Valerie Veiao performs this beautiful Cook Islands song accompanied by Rudolph Daniel on the ukulele.
The song 'My Endless Love' was composed by Papa Turoa Taia also known as Mr Taia, the original lead singer of the Tongareva 5 band. The song was released on their first album entitled 'My Endless Love'.
Valeries grandfather, the late Metua Tangikore Paoo was a member of Tongareva 5.
Papa Turoa composed this song about his first love and it refers to the bible verse Psalm 42:1 to describe his love for her. The bible verse is used as a metaphor to describe his love like one’s love for God.
This song is loved by Cook Islands people but holds special significance to people from Tongareva ( aka Mangarongaro or Penrhyn) in particular.
Valerie's mother Marion says of the song
"My family, from our late grandmother and especially my beloved parents, we grew up listening to Tongareva 5 rehearsing every week in our garage and this song was sung through many of our family occasions even at my parents funerals.
My Dad was the eldest member of Tongareva 5 seen as their mentor/teacher and was the first and only member of Tongareva 5 to pass away where they all came to show their respect to him at his funeral in 2015. Ultimately this song was my Mum and Dad’s love song like many Cook Island couples and now that they’re resting in God’s loving arms, it’s our love song and our children and next generations to come."
