TRAVEL Makara’s journey into theology has been as much about rediscovering identity as it is about academic pursuit.
A Cook Islands national who prefers to refer to his homeland as Avaiki Nui, Mr Makara is currently pursuing a PhD in Theology and Ethics at Pasifika Communities University in Nasese.
His path, however, has been shaped by a deep cultural awakening that only fully emerged after leaving home.
Arriving in Fiji in 2023 on a scholarship for a master’s programme, Mr Makara said his early theological training had been largely grounded in Western perspectives.
It was only upon entering the regional academic space that he began to reconnect with his indigenous identity.
“Being here allowed me to see myself as an Avaiki Nui person and to read the Bible through my own lens as an indigenous person,” he said.
“It reconnected me to ancestral roots I had placed in the background of my learning.”
That reconnection has become central to his academic calling. After graduating with high distinction in his Master of Theology, where he explored mental health and a theology of vulnerability, he chose to remain at the institution to continue his doctoral studies.
His PhD now focuses on what he describes as the “language of sacredness” — an effort to revive and preserve indigenous language among Cook Islanders.
Mr Makara’s concern is grounded in stark realities. He said the increasing dominance of English across education, governance and daily life had placed indigenous language at risk, particularly among younger generations and diaspora communities in Australia and New Zealand.
“There is a real danger of losing our language,” he said.
“If it is not spoken, it cannot be passed on.”
His research highlights the role of the church and community spaces such as sports clubs as vital platforms for language preservation.
He believes these spaces can help reintroduce indigenous language into everyday use, particularly where it is no longer spoken at home.
A defining moment in his journey came with his master’s graduation in 2024, a milestone that coincided with the transition of the Pacific Theological College into a university.
It also marked a historic first: Mr Makara became among the first Cook Islands church ministers to pursue a PhD through the institution in more than two decades. Beyond academia, Mr Makara describes himself first as a husband and father, roles he sees as foundational to his calling.
A former rugby representative and avid tennis player, he views sport as both therapy and a space for connection.
“I’m grounded, easy-going and I enjoy life,” he said.
“But everything I do is part of a bigger journey that is centered more on serving my people and preserving who we are.”
