Juliana Marsters: From remote island to TikTok star amid challenges

At just 24 years old, Juliana Marsters wears many hats.

She is the only biosecurity and agricultural officer for Palmerston Island and serves as a local government councillor.

She has gained recognition well beyond the Cook Islands, with a significant following on social media.

Born in Rarotonga and hailing from the islands of Palmerston and Aitutaki, Marsters says she is a proud and ‘stubborn Palmerstonian’.

She is an influential figure on Palmerston and is known for managing agriculture, clearing incoming yachts, and cooking for her growing audience.

This stubborn Palmerstonian is also proving that it is possible to remain authentic while shining on the global stage.

In an interview with Susnation Seta on PMN Cook Islands, Marsters explains how she got into content creation on TikTok, where she has gained over 30,000 followers and over 700,000 likes.

“It started off as an upcoming thing in 2021. I just wanted to get out there and [be a] copycat,” Marsters says. “I just wanted to be a bit creative and authentic, so I thought to switch from doing TikTok dances to the kitchen, and it really blew up.”

But her success has not been without challenges. After the loss of her father in 2023, she took a break from social media.

Juliana Marsters is the only biosecurity and agriculture officer in Palmerston Island. Photo/Supplied

“I got a lot of people saying, ‘Juliana, we really miss your cooking, please come back on TikTok’ and I said, oh, making up all these excuses and then one day, I was like, these excuses are really piling up.

“I finally said, let’s give this a try, let’s multitask… and then it got natural.”

Within a year, her platform grew from 11,000 to 33,000 followers, driven by interest in her recipes, especially considering the limited supplies available on Palmerston Island.

Watch Juliana Marsters' TikTok video below.

The island has a population of around 30 people and is one of the most remote islands in the Cook Islands, with no airport and access only by boat. It relies heavily on irregular cargo boat services, but it boasts lush vegetation and an abundance of parrotfish.

Palmerston’s history dates back to Englishman William Marsters, who settled there in 1863 with three Polynesian wives and founded a large family that continues to live on the island, including Juliana as a descendant.

Despite her rising fame, she credits her community for keeping her grounded.

“When people interact with my cousins in Rarotonga and recognise the surname, they ask if they know Juliana Marsters? So when my cousins come back to the island, they relay that message to me and say, ‘You’re so famous’.”

Palmerston Island is a coral atoll in the Cook Islands in the Pacific Ocean about 290 miles northwest of Rarotonga. James Cook landed there on 16 June 1774. Photo/Supplied

As the island’s only biosecurity and agriculture officer, Marsters has learned to balance her responsibilities to ensure she can consistently produce content.

Her message to her young audience is simple: be yourself. “Be the original, authentic masterpiece. You need to start from somewhere that you’re really passionate about and don’t forget to put it with a smile.”

View Juliana Marsters' TikTok channel below.