The Real Swiss Family Robinson come to the Cook Islands

Television Production company, Ricochet, has chosen the Cook Islands as one of the locations for their new fly on the wall documentary ‘The Real Swiss Family Robinson’ for BBC One.

The show, to be aired on Friday 10th April, is filmed in four different island locations and follows the day-to-day lives of a British family as they integrate into local life. Atiu, one of the Southern Cook Islands has been chosen due to its vibrant local culture and traditions as well as its stunning island setting in the South Pacific.

The family of four arrived in the Cook Islands in January and stayed for three weeks, whilst being filmed by the Ricochet film crew. They were completely immersed in local life, and fended for themselves, having to build their own shelter and hunt for food.

Atiu is a fascinating island and one of the most traditional of the Cook Islands, with inhabitants closely in touch with their Polynesian heritage. Islanders gather dinner from the reef at low tide, produce traditional crafts such as fibre arts using tapa cloth, Tivaevae- a colourful type of patchwork quilting, hard carved drums, bowls and ornaments. Atiu is also the only one of the Cook Islands where the traditional tumunu takes place; the local equivalent of the kava-drinking ceremonies that take place in the rest of the South Pacific.

The programme’s working title, The Real Swiss Family Robinson, relates to a novel about a Swiss family who are shipwrecked en route for Australia. Making for an island, they discover and develop all the necessaries for a good life – showing incredible resourcefulness in adapting and utilising the island’s many natural resources. Written by Swiss pastor Johann David Wyass and was to teach his four sons about family values, good husbandry, the uses of the natural world and self-reliance; great values that are obvious in the Cook Islands.

Glenda Tuaine, Marketing Director for the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation commented, “Cook Islanders are reknown for their hospitality and welcoming spirit. The family were welcomed onto Atiu with open arms by the locals and we very much hope that they will look back on their time on the island with fond memories, having made good friends as well as having experienced our island culture and the ancient traditions that are still carried on to this day.”

See also:

Internal; Cook Island Destination Guide

External; Cook Island Wikipedia Page