In the Cook Islands, Christian music is extremely popular. Imene tuki and imene metua are forms of unaccompanied vocal music known for a uniquely Polynesian drop in pitch at the end of the phrases, as well as staccato rhythmic outbursts of nonsensical syllables (tuki).

Traditional dance is the most prominent art form of the Cook Islands. Each island has its own unique dances that are taught to all children, and each island is home to several annual competitions. Traditional dances are generally accompanied by the drumming of the pate.

The Cook Islands drumming style is well-known internationally, but is often misidentified as an example of Tahitian music.

Harmony-singing church music and a wide variety of hymns and wedding and funeral music are found throughout the Cook Islands. There is much variation across the region, and each island has its own traditional songs

The Cook Islands are situated 3500km (2200 miles) northeast of New Zealand and 1000km (600 miles) southwest of Tahiti in the South Pacific, forming part of Polynesia. The islands fall into two groups: the scattered Northern Group are all coral atolls while the Southern Group is of volcanic origin. Rarotonga is the largest and highest island with a rugged volcanic interior, its highest peak being Te Manga, at 652m (2140ft).

Coral reef surrounds the island and the population lives between reef and hills where rich soil supports both tropical and subtropical vegetation. Most of the island is covered by thick evergreen bush. Most of the larger islands include lagoons surrounded by small areas of fertile land, above which rise volcanic hills. The best beaches found on Aitutaki are also part of the eight-island Southern Group. The Northern Group comprises seven islands, the largest being Penrhyn, Manihiki and Pukapuka. The Cook Islands have been used as the setting for several films, the best-known being Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence

The island’s present-day name stems from the local language, however the precise origin of the meaning is elusive. Simply, ‘raro’ means ‘down’ and ‘tonga’ means ’south’. Some say the famous Tahitian navigator, Iro, visited it once and some years later reported he had “gone down to the south,” hence raro tonga. The Samoan voyager, Karika, is also reputed to have called it Rarotonga when he first saw it from the northeast because it was leeward — ‘raro’ — and towards the south — ‘tonga’.

These beautiful islands consist of two main groups, one in the north and one in the south. The southern group is nine “high” islands mainly of volcanic origin although some are virtually atolls. The majority of the population lives in the southern group. The northern group comprises six true atolls.

The Cook Islands became a British protectorate at their own request in 1888, then were transferred to New Zealand in 1901. They remained a New Zealand protectorate until 1965, at which point they became a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand. Today, the Cook Islands are essentially independent, but are still officially placed under New Zealand sovereignty. New Zealand is tasked with overseeing the country’s foreign relations and defence, but may not impose legislation on the Cook Islands without the latter’s consent. The Cook Islands are one of three New Zealand dependencies, along with Tokelau and Niue.

After achieving autonomy in 1965, the Cook Islands elected Albert Henry of the Cook Islands Party as their first Prime Minister. He was succeeded in 1978 by Tom Davis of the Democratic Party. On June 11, 1980, the United States signed a treaty with New Zealand specifying the maritime border between the Cook Islands and American Samoa and also relinquishing its claim to the islands of Penrhyn, Pukapuka (Danger), Manihiki, and Rakahanga.

There are several interesting buildings around Rarotonga which are referred to as palaces, being the homes of the district chief or ariki. More impressive are the old limestone churches built by missionaries in the mid-1800’s. The oldest church is on Aitutaki in Arutanga Village, but of equal beauty is Matavera church on the east coast of Rarotonga and Avarua church in the main town where several notable islanders and distinguished Europeans are buried.
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The Cook Islands (Cook Islands Maori: Kuki ‘Airani) are a self-governing parliamentary democracy in free association with New Zealand. The 15 small islands in this South Pacific Ocean have a total land area of 240 square kilometres (92.7 sq. mi).

Tourism is the country’s number one industry, the leading element of the economy, far ahead of offshore banking, pearls, marine and fruit exports. A popular art form on the islands is tivaivai, often likened to quilting.

Defence is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request. The Cook Islands has adopted an increasingly independent foreign policy, particularly after the adoption of an isolationist and non-aligned policy by New Zealand in the 1980s.

The islands were named after Captain James Cook, who became the first European to sight them in 1733. However, credit for the first discovery of these islands must go to the Polynesians who discovered them during their great migratory journeys across the Pacific in the seventh and eighth centuries. The main island, Rarotonga, was rediscovered by the Bounty Mutineers in 1789. In 1888 they became a British protectorate, and in 1901 became part of New Zealand. But in 1965, the islands achieved self-government as a New Zealand Dependency. (more…)