Cook Islands Prop, Crystal Tamarua would have never thought that a Motuan village in the city of Port Moresby would leave a lasting impact on her after discovering a deep connection with the Motuans of the Hanuabada village. Coming into the Pacific Championships, she said she never expected to find out that she might have had relatives here in Papua New Guinea (PNG). During the visit, the teams visited the Ruatoka Memorial Church, a fellowship founded almost 150 years ago by Polynesian missionaries. One of those happened to be an ancestor of Tamarua. “When we got up to the top (of the church), I heard my last name was said up at the top and they were like; Oh, Crystal this is your family, they were the first ones to come over and bring the gospel and all the stuff. And I was Like, What?!” “I just felt very honoured and privileged to walk the same path that they did 150 years ago, and it just meant a lot.” She said that just to find another piece of herself in another place is something special. Following the visit, Crystal believes that this experience has brought the playing group closer with a few starting to venture into learning new things. She joked that a few of the girls have now started to learn how to play the drums and pretty soon they will be releasing some of their own tunes. “Some of the girls have now started playing the drums because we couldn’t before and now, we got a string band together.” Getting back to the match today, she says she does have an expectation on herself, but she’s ready to be a leader and put her hand up.