The Cursed Cook Islands Hotel (Rarotonga)

This is a story of indigenous land rights gone awry, a makutu from an aggrieved family and the failed business ventures of an infamous 'haunted hotel' in Rarotonga.

Watch the video version of the episode here.

In pre-colonial times, it was the scene of bloody battles between rival tribes, and ancient spirits are said to patrol the area. It is also the subject of a bitter ownership dispute that dates back more than a century and which gave rise to the curse that is still said to hang over the area.

This is the 'cursed' Sheraton hotel complex in Rarotonga, a long-abandoned luxury resort that has lain derelict for a quarter of a century. The stories of Italian Mafia connections, failed government business dealings, and indigenous land rights come together in this episode of Untold Pacific History.

*We apologise for any offence caused by Pa Ariki's incorrect statement in this piece that 'the More family are all dead' in context of the historic family involved in this land dispute. We acknowledge that there are descendants of this family alive today, and that this context was unclear in Pa's statement in this video.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details