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Popstars, Politicians
& Publications.
Keep your eyes peeled too, because Traders is the
favoured watering hole of the rich and famous when they
come to Rarotonga.
| Not many bars
can claim that the Finn brothers of Crowded House
fame have taken to the stage to perform an impromptu
gig, but Trader Jacks is no ordinary bar. The
musical bros were here on holiday here a few years
back with fellow musician Dave Dobbyn when they
delighted customers by grabbing their guitars
playing a set, which included the debut performance
of their song “I kissed the road of Rarotonga”.The
title is a reference to the well known local pastime
of taking a tumble off one’s scooter and
getting acquainted with the tarmac, and the number
features on the Finn Brothers’ album Finn.
We believe it was Tim Finn who came a cropper
and had to be patched up at the hospital. |
If you look closely
you will see a winebox with an axe through it
mounted on one of the walls of the bar –
this act of seemingly mindless violence was perpetrated
by The Trader to commemorate a visit from New
Zealand politician Winston Peters,
the man behind the infamous winebox inquiry. He’s
a frequent visitor these days and an honorary
regular at Traders. “Don’t talk to
him about fishing quotas though,” is Jack’s
advice. |
Other recent visitors include
All Black flyer Dougie Howlett,
former Silver Fern and TV presenter April
Bruce, Bernice Mene,
John Rowles and Pat Rippen. |
No South Seas island would
be complete without its share of shady characters
and Rarotonga is no exception. Notorious property
developer Mark Lyon could often
be spotted here and in other bars around town
while he was living in the Cook Islands awaiting
trial for various offences in New Zealand –
in the end he was deported after being convicted! |
Kiwi author Graham
Lay has launched a book at Trader Jacks,
and the bar can boast something of a literary
tradition – quite a few regulars have put
themselves in print. |
| Among them is Don
‘Slick’ Silk, one of Jack’s
nearest and dearest and the former harbourmaster
at Avatiu. His memoirs, entitled From
Kauri Trees to Sunlit Seas, recount his
experiences here and in his native New Zealand
and are available over the bar. |
Another regular, Ewan
Smith the manager of Air Rarotonga, has
published a stunning collection of aerial shots
of the Cook Islands – it is cleverly named
The Cook Islands. |
Cartoonist Kata,
who can often be found refreshing himself at the
bar, also launched a collection of his work called
Kooky Island Politics. For a
taste of Kata’s humour, which helps keep
the politicians feet on the ground pick up a copy
of the daily Cook Islands News. |
| Not one to miss an opportunity
Trader Jack himself plans to
join his comrades in print. Many years in the
making and still a work in progress his, probably
explosive, autobiography ‘40 Years
Behind Bars’ promises to lift the
lid on the man behind the myth and could well
lead to a large number of court cases. In the
meantime, we’ll just have to settle for
another G&T. |
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