Cook Islands language week 2020...

Kia orana, this week is Cook Islands language week where schools and communities all over New Zealand get to celebrate the various languages of the Cook Islands and to learn more about the different islands that make up this archipelago.

In being brought up in a church with Niuean and Cook Islanders, I learned to appreciate the similarities and differences between our nations and it was like having a wider extended family that stretched beyond ethnic and blood relations to families of faith.

I even joined a church dance group, many years ago, whereby I learned Cook Islands and Niuean dances which are so different from Samoan dancing in hand and feet movements, as well as music. The Cooks have more of a drum dance and hip-swaying movements which I love and are similar to Tahitian and Rapa nui dances.

I visited Rarotonga back in the 1990s, so I'm well overdue for a trip there and would love to take my children for a visit too, perhaps if our NZ border controls are lifted? We had considered having our wedding there, as many have many years ago, but because Fiji was within our budget then Rarotonga remained as a second choice.

Most recently in the last few years, there's been talk about changing the name of Cook Islands to a name that is more fitting and indigenous to the people, however, to date there hasn't been a unified voice of agreeing to a name and the Cook Islands has remained although I don't know what Cook had to do with founding the islands because they were already present hundreds of years before he even arrived on their doorstep as an explorer.

Over the years, I've taught many Cook Islanders and have learned so much about the different islands and their features i.e. Pukapuka, Aitutaki, Rarotonga, Penryn, Manihiki etc. and the various dialects or languages formed due to the isolation of some of the islands.

Meitaki (thank you) and enjoy Cook Islands language week ahead...