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 Cook Islands culture
South Pacific Culture - Traditional Life
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Cook Islanders are Polynesians, arriving in their homeland around 800 AD. The people are broadly divided into two groups - those from the northern Cooks speaking Pukapukan whose descendents came from Samoa and Tonga to the west, and those from the southern Cooks speaking Rarotongan whose descendants came from The Society Islands and Marquesas to the east. The indigenous people, commonly known as Cook Island Maoris, also share their Polynesian ancestry with New Zealand Maoris (New Zealand was settled by Cook Islanders) and Hawaiians.

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Cook Island society is based on an association to a village and its chief. Chiefly titles, ariki, and land rights are passed through both the male and female lineage but to the discretion of the senior family member. Therefore, a disgraced family member may be given no land at all, whilst the favoured one will often win the prized family land. Land cannot be bought or sold and as most islanders want land on Rarotonga, it is common for those on the outer islands without land rights on Rarotonga to try to marry someone who does have land rights on Rarotonga.

The Cook Islands community is intricately woven often with large extended families living in a single house, or collection of houses. Both the elderly and children are respected being the knowledge and future of life. The term "cousin" is loosely used to describe someone with whom your family roots can be traced This can go back many generations. Tattooing of the body was traditionally used to symbolise ones family lineage and today this art form is again becoming popular. Most islanders bury their relatives in elaborate graves within the family garden.


Today, Cook Islanders are devout Christians and Sunday is a day of rest and churchgoing. Singing in church is an evocative icon of the Cook Islands and a Sunday church service is well worth a visit. Most islanders are associated with the Cook Islands Christian Church (CICC) which most of the old attractive churches are, although new Christian denominations are widespread.




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Last Updated
05 December 2008

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