99-507: Rarotonga is the largest and most populous of the Cook Islands . The island is volcanic, with an area of 67.39 km (26.02 sq mi), and is home to almost 75% of the country's population, with 10,898 of a total population of 15,040. The Cook Islands' Parliament buildings and international airport are on Rarotonga. Rarotonga is a very popular tourist destination with many resorts, hotels and motels. The chief town, Avarua , on
198-696: A blow to its head after a fierce battle in the Cook Strait . In some versions of the story he travelled as far south as Arahura on the South Island's West Coast , and also to the Coromandel Peninsula . The Waitangi Tribunal claims that Kupe and his crew remained in New Zealand for as many as 20 years before deciding to return home. Kupe sailed back via Hokianga Harbour, where he sacrified his son Tuputupu-whenua, drowning him in
297-404: A complement of 25 people under sail or paddle, fully provisioned. It is said that at first Kupe had some difficulty filling the waka, with only a few members from Hawaiki-rangi with him. The report states he eventually found the remaining crew at Pikopikoiwhiti, a nearby village "renowned for its ready supply of adventurers". Seven more were added from there. Some oral histories say he travelled with
396-812: 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:
495-699: 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
594-434: A father from Rarotonga and a mother from Raiatea , between 40 and 23 generations ago. The more specific reasons for Kupe's semi-legendary journey, and the migration of Māori in general, have been contested. Māori oral history recounts that Hawaiki and other Polynesian islands were experiencing considerable internal conflict during his time, which is thought to have possibly caused an exodus. Kupe features prominently in
693-728: A large cloud as a symbol of land, Kupe led the waka towards the land, where it is believed his party made their first landing at the Hokianga Harbour . From here, Kupe and Kuramārōtini continued his voyage around the country. He sailed down the coast of the Wairarapa and landed in Wellington Harbour , staying there for some time and naming the islands of Matiu (Somes Island) and Mākaro (Ward Island) after his daughters. A legend says that Kupe then continued his pursuit of Muturangi's octopus, eventually destroying it with
792-465: A petition from the ariki . In 1901, it was annexed by New Zealand. Oranges had been introduced by the Bounty mutineers, and after annexation developed into a major export crop, though exports had been disrupted by poor shipping. In 1945 the industry was revived with a government-led citrus replanting scheme, and in 1961 a canning factory was opened to allow the export of juice. The industry survived until
891-505: A second catamaran, Tawhirirangi , under the stewardship of the navigator Te Ngake. Matawhaorua set sail for lands further to the south in pursuit of the great octopus of his rival, Muturangi . Matawhaorua is thought to have journeyed towards Te Tai Tokerau . As the waka neared land for the first time, Kuramārōtini saw a thick layer of cloud on the horizon. She is then believed to have exclaimed “ He ao! He ao! He ao tea roa! ” meaning, ‘A cloud! A cloud! A long white cloud!’. Recognising
990-498: A similar basic story. Most histories claim that in a time approximately 40 generations ago (between 900 and 1200 AD), Kupe, his wife Kuramārōtini , the great warrior Ngahue , and a relatively large crew, boarded Kuramārotini's canoe Matawhourua (or in some dialects Matawhaorua ). According to the Waitangi Tribunal 's Wai 262 report, Matawhaorua was a classical Polynesian open-ocean catamaran , capable of carrying
1089-410: A storm ridge, lowland swamps, and alluvial deposits. This in turn is surrounded by a fringing reef , which ranges from 30 to 900 metres wide. The reef is shallow, with a maximum depth of 1.5m, and has a number of passages, notably at Avarua , Avatiu and Ngatangiia. Beyond the reef crest, the outer reef slopes steeply to deep water. The lagoon is at its widest off the southeast coast in the area of
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#17327657903641188-500: A thousand people homeless and damaged 80% of the buildings in Avarua. The population of Rarotonga was 13007 in 2016. The island is traditionally divided into three tribal districts or vaka . Te Au O Tonga on the northern side of the island ( Avarua is the capital), Takitumu on the eastern and southern side and Puaikura on the western side. For administrative purposes it is divided into five Land Districts. The Land District of Avarua
1287-486: 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
1386-587: Is Te Hokianga-nui-a-Kupe; "the place of Kupe's great return". Hei konei rā, e Te Puna-o-te-ao-mārama, ka hokianga nui ake nei tēnei, e kore anō e hokianga nui mai. Kupe, Te Puna-o-te-ao-mārama, Te Tai Tokerau, c.1000 CE Roughly thirty years later, Matawhaorua was thoroughly renovated and refitted under the leadership of Nukutawhiti , Kupe's grandson. The canoe was renamed Ngātokimatawhaorua , which translates literally to "the re-adzed Matawhaorua". Nukutawhiti had memorised his grandfather's navigational instructions for reaching Aotearoa, knowing off by heart
1485-518: 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
1584-528: 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
1683-544: 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,
1782-592: 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
1881-607: 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
1980-527: Is generally held to have been born to a father from Rarotonga and a mother from Raiatea , and probably spoke a Māori proto-language similar to Cook Islands Māori or Tahitian . His voyage to New Zealand ensured that the land was known to the Polynesians, and he would therefore be responsible for the genesis of the Māori people. Kupe was born in the geographically uncertain Māori homeland of Hawaiki , to
2079-456: 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
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#17327657903642178-407: 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
2277-474: 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,
2376-655: 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,
2475-482: 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
2574-510: 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
2673-539: Is represented under vaka Te Au O Tonga, the Land Districts of Matavera , Ngatangiia and Titikaveka are represented under vaka Takitumu and the Land District Arorangi is represented under vaka Puaikura. The districts are subdivided into 54 tapere (traditional sub-districts). In 2008, the three vaka councils of Rarotonga were abolished. Palm-studded white sandy beaches fringe most of
2772-521: 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
2871-609: Is the international airport of the Cook Islands. 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
2970-522: Is the summit of an extinct Pliocene or Pleistocene volcano, which rises 5000 meters from the seafloor. The island was formed between 2.3 to 1.6 million years ago, with a later stage of volcanism between 1.4 and 1.1 million years ago. While its position is consistent with being formed by the Macdonald hotspot , its age is too young, and its formation is attributed to a short-lived Rarotonga hotspot , or to rejuvenated volcanism at Aitutaki . The core of
3069-921: 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
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3168-552: The Muri Lagoon . This area contains four small islets or motu . From north to south, the islets are: Another small islet, Motutoa, lies on the reef flat on the northwest coast. The interior of the island is dominated by eroded volcanic peaks cloaked in dense vegetation. Paved and unpaved roads allow access to valleys but the interior of the island remains largely unpopulated due to forbidding terrain and lack of infrastructure. A tract of 155 ha of land has been set aside in
3267-757: 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
3366-598: 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
3465-556: 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,
3564-415: The mythology and oral history of some Māori iwi (tribes), but the details of his life differ between iwi. Various legends and histories describe Kupe's extensive involvement in the settlement of New Zealand, around 1000–1300 CE , with many talking of his achievements, such as the hunting and destruction of the great octopus, Te Wheke-a-Muturangi . The historical Kupe is thought to have been born in
3663-579: 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
3762-439: The 1980s, but collapsed after New Zealand adopted Rogernomics and removed privileged market access. An airstrip was built in 1944, leading to regular flights to Fiji , Tonga , Samoa and Aitutaki . The airport and better shipping links saw the beginnings of large-scale migration to New Zealand. Emigration increased further in the early 1970's when the airport was upgraded, but this was balanced by immigration from elsewhere in
3861-540: 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
3960-534: 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
4059-483: 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
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4158-548: The Cook Islands. Flooding in April and May 1967 damaged bridges on the island and caused widespread crop losses, raising risks of a food shortage. An unnamed tropical cyclone in December of that year left hundreds homeless and caused widespread devastation after demolishing homes and offices in Avarua. In December 1976 80% of the island's banana crop was destroyed by tropical cyclone Kim . In January 1987 Tropical Cyclone Sally made
4257-459: 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
4356-477: The Marquesas to import basalt that was used for making local adze heads, while a pottery fragment found on Ma'uke has been traced to Tongatapu to the west, the main island of Tonga. The ultimate origin of almost all the islanders’ settlement cargo can be traced back to Southeast Asia: not just their chickens, Pacific rats, Polynesian pigs, Pacific dogs and crops, but also several kinds of lizards and snails. Among
4455-591: 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,
4554-574: The Ngāti Kahungunu area consistently place Kupe on board the Tākitimu canoe or name as his companions people who are strongly associated with the Tākitimu. No other canoes are mentioned in connection with him. They also contain no references to the octopus of Muturangi, nor of the chase from Hawaiki. He then traveled south to reach Mahia. Tainui traditions about Kupe can be summarised as: Kupe stole Hoturapa's wife or wives; came to New Zealand and cut up
4653-654: 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
4752-506: 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
4851-472: The South Island, had strong genealogical and trading links. "When Kupe, the first discoverer of New Zealand, first came in sight of the land, his wife cried, 'He ao! He ao!" (a cloud! a cloud!). Great Barrier Island was therefore named Aotea (white cloud), and the long mainland Aotearoa (long white cloud). When Kupe finally returned to his homeland his people asked him why he did not call the newly discovered country after his fatherland. He replied, 'I preferred
4950-701: 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
5049-716: The Whanganui and Taranaki regions Kupe was a contemporary of Turi of the Aotea canoe . In other traditions, Kupe arrived around the year 1400 on other canoes, including Tainui and Tākitimu . In the "orthodox" version, Kupe was a great chief of Hawaiki who arrived in New Zealand in 925 CE. He left his cousin Hoturapa to drown during a fishing expedition and kidnapped his wife, Kuramarotini , with whom he fled in her great canoe Matawhourua . During their subsequent journeys, they overcame numerous monsters and sea demons, including
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#17327657903645148-510: The attested tribal traditions about Kupe recorded before Smith and Jury, the orthodox version is precise in terms of dates and in offering place names in Polynesia where Kupe is supposed to have lived or departed from. The orthodox version also places Kupe hundreds of years before the arrival of the other founding canoes, whereas in the earlier traditions, Kupe is most definitely contemporary with those canoes. In addition, according to legends of
5247-536: The beach. There are many churches open for service on Sunday, with a cappella singing. People congregate at the sea wall that skirts the end of the airport's runway to be "jetblasted" by aircraft. Rarotonga has three harbours, Avatiu , Avarua and Avana, of which only Avatiu harbour is of commercial significance. The Port of Avatiu serves a small fleet of inter-island and fishing vessels, with cargo ships regularly visiting from New Zealand via other Pacific Islands ports. Large cruise ships regularly visit Rarotonga but
5346-494: 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
5445-684: The centennial exhibition. Of all these works, only the Kupe Statue remains. After having spent many decades at Wellington railway station , then the Wellington Show and Sports Centre and finally at Te Papa , the Kupe Group Trust successfully fundraised to have the plaster statue cast in bronze. Since 2000, the bronze statue has been installed at the Wellington Waterfront . Kupe leads the Māori civilization in
5544-582: 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
5643-416: 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
5742-624: 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
5841-415: The creature is not named. Except in later versions which are somewhat suspect as to their authenticity, the accounts do not include the episode in which Kupe chases the octopus from Hawaiki. Here are some of the accounts from this area: The few references to Kupe in South Island sources indicate that the traditions are substantially the same as those of Ngāti Kahungunu, with whom Ngāi Tahu, the main tribe of
5940-403: 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
6039-405: 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
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#17327657903646138-883: 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
6237-454: The great octopus named as Te Wheke-a-Muturangi , and discovered New Zealand. Returning to Hawaiki, Kupe told of his adventures and persuaded others to migrate with him (Craig 1989:127; see also External links below). David Simmons said "A search for the sources of what I now call 'The Great New Zealand Myth' of Kupe, Toi and the Fleet, had surprising results. In this form they did not exist in
6336-461: 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
6435-502: The island consists of densely forested hills cut by deep valleys, the eroded remnants of the original volcanic cone. The hills are drained by a number of radial streams, including the Avatiu Stream and Takuvaine Stream. Te Manga , at 658 m (2,140 ft) above sea level, is the highest peak on the island. Ikurangi , a smaller peak, overlooks the capital. The hills are surrounded by a low coastal plain consisting of beaches,
6534-513: The island had converted to Christianity. From 1830 to 1850, Rarotonga was a popular stop for whalers and trading schooners, and trade began with the outside world. The missionaries attempted to exclude other Europeans as a bad influence, and in 1845 Rarotongan ariki prohibited the sale of land to Europeans, though they were allowed to rent land on an annual basis. Despite a further ban on foreign settlement in 1848, European traders began to settle. In 1865, driven by rumours that France planned to annex
6633-723: The island in 1789 on HMS Bounty but did not land. Captain Theodore Walker sighted the island in 1813 on the ship Endeavour . The first recorded landing by a European was Captain Philip Goodenough with William Wentworth in 1814 on the schooner Cumberland . On 25 July 1823, while transporting the missionary Reverend John Williams , the Endeavour returned to Rarotonga. Papeiha , a London Missionary Society evangelist from Bora Bora , went ashore to teach his religion. Further missionaries followed, and by 1830
6732-752: The island, and there is a popular cross-island walk that connects Avatiu valley with the south side of the island. It passes the Te Rua Manga, the prominent needle-shaped rock visible from the air and some coastal areas. Hikes can also be taken to the Raemaru, or flat-top mountain. Other attractions include Wigmore Falls (Papua Falls) and the ancient marae , Arai te Tonga. Popular island activities include snorkeling , scuba diving , bike riding, kite surfing, hiking, deep-sea fishing, boat tours, scenic flights, going to restaurants, dancing, seeing island shows, squash , tennis, zipping around on mopeds, and sleeping on
6831-426: 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
6930-479: The islands, the ariki of Rarotonga unsuccessfully petitioned Governor George Grey of New Zealand for British protection. In 1883 the Royal navy de facto recognised the ariki of Rarotonga as an independent government. By this time Makea Takau Ariki had become paramount among the ariki , and was recognised as the "Queen of Rarotonga" on a visit to New Zealand. In 1888 the island became a British protectorate after
7029-579: 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
7128-656: 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,
7227-408: The land; raised rough seas; and went away again. The sources in detail: Whanganui-Taranaki traditions can be summarised as: Kupe came looking for his wife who had been abducted by (H)oturapa. His canoe was named Mataho(u)rua; Kupe was associated with Turi as his contemporary. Kupe cut up the land, and he was a brother of Ngake. Kupe encountered rough seas on his journey. The octopus story is known, but
7326-542: 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
7425-574: 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
7524-541: 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
7623-529: The most sacred shrine in Rarotonga. Due to the mountainous interior, there is no road crossing the island. Rarotonga has only two bus routes: clockwise and anticlockwise. The clockwise bus runs from morning operating an hourly schedule until a last service at 11pm. The anti-clockwise route leaves Avarua on the half-hour, with the last service at 4.30 pm. Although there are bus stops, the buses pick up and set down anywhere en route. Rarotonga International Airport
7722-519: The north coast, is the capital of the Cook Islands. Captain John Dibbs , master of the colonial brig Endeavour , is credited as the European discoverer on 25 July 1823, while transporting the missionary Reverend John Williams . Rarotonga is a kidney-shaped volcanic island , 32 km (20 mi) in circumference, and 11.2 km (7.0 mi) wide on its longest (east-west) axis. The island
7821-551: 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
7920-476: The old manuscripts nor in the whaikorero of learned men. Bits and pieces there were. Kupe was and is known, in the traditions of the Hokianga, Waikato, East Coast and South Island: but the genealogies given did not tally with those given by S. Percy Smith. The stories given by Smith were a mixture of differing tribal tradition. In other words the whole tradition as given by Smith was pakeha , not Maori. Similarly,
8019-485: The port is too small for cruise ships to enter and they are required to anchor off shore outside the harbour. The island is encircled by a main road, Ara Tapu, that traces the coast. Three-quarters of Rarotonga is also encircled by the ancient inner road, Ara Metua. Approximately 29 km long, this road was constructed in 11th century and for most or all of its whole length was paved with large stone slabs. Along this road are several important marae, including Arai Te Tonga,
8118-427: The regions. While some of the names from other ancestors have fallen out of use, those associated with Kupe seem to have endured. Estimates of when Kupe discovered New Zealand vary. There is contention concerning the status of Kupe. The contention turns on the authenticity of later versions of the legends, the so-called 'orthodox' versions closely associated with S. Percy Smith and Hoani Te Whatahoro Jury . Unlike
8217-590: 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 ,
8316-759: The south-east as the Takitumu Conservation Area to protect native birds and plants, especially the Vulnerable kakerori or Rarotonga monarch. Other threatened birds in the conservation area include the Rarotonga fruit dove and Rarotonga starling . The site has been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International . The earliest evidence of human presence in the Southern Cook Islands has been dated to around AD 1000. Oral tradition tells that Rarotonga
8415-450: 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
8514-545: The species that are understood to have reached Rarotonga by this means are at least two species of geckos and three of skinks. Likewise, the ultimate origin of almost 30 of their crops lies in the west. According to New Zealand Māori tradition, Kupe , the discoverer of Aotearoa , visited Rarotonga, and the Māori migration canoes Tākitimu , Te Arawa , Tainui , Mātaatua , Tokomaru , Aotea , and Kurahaupō passed through on their way to Aotearoa. Fletcher Christian visited
8613-464: The spring of Te Puna-o-te-ao-Mārama to guard the land from under the water while he was gone. According to oral history, Kupe believed sacrificing his son would ensure the mauri (life essence) of his whakapapa (descent line) would remain in Aotearoa permanently, even though he would be gone. He then said a karakia , vowing never to return before leaving for Hawaiki. The full name of the harbour
8712-477: The star path to follow to get there. Under his stewardship, the journey was no longer burdened with undue risk and ignorance of the geography of lands further south. This time Nukutawhiti travelled for the express purpose of settling Aotearoa, so he thoroughly extended Ngātokimatawhaorua to take more passengers. Kupe also gave the names to Arapāoa , Mana , Kohukohu , Pouahi , Maungataniwha . These names have been preserved by generations of Māori people settling
8811-470: The story of Toi and Whatonga and the canoe race leading to settlement in New Zealand could not be authenticated except from the one man who gave it to Percy Smith. Learned men of the same tribe make no mention of this story and there are no waiata celebrating their deeds. Tribal origin canoes are well known to the tribes belonging to them: but none of them talk as Smith did of six large sea-going canoes setting out together from Raiatea. The Great New Zealand Myth
8910-529: The uncertain Māori homeland of Hawaiki , to a father from Rarotonga and a mother from Raiatea . At the time of his journey, he lived in the settlement of Hawaiki-rangi. He was well educated in Polynesian navigation, and likely spoke the hypothetical proto-Māori language, which would have been most similar to Cook Islands Māori or Tahitian . There are many different accounts of Kupe's first voyage to New Zealand that range from tribe to tribe, but most follow
9009-631: 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
9108-627: The warm breast to the cold one, the new land to the old land long forsaken'." William Trethewey produced the statuary for the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition that was held in 1939/40 in Rongotai , Wellington . A 100 feet (30 m) frieze depicted the progress of New Zealand, groupings of pioneers, lions in Art Deco style, a large fountain and a figure of Kupe standing on the prow of his canoe were produced for
9207-412: 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
9306-416: 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
9405-595: 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
9504-585: Was just that". (Simmons 1977). Traditions about Kupe appear among the peoples of the following areas: Northland, Ngāti Kahungunu, Tainui, Whanganui-Taranaki, Rangitāne, and the South Island. In the Northland traditions, Kupe is a discoverer and contemporary with, but older than, Nukutawhiti, the ancestor of the Ngā Puhi people. Kupe arrives, lives at Hokianga, and returns to Wawauatea, his homeland, leaving certain signs and marks of his visit. Early accounts from
9603-704: 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
9702-420: 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. Kupe Kupe was a legendary Polynesian explorer who, according to Māori oral history , was the first person to discover New Zealand . It is likely that Kupe existed historically, but this is difficult to confirm. He
9801-482: Was settled by various groups, including Ata-i-te-kura, Apopo-te-akatinatina and Apopo-te-ivi-roa in the ninth century, and Tangi'ia Nui from Tahiti and Karika from Samoa in 1250. An early ariki , Toi, is said to have built Te Ara Nui o Toi or Ara Metua , a paved road that encircles the island, though the sites adjacent to it are dated to 1530. Trading contact was maintained with the Austral Islands, Samoa and
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