119-565: The Cook Islands are named after Captain James Cook , who visited the islands in 1773 and 1777, although Spanish navigator Alvaro de Mendaña was the first European to reach the islands in 1595. The Cook Islands became aligned to the United Kingdom in 1890, largely because of the fear of British residents that France might occupy the islands as it already had Tahiti. By 1900, the islands were annexed as British territory. In 1901,
238-407: A British protectorate in 1888, due largely to community fears that France might occupy the territory as it had Tahiti. On 6 September 1900, the leading islanders presented a petition asking that the islands (including Niue "if possible") should be annexed as British territory. On 8–9 October 1900, seven instruments of cession of Rarotonga and other islands were signed by their chiefs and people, and
357-459: A British proclamation issued at the same time accepted the cessions, the islands being declared parts of Her Britannic Majesty's dominions. These instruments did not include Aitutaki . It appears that, though the inhabitants regarded themselves as British subjects, the Crown's title was uncertain, and the island was formally annexed by Proclamation dated 9 October 1900. The islands were included within
476-468: A Wesleyan mission was located at Kaeo . An altercation with the local Maori Ngāti Pou tribe resulted in an incident where Maori warriors took control of the Endeavour and menaced the crew. The situation was defused by the timely arrival of another Maori chieftain, Ngāti Uru chief Te Ara. The incident was initially described by Rev. Tyerman as a mostly a problem of cultural differences, but in later years
595-812: A compromise, it was decided that the English name of the islands would not be altered, but that a new Cook Islands Māori name would be adopted to replace the current name, a transliteration from English. Discussions over the name continued in 2020. On 25 September 2023, the United States recognised Cook Islands sovereignty and established diplomatic relations. The Cook Islands are in the South Pacific Ocean, north-east of New Zealand, between American Samoa and French Polynesia . There are 15 major islands spread over 2,200,000 km (850,000 sq mi) of ocean, divided into two distinct groups:
714-699: A distinctive, idiosyncratic style with the so-called double-k design. Mangaia also produces food pounders carved from the heavy calcite found in its extensive limestone caves. The outer islands produce traditional weaving of mats, basketware and hats. Particularly fine examples of rito hats are worn by women to church. They are made from the uncurled immature fibre of the coconut palm and are of very high quality. The Polynesian equivalent of Panama hats, they are highly valued and are keenly sought by Polynesian visitors from Tahiti. Often, they are decorated with hatbands made of minuscule pupu shells that are painted and stitched on by hand. Although pupu are found on other islands
833-658: A formal complaint. In the court document it is stated that the Haweis had a crew of Tahitians, and Dibbs was fluent enough in their language to be able to command them. The court document ends by stating that the accused was "not apprehended, effected his escape". In 1821 Campbell & Co had acquired the barque Lady Blackwood in Calcutta. Dibbs handed the Haweis over to Captain John James around September 1827, and on 29 September, departed for Calcutta to take command of
952-552: A larger Polynesian federation. The legislature decided upon self-government. Following elections in 1965, the Cook Islands transitioned to become a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand. This arrangement left the Cook Islands politically independent, but officially remaining under New Zealand sovereignty . This political transition was approved by the United Nations. Despite this status change,
1071-589: A midshipman. Reportedly 25% of Scottish males served in the military between 1792 and 1815, so it is possible (given his father's and grandfather's military service) that Dibbs joined the Royal Navy that was then involved with the War of 1812 and Napoleonic Wars. After Napoleon 's final defeat in 1815 at Waterloo the British economy went into recession, and there were thousands of ex-navy seamen out of work. There
1190-521: A position to defend the islands. The proclamation of neutrality meant that the Cook Islands would not enter into a military relationship with any foreign power, and, in particular, would prohibit visits by US warships. Visits by US naval vessels were allowed to resume by Henry's Government. 1990 — Cook Islands – France Maritime Delimitation Agreement establishes the Cook Islands–French Polynesia boundary 1991 — The Cook Islands signed
1309-468: A pre-Federation Australian politician, Sir Thomas Dibbs , an Australian banker, and John Campbell Dibbs , a successful Sydney businessman. Very few verifiable facts are known. Dibbs was born and educated in St Andrews , Fife, Scotland. His parents were John Dibbs and Elizabeth Simpson and he was one of several children. His father, uncle and grandfather served in the military prior to his birth. It
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#17327810187181428-519: A self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand. Albert Henry , leader of the Cook Islands Party , is elected as the territory's first prime minister. 1974 — Albert Henry is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II 1979 — Sir Albert Henry is found guilty of electoral fraud and stripped of his premiership and his knighthood. Tom Davis becomes Premier. 1980 — Cook Islands – United States Maritime Boundary Treaty establishes
1547-573: A ship’s captain, as a patient in the lunatic Asylum of Isaac Beardsmore in Calcutta, India in 1835. He was diagnosed with 'mania furiosa'. After many letters to the Governor of Bengal , a passage to London was arranged in June 1837 on the Catherine . It was hoped that the better climate there would effect an improvement in his health. His former place of abode was 'unknown' but he himself stated that he
1666-486: A terrible toll on the islands of Penrhyn , Rakahanga and Pukapuka in 1862 and 1863. 1888 — Cook Islands are proclaimed a British protectorate and a single federal parliament is established. 1900 — The Cook Islands are ceded to the United Kingdom as British territory, except for Aitutaki which was annexed by the United Kingdom at the same time. 1901 — The boundaries of the Colony of New Zealand are extended by
1785-425: A treaty with the Cook Islands specifying the maritime border between the Cook Islands and American Samoa and also relinquishing any American claims to Penrhyn , Pukapuka , Manihiki , and Rakahanga . In 1990 the Cook Islands and France signed a treaty that delimited the boundary between the Cook Islands and French Polynesia . In late August 2012, United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited
1904-556: A treaty of friendship and co-operation with France, covering economic development, trade and surveillance of the islands' EEZ. The establishment of closer relations with France was widely regarded as an expression of the Cook Islands' Government's dissatisfaction with existing arrangements with New Zealand which was no longer in a position to defend the Cook Islands. 1995 — The French Government resumed its programme of nuclear-weapons testing at Mururoa Atoll in September 1995 upsetting
2023-515: A two-year tour at sea. Hence it is reasonable to assume that ... Scottish immigration to Canada peaked in 1819. Dibbs is listed as the master of the Rothiemurchus , a ship rated at 322 tons owned by John Watson & Co, Leith, in March 1818. The Rothiemurchus made trips to Quebec in 1816 and 1817 (John was probably 1st officer), again in March 1818, and was wrecked in September 1818 in
2142-653: A voyage to Mauritius (off the east coast of Africa) in early 1827 – April 1827, selling the cargo of sugar in Hobart on the return voyage. The vessel appears to have been under the command of the 1st officer, a Mr. Doyle, as Dibbs was still in Otaheite, and rejoined the Haweis in Hobart . In June 1827, in Launceston on the return voyage from Hobart to Sydney, Dibbs assaulted a river pilot, one John Williams, who filed
2261-518: Is a common art form in the Cook Islands. The proximity of islands in the southern group helped produce a homogeneous style of carving but that had special developments in each island. Rarotonga is known for its fisherman's gods and staff-gods, Atiu for its wooden seats, Mitiaro , Mauke and Atiu for mace and slab gods and Mangaia for its ceremonial adzes. Most of the original wood carvings were either spirited away by early European collectors or were burned in large numbers by missionaries. Today, carving
2380-588: Is also known for her fabric designs), Apii Rongo, Varu Samuel, and multi-media, installation and community-project artist Ani O'Neill , all of whom currently live on the main island of Rarotonga. Atiuan-based Andrea Eimke is an artist who works in the medium of tapa and other textiles, and also co-authored the book 'Tivaivai – The Social Fabric of the Cook Islands' with British academic Susanne Kuechler . Many of these artists have studied at university art schools in New Zealand and continue to enjoy close links with
2499-476: Is celebrated each year as Constitution Day . Albert Henry of the Cook Islands Party was elected as the first Premier and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. Henry led the nation until 1978, when he was accused of vote-rigging and resigned. He was stripped of his knighthood in 1979. He was succeeded by Tom Davis of the Democratic Party who held that position until March 1983. On 13 July 2017,
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#17327810187182618-592: Is considered closely related to the Samoan language . English and Cook Islands Māori are official languages of the Cook Islands; per the Te Reo Maori Act . The legal definition of Cook Islands Māori includes Pukapukan. Music in the Cook Islands is varied, with Christian songs being quite popular, but traditional dancing and songs in Cook Islands Maori or Pukapukan remain popular. Woodcarving
2737-607: Is exercised by the government, with the Prime Minister as head of government . Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Parliament of the Cook Islands . While the country is de jure unicameral, there are two legislative bodies with the House of Ariki acting as a de facto upper house. There is a multi-party system . The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The head of state
2856-456: Is governed by Pukapuka ( Suwarrow , with only one caretaker living on the island, also governed by Pukapuka, is not counted with the inhabited islands in this context). Each council is headed by a mayor. The three Vaka councils of Rarotonga established in 1997 ( Rarotonga Local Government Act 1997 ), also headed by mayors, were abolished in February 2008, despite much controversy. On
2975-591: Is however no record of a Lieutenant Dibbs (or variant spellings) in the Royal Navy . The idea that Dibbs was in the Royal Navy comes from a story first published in 1865 detailing an 1828 voyage to England in a ship, the Lady Mary , under the command of a Captain Dibbs, a former Royal Navy lieutenant, and how he outwitted pirates off the coast of Brazil . Merchant Marine officer grade promotions usually required
3094-407: Is illegal to disclose names or any information about Cooks trusts) be physically located within the archipelago. Taxes on trusts and trust employees account for some 8% of the Cook Islands economy, behind tourism but ahead of fishing. In recent years, the Cook Islands has gained a reputation as a debtor paradise, through the enactment of legislation that permits debtors to shield their property from
3213-474: Is isolated from foreign markets, and has some inadequate infrastructure; it lacks major natural resources except for significant seabed critical minerals, has limited manufacturing and suffers moderately from natural disasters. Tourism provides the economic base that makes up approximately 67.5% of GDP. Additionally, the economy is supported by foreign aid , largely from New Zealand. China has also contributed foreign aid, which has resulted in, among other projects,
3332-655: Is its capital. The Cook Islands is self-governing while in free association with New Zealand. Since the start of the 21st century, the Cook Islands has directed its own independent foreign and defence policy, and also has its own customs regulations. Like most members of the Pacific Islands Forum, it has no armed forces, but the Cook Islands Police Service owns a Guardian Class Patrol Boat, CIPPB Te Kukupa II , provided by Australia, in order to police its waters. In recent decades,
3451-482: Is no longer the major art form with the same spiritual and cultural emphasis given to it by the Maori in New Zealand. However, there are continual efforts to interest young people in their heritage and some good work is being turned out under the guidance of older carvers. Atiu, in particular, has a strong tradition of crafts both in carving and local fibre arts such as tapa. Mangaia is the source of many fine adzes carved in
3570-485: Is no other known information on Mary, but it is most probable that she was from Sydney or New Zealand, and they would have been married by mid-1824. She may have been the daughter of an LMS missionary, as Dibbs transported many of them with families around the region. Shipping records indicate that the Haweis was on a return voyage to Sydney from Tahiti in August 1825. In December 1828 Dibbs married Sophia Allwright (19)
3689-571: Is opened for signing in the Cook Islands, creating a nuclear-free zone in the South Pacific. 1986 — In January 1986, following the rift between New Zealand and the US in respect of the ANZUS security arrangements Prime Minister Tom Davis declared the Cook Islands a neutral country, because he considered that New Zealand (which has control over the islands' defence and foreign policy) was no longer in
History of the Cook Islands - Misplaced Pages Continue
3808-510: Is probably one of the main reasons for its popularity. The Cook Islands has produced internationally recognised contemporary artists, especially in the main island of Rarotonga. Artists include painter (and photographer) Mahiriki Tangaroa , sculptors Eruera (Ted) Nia (originally a film maker) and master carver Mike Tavioni , painter (and Polynesian tattoo enthusiast) Upoko'ina Ian George, Aitutakian-born painter Tim Manavaroa Buchanan, Loretta Reynolds, Judith Kunzlé, Joan Gragg , Kay George (who
3927-521: Is the King of New Zealand , who is represented in the Cook Islands by the King's Representative . The islands are self-governing in "free association" with New Zealand. Under the Cook Islands constitution, New Zealand cannot pass laws for the Cook Islands. Rarotonga has its own foreign service and diplomatic network. Cook Islands nationals have the right to become citizens of New Zealand and can receive New Zealand government services when in New Zealand, but
4046-683: Is unable to command a majority for confidence, forcing a coalition with breakaway MPs who left, then rejoined the "Demos". Cook Islands The Cook Islands ( Rarotongan : Kūki ‘Airani ; Penrhyn : Kūki Airani ) is an island country in Polynesia , part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean . It consists of 15 islands whose total land area is approximately 236.7 square kilometres (91 sq mi). The Cook Islands' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers 1,960,027 square kilometres (756,771 sq mi) of ocean. Avarua
4165-654: Is very likely he trained as a midshipman through the Marine Society around 1806. The East India Company College ( Hertford Heath , near Hertford ) started in 1806, and trained 16- to 18-year-olds, and if so Dibbs would have been one of the earliest intakes of students. He would have graduated to the East India Company Maritime Service in 1808. His activities 1808–1818 are unknown, but there are two general possibilities. In 1808 at age 18 he graduates and becomes eligible for posting as
4284-853: The Westmoreland in Leith, Scotland, as 2nd officer in 1820. The Westmoreland (Captain Potton) transported immigrants and cargo from Leith to South Africa, then to Sydney via Hobart, the Bay of Islands in New Zealand and Tahiti. She was one of 26 immigrant ships that embarked some 4000 persons under the Albany Settlement Scheme of 1820, the aim being to settle them in South Africa. On the Westmoreland were Rev. Thomas Kendall ,
4403-577: The Ara Metua , which runs around most of Rarotonga, and is believed to be at least 1200 years old. This 29 km long, paved road is a considerable achievement of ancient engineering, possibly unsurpassed elsewhere in Polynesia. The islands of Manihiki and Rakahanga trace their origins to the arrival of Toa Nui, a warrior from the Puaikura tribe of Rarotonga, and Tepaeru, a high-ranking woman from
4522-735: The Catherine at a cost of Rs. 600. He was reportedly so uncontrollable that he had to be placed in a straight jacket. The 1841 census in England lists John Dibbs, born in Scotland around 1790, in an East India Company Asylum, Pembroke House, in London. He was described as a naval officer. Dibbs and his wife Elizabeth Simpson had a son John who was baptised on 14 November 1790 in St Andrews and St Leonards, Scotland, for whom no other records have been found. East India Company records show John Dibbs,
4641-592: The East India Company (through the assistance of John Campbell) arranged for him to be transferred to the company asylum in Calcutta run by Dr. Isaac Beardsmore, then later to another facility in London. Aug 1835 Dibbs departs for Calcutta aboard the Africaine , restrained in his cabin. He appears to have been accompanied or escorted by a Captain Carew. Nov 1837 Dibbs is shipped to England aboard
4760-921: The International Civil Aviation Organization , the International Maritime Organization and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization , all UN specialized agencies , and is an associate member of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and a Member of the Assembly of States of the International Criminal Court . On 11 June 1980, the United States signed
4879-670: The Lady Blackwood . He arrived in Calcutta from Singapore on the Donna Carmelita , listed as on Country Service (i.e. as an East India company employee), and returned to Sydney in mid April 1828. His first trading voyage in the Lady Blackwood was to Valparaiso , Chile , May–November 1828, returning with a cargo of wheat, barley, other grains and some breeding mares. The London Missionary Society records that at Raiatea (now Tahiti), "25 Aug 1825, Mary, wife of John Dibbys, Master schooner Haweis , died in childbirth." There
History of the Cook Islands - Misplaced Pages Continue
4998-757: The Pacific Community since 1980. The Cook Islands' main population centres are on the island of Rarotonga (10,863 in 2021). The Rarotonga International Airport , the main international gateway to the country, is located on this island. The census of 2021 put the total population at 14,987. There is also a larger population of Cook Islanders in New Zealand and Australia: in the 2018 New Zealand census , 80,532 people said they were Cook Islanders, or of Cook Islands descent. The last Australian census recorded 28,000 Cook Islanders living in Australia, many with Australian citizenship. With over 168,000 visitors to
5117-652: The Russian Hydrographic Service mission under Otto von Kotzebue stayed in Otaheite for 10 days, and met with Dibbs. Dibbs was also present in Otahiete for the coronation of King Pomare III on 21 April 1824, before heading to Sydney with cargo and a group of missionaries, notably George Bennet and Daniel Tyerman. On 16 July 1824 on the voyage to Sydney from Tahiti, the crew and passengers stopped in Whangaroa Harbour , near where
5236-598: The Sinai-Palestine campaign , first in a logistical role for the Australian and New Zealand Mounted Rifles at their Moascar base and later in ammunition supply for the Royal Artillery. After the war, the men returned to the outbreak of the influenza epidemic in New Zealand, and this, along with European diseases meant that a large number did not survive and died in New Zealand or on their return home over
5355-556: The Southern Cook Islands and the Northern Cook Islands of coral atolls . The islands were formed by volcanic activity ; the northern group is older and consists of six atolls, which are sunken volcanoes topped by coral growth. The climate is moderate to tropical . The Cook Islands consist of 15 islands and two reefs. From March to December, the Cook Islands are in the path of tropical cyclones,
5474-706: The Westmoreland continued north east to Tahiti for extra cargo and passengers (notably Rev. John Williams , before heading to Sydney. On his arrival in Sydney in 1821 on the Westmoreland Dibbs became acquainted with Robert Campbell Sr. (of the Sydney traders Campbell & Co), his sons, John (20), Robert (18) and Rev. John Williams of the London Missionary Society (LMS) on the incoming voyage from Otaheite ( Tahiti ) and New Zealand in 1821. Campbell and Williams offered him command of
5593-653: The 'outer' islands. It is thought that the Cook Islands may have been settled between the years 900-1200 CE. Early settlements suggest that the settlers migrated from Tahiti , to the northeast of the Cooks. The Cook Islands continue to hold important connections with Tahiti, and this is generally found in the two countries' culture, tradition and language. It is also thought that the early settlers were true Tahitians, who landed in Rarotonga ( Takitumu district). There are notable historic epics of great warriors who travel between
5712-579: The 1820s. In 1813 John Williams , a missionary on the colonial brig Endeavour (not the same ship as Cook's) made the first recorded European sighting of Rarotonga . The first recorded landing on Rarotonga by Europeans was in 1814 by the Cumberland ; trouble broke out between the sailors and the Islanders and many were killed on both sides. The islands saw no more Europeans until English missionaries arrived in 1821. Christianity quickly took hold in
5831-608: The Baltic on her way in ballast to St. Petersburgh, after leaving Leith on 3 September 1818. She ended up on the Naas Reef, near Wisby, Gotland, when "driven on shore" on 15 September. The vessel last appeared in the Lloyd's Registers in 1818, but she does not feature between 1812 and 1815, and part of the explanation is that this was not the name under which she originally sailed. Previously launched and known as The Bell of London , she
5950-654: The Bay of Islands an interpreter was enlisted to assist in trading with Maori. They then sailed for the East Cape. In March 1828 the Haweis was attacked and looted at Whakatane, in the Bay of Plenty, with three crewmen killed. The ship was retaken a couple of days later by Captain Clarke of the New Zealander, and Haweis arrived back at the Bay of Islands after her harrowing ordeal on 15 March. Haweis ' sealing gang must have been more fortunate that others, as when
6069-400: The Colonial Boundaries Act, 1895 of the United Kingdom. The boundary change became effective on 11 June 1901, and the Cook Islands have had a formal relationship with New Zealand since that time. The Cook Islands responded to the call for service when World War I began, immediately sending five contingents, close to 500 men, to the war. The island's young men volunteered at the outbreak of
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#17327810187186188-409: The Cook Islands elected Albert Henry of the Cook Islands Party as their first Prime Minister . He led the country until 1978 when he was accused of vote-rigging . He was succeeded by Tom Davis of the Democratic Party . On 11 June 1980, the United States signed a treaty with the Cook Islands specifying the maritime border between the Cook Islands and American Samoa and also relinquishing
6307-426: The Cook Islands established Marae Moana , making it become the world's largest protected area by size. In March 2019, it was reported that the Cook Islands had plans to change its name and remove the reference to Captain James Cook in favour of "a title that reflects its 'Polynesian nature ' ". It was later reported in May 2019 that the proposed name change had been poorly received by the Cook Islands diaspora. As
6426-411: The Cook Islands have adopted an increasingly assertive and distinct foreign policy, and a Cook Islander, Henry Puna , served as Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum from 2021 to 2024. Most Cook Islanders are also citizens of New Zealand , but they also have the status of Cook Islands nationals, which is not given to other New Zealand citizens. The Cook Islands have been an active member of
6545-540: The Cook Islands – American Samoa boundary 1981 — Constitution is amended. Legislative Assembly is renamed Parliament, which grows from 22 to 24 seats, and the parliamentary term is extended from four to five years. Tom Davis is knighted. 1984 — The country's first coalition government, between Sir Thomas and Geoffrey Henry, is signed in the lead up to hosting regional Mini Games in 1985. Shifting coalitions saw ten years of political instability. At one stage, all but two MPs were in government. 1985 — Rarotonga Treaty
6664-537: The Cook Islands. New Prime Minister Geoffrey Henry was fiercely critical of the decision and dispatched a vaka (traditional voyaging canoe) with a crew of Cook Islands' traditional warriors to protest near the test site. The tests were concluded in January 1996 and a moratorium was placed on future testing by the French government. 1997 — Full diplomatic relations established with the People's Republic of China. 1997 — In November, Cyclone Martin in Manihiki kills at least six people; 80% of buildings are damaged and
6783-400: The Government as "not in a fit state" to respond to regional challenges. New Zealand's subsequently announced "Defence Policy and Strategy Statement" noted that shaping the security environment, "focusing in particular on supporting security in and for the Pacific" would receive enhanced attention. The Cook Islands Police Service is the police force of the Cook Islands. The Maritime Wing of
6902-482: The Haweis. Robert Brimer, the 1st Officer, took command of the Endeavour. Schooner/brig Haweis 72 tons, crew 6–8. Seems to have had a cargo capacity of around 45 tons. The 72-ton, wooden schooner / brig Haweis was built at Moorea, Society Islands (Tahiti) for the London Missionary Society by the missionaries George Bignall and John Williams. The vessel was launched in December 1817 by King Pomare II of Tahiti and named after Dr. Thomas Haweis, whose interests led to
7021-465: The Hervey Islands. Fifty years later they are renamed in his honour by Russian Admiral Adam Johann von Krusenstern . 1821 — English and Tahitian missionaries land in Aitutaki , become the first non-Polynesian settlers. 1823 — English missionary John Williams lands in Rarotonga, converting Makea Pori Ariki to Christianity. 1858 — The Cook Islands become united as a state, the Kingdom of Rarotonga . 1862 — Peruvian slave traders take
7140-421: The House of Ariki accepting to return to their regular duties. 900 - first People arrive to the islands 1595 — Spaniard Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira is the first European to sight the islands. 1606 — Portuguese-Spaniard Pedro Fernández de Quirós makes the first recorded European landing in the islands when he sets foot on Rakahanga. 1773 — Captain James Cook explores the islands and names them
7259-452: The Maori chieftains Waitkato and Hongi Hika , to whom King George IV had given a suit of armour. While in England Hongi Hika had also negotiated a large quantity of muskets and ammunition for land from the French adventurer Baron Charles de Thierry who shipped them to Sydney. These munitions fundamentally changed the balance of power in Maori New Zealand. Waitkato and Hongi Hika and their armaments were landed in New Zealand in July 1821, and
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#17327810187187378-535: The New Zealand art scene. New Zealand-based Cook Islander artists include Michel Tuffery , print-maker David Teata, Richard Shortland Cooper, Nina Oberg Humphries , Sylvia Marsters and Jim Vivieaere . Bergman Gallery (formerly BCA Gallery) is the main commercial dealer gallery in the Cook Islands, situated in the main island of Rarotonga, and represents Cook Islands artists such as Sylvia Marsters , Mahiriki Tangaroa , Nina Oberg Humphries , Joan Gragg and Tungane Broadbent The Art Studio Gallery in Arorangi,
7497-531: The Police Headquarters building. The Cook Islands is expanding its agriculture, mining and fishing sectors, with varying success. Since approximately 1989, the Cook Islands have become a location specialising in so-called asset protection trusts , by which investors shelter assets from the reach of creditors and legal authorities. According to The New York Times , the Cooks have "laws devised to protect foreigners' assets from legal claims in their home countries", which were apparently crafted specifically to thwart
7616-442: The Police Service exercises sovereignty over the nation's EEZ. Vessels have included a Pacific-class patrol boat , CIPPB Te Kukupa commissioned in May 1989 which received a re-fit in 2015 but was withdrawn from service and replaced by a larger and more capable Guardian-class patrol boat , CIPPB Te Kukupa II , which entered service in 2022. Cook Islands has its own customs regulations. Formerly, male homosexuality
7735-412: The Society Islands. By the following January grave fears were held for her safety. In 1835, a report appeared that the Haweis has been taken over by escaping convicts, and the crew and passengers murdered. Sydney Herald 25 August 1835: "After the brig had got fairly out to sea they came from their various places of concealment in the vessel, murdered the captain and the passengers and all those of
7854-430: The Takitumu or Te-Au-O-Tonga tribes of Rarotonga. Tongareva was settled by an ancestor from Rakahanga called Mahuta and an Aitutaki Ariki & Chief Taruia, and possibly a group from Tahiti. The remainder of the northern islands, Pukapuka (Te Ulu O Te Watu) was probably settled by expeditions from Samoa . Spanish ships visited the islands in the 16th century; the first written record of contact between Europeans and
7973-443: The US claim to the islands of Penrhyn , Pukapuka , Manihiki , and Rakahanga . In 1990, the Cook Islands signed a treaty with France which delimited the maritime boundary between the Cook Islands and French Polynesia . On June 13, 2008, a small majority of members of the House of Ariki attempted a coup, claiming to dissolve the elected government and to take control of the country's leadership. "Basically we are dissolving
8092-431: The United Kingdom to include the Cook Islands. 1924 — The All Black Invincibles stop in Rarotonga on their way to the United Kingdom and play a friendly match against a scratch Rarotongan team. 1946 — Legislative Council is established. For the first time since 1912, the territory has direct representation. 1957 — Legislative Council is reorganized as the Legislative Assembly. 1965 — The Cook Islands become
8211-412: The Western Front. In September 1916, the Pioneer Battalion, a combination of Cook Islanders, Māori and Pakeha soldiers, saw heavy action in the Allied attack on Flers, the first battle of the Somme. Three Cook Islanders from this first contingent died from enemy action and at least ten died of disease as they struggled to adapt to the conditions in Europe. The 2nd and 3rd Cook Island Contingents were part of
8330-411: The believers, the most followed denomination being the Cook Islands Christian Church with 49.1%. Other Protestant Christian groups include Seventh-day Adventist 7.9%, Assemblies of God 3.7% and Apostolic Church 2.1%. The main non-Protestant group are Catholics with 17% of the population. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints makes up 4.4%. The economy is strongly affected by geography. It
8449-623: The black pearl industry suffered severe losses. 1999 — A second era of political instability begins, starting with five different coalitions in less than nine months, and at least as many since then. 2000 — Full diplomatic relations concluded with France. 2002 — Prime Minister Terepai Maoate is ousted from government following second vote of no-confidence in his leadership. 2004 — Prime Minister Robert Woonton visits China; Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao grants $ 16 million in development aid. 2006 — Parliamentary elections held. The Democratic Party keeps majority of seats in parliament, but
8568-585: The boundaries of the Colony of New Zealand in 1901 by Order in Council under the Colonial Boundaries Act, 1895 of the United Kingdom. The boundary change became effective on 11 June 1901, and the Cook Islands have had a formal relationship with New Zealand since that time. In 1962 New Zealand asked the Cook Islands legislature to vote on four options for the future: independence, self-government, integration into New Zealand, or integration into
8687-505: The brig arrived back in Sydney in April, seal skins were among her cargo. This success saw Haweis sail to the sealing grounds in the south again the following month and when she arrived back in Sydney on 29 June from Stewart Island, her crew had taken another 340 seal skins. Haweis ' next voyage was an eight-day return trip from Sydney to Newcastle, still under Captain John James. On 24 October 1829 James left Sydney on Haweis , bound for
8806-645: The cause of death seems to have been urania poisoning. Dibbs was buried from the Royal India Asylum, Ealing, in the South Ealing Cemetery. Schooner Endeavour , about 50 tons, crew 8–11. One of the first ships built in Sydney, in 1804 by James Underwood. It was first used for trading between Port Jackson New Zealand and Tahiti, and was gifted by the London Missionary Society to Tamatoa, King of Raiatea. In 1812,
8925-582: The claims of creditors. Since 2008 the Executive Director of Cook Islands Bank has been Vaine Nooana-Arioka . There are eleven airports in the Cook Islands, including one with a paved runway, Rarotonga International Airport , served by five passenger airlines. Newspapers in the Cook Islands are usually published in English with some articles in Cook Islands Māori . The Cook Islands News has been published since 1945, although it
9044-416: The collection and use of them in decorative work has become a speciality of Mangaia. The weaving of rito is a speciality of the northern islands, Manihiki, Rakahanga and Penrhyn. A major art form in the Cook Islands is tivaevae . This is, in essence, the art of handmade Island scenery patchwork quilts. Introduced by the wives of missionaries in the 19th century, the craft grew into a communal activity, which
9163-517: The colony before federation. An unnamed daughter (born 1832) is believed to have died soon after birth as no baptismal record is extant. For generations, it was thought and always said by the family that Dibbs disappeared at sea in 1835, and was never heard of again. It was only in 2009 that part of the true story finally emerged when records from the HEIC archives were located in London. Examination of shipping records between 1829 and 1833 show that Dibbs
9282-571: The coming years. When the British Nationality and New Zealand Citizenship Act 1948 came into effect on 1 January 1949, Cook Islanders who were British subjects automatically gained New Zealand citizenship . The islands remained a New Zealand dependent territory until the New Zealand Government decided to grant them self-governing status. On 4 August 1965, a constitution was promulgated. The first Monday in August
9401-583: The crew who would not join them in taking the vessel. They reached the Navigators and ran the vessel on one of the islands and broke her up. Since then the murderers have been living on the same island. Capt Charlton sent over by the first conveyance dispatches to this effect to the Admiral on the South American coast. When we reflect upon the number of vessels that are continually being missed from
9520-403: The culture and many islanders are Christians today. The islands were a popular stop in the 19th century for whaling ships from the United States, Britain and Australia. They visited, from at least 1826, to obtain water, food, and firewood. Their favourite islands were Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Mangaia and Penrhyn. The Cook Islands became aligned to the United Kingdom in 1890, largely because of
9639-415: The daughter of convicts Thomas Allwright and Sophia Langford, in Sydney, and took her back to St. Andrews in early 1829 on the Lady Blackwood . A son, John (the most likely name ), was born prematurely soon after arrival in London in August 1829 but died after 6 hours. They had three other sons, John Campbell (born 1830), Thomas Allwright (born 1833) and George Richard (born 1834), all who became prominent in
9758-405: The fear of British residents that France might occupy the islands as it already had Tahiti. On 6 September 1900, the islanders' leaders presented a petition asking that the islands (including Niue "if possible") should be annexed as British territory. On 8 and 9 October 1900, seven instruments of cession of Rarotonga and other islands were signed by their chiefs and people. A British Proclamation
9877-475: The founding of the London Missionary Society. The Haweis proved to be unsuitable for the intended use, being to trade and procure supplies for both the Tahitian and New Zealand missions. In November 1828 Haweis departed Sydney for Antipodes and Bounty Islands, where a sealing gang was left. Gangs were often stationed on remote islands to cull as many seals as they could before the ships returned. Sealing
9996-883: The government was unable to secure an invitation to attend the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa. The Cook Islands Police Service polices its own waters, and shares responsibility for defence with New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands Government and at its request. The total offshore EEZ is about 2 million square kilometres. Vessels of the Royal New Zealand Navy can be employed for this task including its Protector-class offshore patrol vessels . These naval forces may also be supported by Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft, including P-8 Poseidons . However, these forces are limited in size and in 2023 were described by
10115-461: The island Gente Hermosa (Beautiful People). British explorer and naval officer Captain James Cook arrived in 1773 and again in 1777, giving the island of Manuae the name Hervey Island . The Hervey Islands later came to be applied to the entire southern group. The name "Cook Islands", in honour of Cook, first appeared on a Russian naval chart published by Adam Johann von Krusenstern in
10234-426: The islands in 2018, tourism is the country's main industry and leading element of its economy, ahead of offshore banking , pearls, and marine and fruit exports. The Cook Islands comprise 15 islands split between two island groups, which have been called individual names in indigenous languages including Cook Islands Māori and Pukapukan throughout the time they have been inhabited. The first name given by Europeans
10353-563: The islands remained financially dependent on New Zealand, and New Zealand believed that a failure of the free association agreement would lead to integration rather than full independence. New Zealand is tasked with overseeing the country's foreign relations and defense. The Cook Islands, Niue , and New Zealand (with its territories: Tokelau and the Ross Dependency ) make up the Realm of New Zealand . After achieving autonomy in 1965,
10472-659: The islands the ' Hervey Islands' to honour a British Lord of the Admiralty . Half a century later, the Russian Baltic German Admiral Adam Johann von Krusenstern published the Atlas de l'Ocean Pacifique , in which he renamed the islands the Cook Islands to honour Cook. Captain Cook navigated and mapped much of the group. Surprisingly, Cook never sighted the largest island, Rarotonga , and
10591-641: The islands were included within the boundaries of the Colony of New Zealand . The Cook Islands contain 15 islands in the group spread over a vast area in the South Pacific . The majority of islands are low coral atolls in the Northern Group , with Rarotonga , a volcanic island in the Southern Group , as the main administration and government centre. The main Cook Islands language is Rarotongan Māori . There are some variations in dialect in
10710-579: The islands. However, this situation had changed by the passage of the Cook Islands Act 1915 , which defined the Cooks' area and included all presently included islands. The islands' official name in Cook Islands Māori is Kūki 'Āirani , a transliteration of the English name. The Cook Islands were first settled around AD 1000 by Polynesian people who are thought to have migrated from Tahiti , an island 1,154 kilometres (717 mi) to
10829-656: The islands. In 2017, the Cook Islands signed the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons . On 25 September 2023, the Cook Islands and the United States of America established diplomatic relations under the leadership of Prime Minister Mark Brown at a ceremony in Washington, DC. In 2024, the Cook Islands' efforts to join the Commonwealth of Nations as a full member were "ongoing" but, despite this,
10948-429: The leadership, the prime minister and the deputy prime minister and the ministers," chief Makea Vakatini Joseph Ariki explained. The Cook Islands Herald suggested that the ariki were attempting thereby to regain some of their traditional prestige or mana . Prime Minister Jim Marurai described the take-over move as "ill-founded and nonsensical". By June 23, the situation appeared to have normalised, with members of
11067-542: The long arm of American justice; creditors must travel to the Cook Islands and argue their cases under Cooks law, often at prohibitive expense. Unlike other foreign jurisdictions such as the British Virgin Islands , the Cayman Islands and Switzerland, the Cooks "generally disregard foreign court orders" and do not require that bank accounts, real estate, or other assets protected from scrutiny (it
11186-574: The lowest level, there are village committees. Nassau , which is governed by Pukapuka , has an island committee (Nassau Island Committee), which advises the Pukapuka Island Council on matters concerning its own island. Births and deaths In the Cook Islands, the Church is separate from the state, and most of the population is Christian. The religious distribution is as follows: The various Protestant groups account for 62.8% of
11305-627: The master was Captain Theodore Walker. In 1822 it was sold to Rev. John Williams, who after getting into financial difficulties sold it in 1824 to John Campbell of Campbell and Co. In the Sydney Gazette 6 February 1823, Robert Brimer (1st), William Wood, Francisco Preto and seven Tahitians are listed as crew. On 29 January 1824, Robert Brimer, John Smith, Francisco Preto and four Tahitians are listed as crew. Captain Dibbs remained as master until September 1824, when he took command of
11424-601: The most notable of which were the cyclones Martin and Percy . Two terrestrial ecoregions lie within the islands' territory: the Central Polynesian tropical moist forests and the Cook Islands tropical moist forests . Note: The table is ordered from north to south. Population figures from the 2021 census. The Cook Islands are a representative democracy with a parliamentary system in an associated state relationship with New Zealand. Executive power
11543-442: The native inhabitants of the Cook Islands came with the sighting of Pukapuka by Spanish sailor Álvaro de Mendaña in 1595, who called it San Bernardo (Saint Bernard). Portuguese-Spaniard Pedro Fernández de Quirós made the first recorded European landing in the islands when he set foot on Rakahanga in 1606, calling it Gente Hermosa (Beautiful People). British navigator Captain James Cook arrived in 1773 and 1777. Cook named
11662-551: The northeast of the main island of Rarotonga. The first European contact with the islands took place in 1595 when the Spanish navigator Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira sighted the island of Pukapuka , which he named San Bernardo (Saint Bernard). Pedro Fernandes de Queirós , a Portuguese captain at the service of the Spanish Crown , made the first European landing in the islands when he set foot on Rakahanga in 1606, calling
11781-474: The only island that he personally set foot on was the tiny, uninhabited Palmerston Atoll . The first recorded landing by Europeans on Rarotonga was in 1814 by the Cumberland ; trouble broke out between the sailors and the Islanders and many were killed on both sides. The islands saw no more Europeans until missionaries arrived from England in 1821. Christianity quickly took hold in the culture and remains
11900-598: The port of Sydney we cannot but infer that many of them have no doubt followed the fate of the Haweis and the unfortunate passengers and crew." Barque "Lady Blackwood" Built at Fort Gloucester, Bengal, 1821, 253 tons. Hull and planks made of teak. Length 92 feet, beam 26 feet. Two decks, three masts. Crew : 12–15 Rowan Hackman in "Ships of the East India Company" lists a LADY BLACKWOOD, 263 tons burden, built at Calcutta in 1821 for Cockerill & Co. She
12019-522: The predominant religion today. In 1823, Captain John Dibbs of the colonial barque Endeavour made the first official sighting of the island Rarotonga . The Endeavour was transporting Rev. John Williams on a missionary voyage to the islands. Brutal Peruvian slave traders , known as blackbirders , took a terrible toll on the islands of the Northern Group in 1862 and 1863. At first,
12138-590: The reverse is not true; New Zealand citizens are not Cook Islands nationals. Despite this, as of 2018 , the Cook Islands had diplomatic relations in its own name with 52 other countries. The Cook Islands is not a United Nations member state, but, along with Niue , has had their "full treaty-making capacity" recognised by the United Nations Secretariat , and is a full member of the World Health Organization (WHO), UNESCO ,
12257-716: The schooner Endeavour to trade in the Tahiti region. During this time, while ferring Rev. Williams around the islands, Dibbs became acquainted with René Primevère Lesson and Jules de Blosseville of the French royal corvette Coquille , on a hydrographic expedition. In May 1823, John and Jules de Blosseville, on the Endeavour returned to Maupiti Island to map it for the Coquille expedition. On 25 July 1823, Captain Dibbs (re)discovered Armstrong Island (now called Rarotonga ), and nearby islands Mitiero and Mauke . In March 1824,
12376-450: The southern islands as the "Cook Islands" in his Atlas de l'Ocean Pacifique . The entire territory (including the northern island group) was not known as the "Cook Islands" until after its annexation by New Zealand in the early 20th century. In 1901, the New Zealand parliament passed the Cook and other Islands Government Act , demonstrating that the name "Cook Islands" only referred to some of
12495-777: The story became a perilous cannibal adventure that defined the Maori (to European readers) as barbarian savages. The Endeavour finally returned to Sydney in mid August 1824. Dibbs was appointed the London Missionary Society Master of Ships for the Pacific station and served in this capacity until 1827. In March 1825, he was given command of the Campbell & Co brig Haweis (from Captain Jamison) and ferried missionaries around New Zealand and Tahiti, and also traded, until mid-1827. The Haweis made
12614-457: The traders may have genuinely operated as labour recruiters, but they quickly turned to subterfuge and outright kidnapping to round up their human cargo. The Cook Islands was not the only island group visited by the traders, but Penrhyn Atoll was their first port of call and it has been estimated that three-quarters of the population was taken to Callao , Peru . Rakahanga and Pukapuka also suffered tremendous losses. The Cook Islands became
12733-497: The two nations for a wide variety of reasons. The purpose of these missions is still unclear but recent research indicates that large to small groups often fled their island due to local wars being forced upon them. For each group to travel and to survive, they would normally rely on a warrior to lead them. Outstanding warriors are still mentioned in the countries' traditions and stories. These arrivals are evidenced by an older road in Toi,
12852-631: The war to reinforce the Māori Contingents and the Australian and New Zealand Mounted Rifles. A Patriotic Fund was set up very quickly, raising funds to support the war effort. The Cook Islanders were trained at Narrow Neck Camp in Devonport , and the first recruits departed on 13 October 1915 on the SS Te Anau . The ship arrived in Egypt just as the New Zealand units were about to be transferred to
12971-412: Was Gente Hermosa (beautiful people) by Spanish explorers to Rakahanga in 1606. The islands as a whole are named after British Captain James Cook , who visited during the 1770s and named Manuae "Hervey Island" after Augustus Hervey, 3rd Earl of Bristol . The southern island group became known as the "Hervey Islands" after this. In the 1820s, Russian Admiral Adam Johann von Krusenstern referred to
13090-416: Was de jure illegal in the Cook Islands and was punishable by a maximum term of seven years imprisonment; however, the law was never enforced. In 2023, legislation was passed which legalised homosexuality. There are island councils on all of the inhabited outer islands (Outer Islands Local Government Act 1987 with amendments up to 2004, and Palmerston Island Local Government Act 1993) except Nassau , which
13209-459: Was born in St Andrews, Scotland, that his father was a grocer and alive in 1829 and that his wife and children were in Sydney, where he had property. Dibbs spent the next 37 years in the care of the East India Company, moving with them to their new Royal India Asylum in Ealing , London. He died aged 81 in 1872. His death certificate states that he had dementia for 37 years, an enlarged prostate and
13328-486: Was dangerous enough, but added to it was the very distinct possibility that their ship might never return. Sealers were crushed to death by seals, attacked, killed and eaten by Maori, and abandoned to starve by captains that could not, or did not, return. After Haweis left her gang in the southern islands, she continued her voyage trading around New Zealand and called at the Bay of Islands in December to refresh. While at
13447-413: Was engaged mostly in the seal and whaling trade in the Lady Blackwood . During his last voyage, something happened which caused major personality changes and he was diagnosed with "mania furiosa", with symptoms of uncontrollable rages. The most likely cause is a severe head injury, such as a depressed skull fracture. He and Sophia lived apart for a few months, and then when his condition became unmanageable,
13566-689: Was evidently owned by the Admiralty as a supply vessel or transport but she was advertised as up for sale prior to the Congress of Vienna and Wellington's subsequent campaign in Europe. This sale did not result in a buyer, and "the Rothiemurchus of London" was re-advertised as for sale in Edinburgh on 18 October 1815, and was now "presently lying in the harbour of Leith", although her former name
13685-436: Was issued, stating that the cessions were accepted and the islands declared parts of Her Britannic Majesty's dominions. However, it did not include Aitutaki . Even though the inhabitants regarded themselves as British subjects, the Crown's title was unclear until the island was formally annexed by that Proclamation. In 1901 the islands were included within the boundaries of the Colony of New Zealand by Order in Council under
13804-478: Was master of the colonial schooner Endeavour 1822–1824, the brig Haweis 1824–1827 and the barque Lady Blackwood 1827–1834. He is credited as the European discoverer of Rarotonga and several other islands. Most of his voyages involved the transporting of missionaries, trade, whaling and seal hunting. He was believed for over 170 years to have disappeared at sea in 1835. He was the father of Sir George Dibbs ,
13923-495: Was no longer mentioned. This time she was "set up at the sum of three thousand pounds Sterling", presumably the reserve price. Again she did not sell, and was again advertised for sale on 8 November, this time set up at £2500. By 26 February 1816 "the New Ship Rothiemurchus" had indeed found a new master, George Watson, and was advertised as ready to receive goods, and bound for Quebec in early April. Dibbs joined
14042-704: Was owned by the government until 1989. Former newspapers include Te Akatauira , which was published from 1978 to 1980. The languages of the Cook Islands include English, Cook Islands Māori (or "Rarotongan"), and Pukapukan . Dialects of Cook Islands Māori include Penrhyn ; Rakahanga-Manihiki ; the Ngaputoru dialect of Atiu , Mitiaro , and Mauke ; the Aitutaki dialect; and the Mangaian dialect. Cook Islands Māori and its dialectic variants are closely related to both Tahitian and to New Zealand Māori . Pukapukan
14161-579: Was run by Ian George and Kay George is now Beluga Cafe. There is also Gallery Tavioni and Vananga run by Mike Tavioni and The Cook Islands National Museum also exhibits art. Captain John Dibbs Captain John Dibbs (8 November 1790–1872) was a master mariner prominent during 1822–1835 in the seas around the colony of New South Wales , New Zealand and the Society Islands (now part of Tahiti ). Dibbs
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