For Cook Islands-born New Zealand Army carpenter Lance Corporal Hosea Taripo, a deployment to Penrhyn has been an opportunity to put his trade skills to work while reconnecting with his culture and community.
Born in Rarotonga, Taripo led a carpentry team during Exercise Tropic Twilight, a New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) humanitarian mission supporting infrastructure improvements and health services on Penrhyn, nearly 1400km north of Rarotonga.
His understanding of Cook Islands language, culture and way of life helped strengthen relationships between the soldiers and local community.
“One of the best parts was being able to speak the language, communicate with the locals and understand how they operate.”
Taripo left Rarotonga as a teenager on a rugby scholarship to Sydney before pursuing his dream of joining the military.
After four and a half years as an artillery gunner, he transferred to the engineers following the birth of his first son, completing a four-year carpentry apprenticeship.
“I always wanted to be a builder,” he said.
Sport has remained a big part of his military career, representing the NZ Army and NZDF in rugby league and rugby union against Australian military teams.
“That was definitely one of the highlights of being in the Army – there are just so many opportunities and the travel that comes with it.”
On Penrhyn, Taripo’s team helped fit out a new life-skills classroom at Omoka School, constructed a school shelter and built bases for new water tanks.
Working on the remote island required careful planning, with limited access to supplies and materials needing to withstand harsh coastal conditions.
Having taken part in reconnaissance ahead of the deployment, Taripo was able to anticipate the team’s needs and ensure construction progressed smoothly.
Beyond the worksite, he encouraged his soldiers to embrace island life and spend time with local families.
“We’ve gone fishing with the locals, we’ve had dinner in their homes, and they’ve got to know us as people rather than just the uniform,” he said.
Those relationships also helped the team access local machinery, equipment and practical knowledge.
“You learn how beneficial that integration can be.”
Taripo believes Pacific personnel bring valuable cultural understanding to NZDF deployments, particularly when working with communities who may be reluctant to ask for help.
“People here are very humble and quiet. They could be struggling with something, but they’re not necessarily going to ask.
“If you understand that way of life, you can pick up on those things.”
While his wife has been caring for their four children back in New Zealand, Taripo says the deployment has allowed him to reconnect with skills and traditions from his childhood.
“It’s been really good for jogging my memory of how to live here and a lot of the skills I learnt when I was younger.”
For Taripo, bringing together his Cook Islands heritage, military leadership and carpentry skills has made the experience particularly meaningful.
Tropic Twilight ran from early September to mid-October and involved personnel from 25 Engineer Support Squadron, 2 Engineer Regiment, nine medical and dental personnel and eight Royal New Zealand Navy hydrography personnel. Vanuatu Mobile Force and Les Forces armées en Polynésie française personnel also took part.
