Born and bred in the village of Takuvaine in Rarotonga, Raemaki Karati has travelled extensively throughout the Pacific and other parts of the world promoting Cook Islands culture. He has been involved with a dance group since the age of twelve when he was lead drummer for the Mangaia Junior High School Dance team in 1968.

He attended Tereora College in 1970 and was part of the Tereora College Dance team under the guidance of renowned Cook Islands Cultural Tutor Turepu Turepu and later Temaeva Karati, his father.

He left Rarotonga for New Zealand in 1976 and joined Tai Carpentiers Dance Team in Auckland while attending Hillary College. This was the first group ever to go on a roadshow organised by Air New Zealand to promote the Cook Islands as a holiday destination back in the 70’s.  He also founded the Hillary College Cook Islands Culture Group who competed and won the Cook Islands category in the first ever Polyfest here in 1977.

Raemaki Karati’s composition skills are still very much sought after  to this day and he continues to help Cook Island dance teams here in New Zealand, the Cook Islands as well as Australia through various cultural festivals.