Matapo Matapo

Matapo Matapo
Member of Parliament
In office 1983
Preceded by	Seat established
Succeeded by	Teariki Matenga
Constituency	Titikaveka
Personal details
Died	25 July 1983 Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Political party	Cook Islands Party

Matapo Matapo (died 25 July 1983) was a Cook Islands businessman and politician. He briefly served as a Member of Parliament for several months before his death.

Biography

Matapo was a planter and became a well-known businessman in the 1950s.[1] A member of the Cook Islands Party, he was a candidate in a 1977 by-election for the Takitumu seat following the death of Tiakana Numanga. However, he was defeated by Iaveta Short.[2]

He ran again in the new Titikaveka constituency in the March 1983 general elections and was elected to Parliament. However, he died a few months later.[3] The loss of his seat led to the government losing its majority and was one of the causes of early elections being held in November later in the year.

References

1. Memories of my fallen M.P. friends Cook Islands Herald Views, 2 April 2014, p11
2. Storms ahead in the Cooks? Pacific Islands Monthly, February 1978, p71
3. Matapo Matapo Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1983, p65