Playlist:

Memory's most memorable talent segment that won the hearts of the audience, her own interpretation of her Fijian father and Rarotongan mother meeting and creating a Memory:
https://www.facebook.com/115481579844644/videos/482761739119550/