Lonely Planet Travel Guides and Travel Information Recent history Polynesian settlement Cook Islanders are Polynesians: people of the poly (many) islands of the South Pacific. They are closely related to the Maoris of New Zealand and Tahiti (Cook Islanders can happily converse with their Maori cousins from overseas, despite differences in vocabulary and dialect). The Cook Islands were first settled around 1500 years ago by travellers from the Society and Marquesas Islands (now known as French Polynesia). Polynesians had been trekking across much of the South Pacific in huge ocean-going canoes for a couple of millennia before they arrived in the Cooks. The first settlers arrived in Melanesia from Southeast Asia around 2500 BC, before heading on to Fiji , Samoa and Tonga ; French Polynesia was then settled somewhere between 200 BC and AD 200. From there, canoes travelled thousands of kilometres in all directions, reaching Rapa Nui (Easter Island) , Hawaii , South America , and finally Rarotonga and the Cook Islands in around AD 500.

^ Back to top Early cook islands society Although written records only began with the arrival of the Europeans, oral history on Rarotonga traces its ancestry back about 1400 years. One of the oldest legends tells the tale of To'i, the great chief who built the Ara Metua (the ancient inland road) on Rarotonga somewhere around the 11th century, suggesting that there was already a sizable population living on the island (probably settlers from present-day French Polynesia). Traditional history, however, begins in the 13th century with the arrival of Tangi'ia and Karika, great chiefs from Tahiti and Samoa , who arrived aboard mighty ocean-going vaka (canoes), conquered the resident population, and founded Rarotonga 's six main tribes. Every island in the Cooks was ruled by several ariki (high chiefs). Beneath the ariki were mataiapo (chiefs) and rangatira (sub-chiefs). Land was divided into sections called tapere, each governed by one or more mataiapo, and home to a large extended family who used the land to build houses, farm crops and raise livestock.

Each tribe had its own marae (sacred meeting places) and worshipped specific gods. The koutu was the most important meeting place of all - it was the official seat of a ruling ariki, and the place where the main sacrifices, offerings and annual feasts were made. A chief's authority depended on his mana - a complex term signifying not just physical or hereditary power, but also confidence, victory, prestige, knowledge, spirituality and all-round star quality. Mana ariki was the hereditary power of a chief; mana atua was the divine authority of the priest; and mana tutara was the ruling power of a mataiapo. Mana could be gained as well as lost; great deeds in battle and cowardly acts could all affect a person's mana, and the way he was regarded by the tribe. Ta'unga (literally 'experts') were also important figures. There were ta'unga in many fields, including woodcarving, agriculture, medicine, canoe-making and navigation.

The tumu korero (speaker) was responsible for memorising tribal history and genealogy, but the most powerful ta'unga was the high priest, who was seen as the main bridge between the people and the spirits of the gods and ancestors. The high priest could declare certain acts or places tapu (forbidden), either by order of the gods or the ariki; the chief would decide when tapu had been violated and what the punishment would be (generally it was likely to be fairly unpleasant). Like their modern-day descendants, early Cook Islanders never passed up the opportunity for a party. There were elaborate ceremonies for all kinds of occasions - coming-of-age ceremonies, marriages, deaths, harvest festivals and victories in battle - so the islanders had plenty of opportunity to perfect their song and dance routines. ^ Back to top European explorers The Cook Islands had over a thousand years to develop its distinctive culture and customs before any Europeans finally pitched up. The first Europeans to sight the islands were both Spanish explorers: Alvaro de Mendaña glimpsed Pukapuka in 1595, and in 1606, Pedro Fernández de Quirós stopped at Rakahanga to take on provisions.

In 1773, the English explorer James Cook sighted the islands from his vessel The Resolution (among his crew was a young Cornish sailing master by the name of William Bligh, who went on to lead the infamous mutiny aboard The Bounty in 1789). Between 1773 and 1777, Cook charted much of the group, and following a fine English tradition of attaching dull, irrelevant names to wonderful places, dubbed the Southern Group islands the 'Hervey Islands' in honour of a Lord of the Admiralty. Fifty years later a Russian cartographer (Admiral Johann von Krusenstern) published the Atlas de l'Océan Pacifique, in which he renamed the islands in honour of Captain Cook. ^ Back to top Missionaries Once the explorers had sailed on to new discoveries (or sticky ends, as was the case with Captain Cook, who was stabbed to death in Hawaii in 1779), it was left to the missionaries to establish long-lasting contact with the people of the Cook Islands.

Reverend John Williams of the London Missionary Society (LMS) sailed from Ra'iatea (near present-day Tahiti ) to Aitutaki in 1821. There he left two Tahitian preachers, including a newly converted Society Islander named Papeiha. By the time Williams returned two years later, plucky Papeiha had managed to convert practically the entire island, which spurred Williams on to take the gospel to the rest of the Southern Group. The Cook Islanders probably wished he'd stayed put. For the next 50-odd years, Williams and his Bible-happy followers ruled the islands with an iron rod, imposing a catalogue of draconian doctrines, which even by contemporary standards seemed ridiculously strict, and frequently bordered on the unhinged. Offenders were clobbered with heavy fines, ensuring a steady stream of enforced labour for the missionaries' building projects and a handy source of revenue for the local riko (police) and judges. The influence of the missionaries wasn't all bad, of course. They left the Cook Islanders with some beautiful churches, mostly built from crushed coral and lime, and often intricately decorated with sennit rope and carved wood.

Several of the missionaries (especially William Wyatt Gill, a British missionary who spent much of his life on Mangaia ) wrote detailed accounts of their experiences, providing a fascinating window onto life in the Cook Islands in the 19th century. But the arrival of the missionaries also spelled the end for many traditional customs in the Cook Islands. The missionaries were keen to suppress the islands' pre-Christian past (especially anything relating to sticky subjects such as ritual sacrifice and cannibalism). Carved idols and hallowed artefacts were burned, marae and paepae (meeting grounds) were razed to the ground, and many of the old stories and legends were outlawed or forgotten. ^ Back to top Disease, population decline & slave traders The missionaries brought more than just Christianity and churches to the islands of Polynesia: they inadvertently also brought devastating new diseases, including smallpox and dysentery, the latter of which killed nearly 1000 people in 1830, and caused a drastic population decline across all the islands. To push their cause further, the missionaries cited the mounting death toll as a message from above, and many islanders desperately abandoned their old religion in the hope that they would be spared.

But of course, most weren't - as a matter of fact, the population in Rarotonga fell to about one-third within 30 years, and throughout the 19th century deaths exceeded births in the Cook Islands. It wasn't until the early 20th century that the population on Rarotonga began finally to level out, bolstered by migrants from a number of the outer islands. Disease was not the only thing Cook Islanders had to fear. Brutal Peruvian slave traders, known as blackbirders, took a terrible toll on the Northern Group between 1862 and 1863. At first operating as genuine labour recruiters, the traders quickly turned to subterfuge and outright kidnapping to round up their human cargo. Rakahanga and Pukapuka suffered terribly, but Penrhyn was the blackbirders' main port of call - some estimates reckon that up to three-quarters of the entire population was taken from the island. Few of the 'recruits' ever returned - over 90% died either in transit to Peru or during enforced slave labour.

^ Back to top Protectorate, annexation & independence The late 19th century saw a headlong rush of colonial expansion over much of the South Pacific. Following several requests for British protection from Makea Takau, the ruling ariki of Avarua, Rarotonga was officially made a British overseas protectorate in 1888, mainly in order to avoid a French invasion. The first British Resident (the representative of the British government in a British protectorate) arrived in 1891, but the relationship soon went sour. As a tiny country of little strategic or economic importance, the Cook Islands held little interest for the British, and following a request from the New Zealand Prime Minister, Richard Seddon, the Cook Islands was annexed to New Zealand in 1901. The next 50 years were largely quiet ones for the Cook Islands. During WWII the USA built airstrips on Penrhyn and Aitutaki , but the Cooks remained largely untouched by the wider war, unlike many of its neighbours in the South Pacific.

In the 1960s, as colonies became increasingly unfashionable, New Zealand leapt at the chance to off-load its expensive overseas dependency and in 1965 the Cook Islands became internally self-governing. ^ Back to top Post-independence politics The first leader of the newly independent Cook Islands was Albert Henry, leader of the Cook Islands Party (CIP), who had been a prime mover in the push for self-rule, and was the first in a long line of 'colourful' characters in Cook Islands politics. Sir Albert (he was knighted in 1974, as were many of his successors) did much to unify the country in the initial years of independence, but fell spectacularly from grace during the 1978 elections, when he became embroiled in a massive scandal involving overseas voters (the CIP flew hundreds of supporters back to the Cook Islands in exchange for a vote in the election, bankrolling the tickets with revenue from the sale of postage stamps by the Cook Islands Philatelic Bureau). The election was handed to the opposition party, the Cook Islands Democratic Party, and Sir Albert was stripped of his knighthood.

He died soon after, in 1981; you can see his characteristically ostentatious grave in the Avarua CICC graveyard. Power seesawed over the ensuing years between the two rival parties, and the political landscape of the period is littered with spats, scandals and larger-than-life personalities - notably Dr Tom Davis , author, canoe-builder and zero-gravity medicine specialist with NASA, and Geoffrey Henry (a cousin of Albert Henry), who only lasted a few months in his first period as leader, but returned as an influential prime minister from 1989 to 1999. ^ Back to top Financial woes If there's one thing that the Cook Islands have never quite managed to get to grips with, it's balancing the books. In order to finance domestic growth, successive governments were forced to borrow and borrow…and borrow. A series of bad investments (including the massive Sheraton resort on Rarotonga 's south coast, which ultimately fell through and left the government about NZ$100 million in debt), and a major scandal involving the country's offshore-banking industry, set the stage for financial meltdown.

In the mid-1990s, foreign debt spiralled out of control, and with bankruptcy looming, the government was forced to take radical action. The economic-stabilisation programme, initiated in 1996, eventually resulted in the sacking of about 2000 government employees - 50% of the public service - a huge proportion of the working population in a country of just 20, 000 inhabitants. Masses of redundant workers left the country in search of jobs elsewhere (mostly to New Zealand or Australia ) and never returned, and the country was only saved from the brink thanks to an emergency aid package implemented by the New Zealand government. ^ Back to top Recent history The Cook Islands still has an eye-watering trade deficit, importing far more than it exports, but thanks to the huge expansion in tourism over recent years, foreign investment is currently flowing into the Cook Islands and keeps the financial wolf from the door.

The issue of offshore banking remains a thorny topic; other pressing matters include the ever-accelerating population decline from the outer islands and the gloomy spectre of global warming, which was brought into sharp focus by the unprecedented number of cyclones that swept through the islands in 2005. But it is the implementation of the Unit Titles Act on Rarotonga in 2005 - an act enabling foreigners to lease specific sections of a property in the Cook Islands, rather than the surrounding land - that has really set the cat among the political pigeons. Present prime minister, Jim Marurai, would do well to strap himself in - he looks well and truly set for a bumpy ride. The roles of ariki, mataiapo, rangatira and tumu korero survive to the present day. Arguments over who should be holding which title are still as fierce as ever - just check out the daily newspapers.

Cook Islands Visitor Information - Weddings, food, & culture Cook Islands Visitor Information Fed up with traffic, mobile phones and pagers, deadlines, expectations, take away dinners and being time poor… with bad design, rude waiters, things that break, social demands, recycling and just keeping up… with queues, ATMs, mailing lists, the Internet and always being late…? Feel the need for warm, crystal clear, turquoise water, white sandy beaches, no stress, colourful cocktails, lush tropical vegetation, a good book, new friends, fine food and welcoming smiles…? The Cook Islands will deliver. Location The Cook Islands consists of 15 Islands scattered over some 2 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean. They lie virtually in the center of the Polynesian Triangle of the South Pacific, flanked to the west by the kingdom of Tonga and the Samoas, and to the east by Tahiti and the island of French Polynesia. The Cook Islands are in the same time zone as Hawaii and are the same distance south of the equator as Hawaii is north, and lay on the Tropic of Capricorn (latitude 9 to 22 south degrees).

Rarotonga is the largest of the islands and hosts the international airport and Avarua, the main township, has a good choice of restaurants, shops, hotels and banks. Bigger map with more detail - Cook Islands Map . People The Cook Islands magical tranquility is matched only by the people themselves. The hospitality is warm and spontaneous, the dancing exuberant, the mood tropical, sultry and relaxed. Cook Islanders share a genuine care for others and although now Christian, the old culture lives on with song, dance and an easy pace of life uncomplicated by the turmoil and hustle and bustle of today's outside world. Population Around 20,000 throughout the islands with more than half living on Rarotonga Culture Cook Islanders have retained much of their own culture. Although displays of the Cook Islands past are exhibited in the local museum, Cook Islands culture is not confined to restored sites and museum walls. Polynesian identity can be observed in dance and drama at various events during the year, particularly during Constitutional Celebrations. This is a time to renew the warriors' might, the dancers' grace….a time where heritage excels.

However, it is the songs of the Kaparima and the hymns of the Sunday Choir and pride in the traditional crafts that exist in the day-to-day lives of Cook Islanders that best define their proud culture. Currency New Zealand dollar. The Cooks also have their own notes and coinage for use within the country (in tandem with the New Zealand dollar) but they aren't convertible and should be exchanged before leaving (unless you're a coin collector, in which case they may be valuable to you - especially the three dollar note!). For an online Currency Converter, use our currency converter in the tool box on the right of this page. Banking The resorts and major stores will change travellers' cheques and principal currencies. Banking facilities are available at the airport one hour prior to the arrival of scheduled international flights. Climate Tropical, with the heaviest rainfall and humidity through November to February. (Average temperature over this period is around 25 degrees Celsius, with temperature ranging from 22 degrees Celsius to 28 degrees Celsius maximum. The dryer months from April to November have an average maximum temperature of about 26 degrees Celsius. The water temperature is pleasant all year round.

Passports & Visas Please ensure your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your return to your country of origin. Most visitors who intend to stay for less than 31 days do not require a visa. It is a Travellers responsibility to have all documentation in order prior to departure. Electricity 240V, three pronged plugs (same as in Australia and New Zealand). Some resorts have 110V for electric shavers. Getting Around Driving is on the LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE ROAD. (Opposite to Europe, USA.) There is a choice of hire vehicles on Rarotonga from cars to 4WDs to scooters. There is a good sealed road around the perimeter of Rarotonga and a regular bus service completes the round trip every 45 minutes. Most visitors hire scooters, and if hiring a scooter or a car a current Cook Island Drivers Licence is available from the Police Station in Avarua on presentation of your current licence. History The first settlers in the region were the Polynesians (about 800AD) during the Great Polynesian Migration, which began in 1500BC.

The Cook Islands group English name was bestowed in honour of explorer Captain James Cook. While Cook did indeed discover some of the islands, Rarotonga was first sighted during the migrationary voyages of the Polynesian people around 800 AD. The first coral road was built in Rarotonga in the 11th Century by a chief named Toi, which lay inland and was named the "Ara Metua". A couple of centuries later the islands were invaded by a chief from Tahiti in conjunction with a chief from Samoa. The Spanish explored the area around 1595, so a lot happened before Cook made his voyages. The ill-fated Captain William Bligh sighted Aitutaki in 1789 and mutineer Fletcher Christian, Rarotonga, on the same boat (The Bounty) shortly after the famous mutiny on April 28, 1789. Rarotonga's official discovery is credited to Captain Philip Goodenough aboard the "Cumberland" in 1814 whilst seeking sandalwood.

Cook is however credited with having discovered the islands of Manuae, Palmerston, Takutea, Mangaia and Aitu which resulted in naming the group after him. Today, the Cook Islands is a self-governing democracy. Food A wide range of Polynesian and International cuisine - continental, Indian, Chinese, Italian etc. There are many island style cafes serving traditional dishes. All vegetables are fresh and local, as is the seafood (most restaurants have a daily arrangement with a fishing boat). 'Island Nights' should be experienced for both the dancing and the traditional Cook Islands feast. It's called the 'umukai' - succulent food cooked in an underground oven. There are over 2 dozen licensed bars and restaurants on Rarotonga, many offering live entertainment. Night spots stay open till around midnight (later on Friday and Saturday nights). Tipping Tipping is contrary to Cook Island customs. Weddings Everything you ever dreamed of and more. Our tropical paradise offers hundreds of possibilities for your never-to-be-forgotten wedding day. Many of our visitors are so moved by our paradise, they renew their vows at special ceremonies. Whatever your needs, you'll find the setting and ceremony to fit your budget.

Cook Island marriages are internationally recognized and, of course, legally binding worldwide. The following is general information for getting married in the Cook Islands. It is recommended that you check with the marriage licensing bureau in your state or province for local requirements regarding marriages. Legal age of consent to marry is 20 years, otherwise written approval by parents is required. Cost of License if marriage is performed by Registrar of Marriages: NZ$56.25. If conducted by a church minister: NZ$22.50. Cost of Marriage Certificate NZ$11.25. Application for License must be made in person to the Registrar of Marriages in the Cook Islands on arrival. You will need to give a minimum of 3 days notice for processing your application. Application for this license cannot be made outside the Cook Islands. Documents Needed: Your passport will be required when filing the "Notice of Intended Marriage" at the Registrars Office in Avarua, Cook Islands. If divorced, a copy of the Decree Nisi (divorce documents) will be required. Churches on the Islands: Protestant, Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints, Seventh Day Adventist, Roman Catholic.

It will be necessary to check with you local Minister regarding the requirements to marry in the Church as they will also apply to the Cook Islands. Departure Tax Please note a departure tax of NZ$25 per person is required to be paid at the Airport upon your departure. Crafts in the Cook Islands About Watch and Favorite Watch Watching this resources will notify you when proposed changes or new versions are created so you can keep track of improvements that have been made. Favorite Favoriting this resource allows you to save it in the “My Resources” tab of your account. There, you can easily access this resource later when you’re ready to customize it or assign it to your students. Crafts in the Cook Islands The Cook and Marquesas Islands, located in the South Pacific, are known for their woodcarving, weaving, quilts, and tattooing. Learning Objective Outline the art and history of the peoples of the Cook and Marquesas Islands Key Points The Cook Islands, composed of 15 small islands whose total land area is 92.7 square miles, are a parliamentary democracy in free association with New Zealand.

Woodcarving, weaving, and tivaevae—the art of handmade Island scenery patchwork quilts—are well-known artistic traditions of the Cook Islands. The islands have also produced several internationally recognized contemporary artists. The Marquesas Islands are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean. The first recorded settlers prior to 100 CE were Polynesians, most likely from Tonga and Samoa. The Marquesas have a long history of complex geometric tattooing, covering the whole bodies of both men and women. Terms Full Text Overview: The Cook Islands The Cook Islands are a parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand, composed of 15 small islands whose total land area is 92.7 square miles. Although Cook Islanders are citizens of New Zealand, they have the status of Cook Islands nationals, which is not given to other New Zealand citizens. The Cook Islands were first settled in the 6th century CE by Polynesian people who migrated from nearby Tahiti to the southeast.

British navigator Captain James Cook arrived in 1773 and 1777 and named the islands the Hervey Islands; the name "Cook Islands," in honor of Cook, appeared on a Russian naval chart published in the 1820s. Woodcarving in the Cook Islands Woodcarving is a common art form in the Cook Islands. The proximity of islands in the southern group helped produce a homogeneous style of carving; however, each island developed its own characteristics within this style. Rarotonga is known for its fisherman's gods and staff-gods; Atiu for its wooden seats; Mitiaro, Ma'uke, and Atiu for mace and slab gods; and Mangaia for its ceremonial adzes . Mangaia is the source of many fine adzes carved in a distinctive, idiosyncratic style with the so-called double-k design, and it also produces food pounders carved from the heavy calcite found in its extensive limestone caves. Most of the original wood carvings were either taken by early European collectors or were burned in large numbers by European missionaries. The Cook Islands were regarded for their fine wood carvings, many of which were taken or destroyed by European missionaries.

Craftwork in the Cook Islands Today, carving 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. The island Atiu, in particular, has a strong tradition of crafts both in carving and local fiber arts such as tapa . The outer islands produce traditional weaving of mats, basketware, and hats. Particularly fine examples of rito hats are worn by women to church, which are made from the uncurled immature fibre of the coconut palm. 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, the collection and use of them in decorative work has become a specialty of Mangaia. The weaving of rito is a specialty of the northern island of Penrhyn. Weaved hand fan with a carved figure handle. Another popular art form in the Cook Islands is tivaevae—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 is probably one of the main reasons for its popularity. By custom, a tivaevae is not measured by monetary value nor production cost; its value is said to be reflected by the love and patience that the creator(s) have put into making a stunning work of art. Cook Islands women often described their tivaevae as being "something from the heart." Tivaevae, the art of handmade patchwork quilts, is not measured by monetary value or production cost, but rather is valued for the love and patience that the creator(s) have put into making a stunning work of art. Contemporary Artists The Cook Islands have produced internationally recognized contemporary artists, especially in the main island of Rarotonga. Artists include painter and photographer Mahiriki Tangaroa, sculptor Eruera (Ted) Nia (originally a filmmaker), master carver Mike Tavioni, and community-project artist Ani O'Neil. Many of these artists have studied at university art schools in New Zealand and continue to enjoy close links with the New Zealand art scene.

Marquesas Islands The Marquesas Islands are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean. The Islands form one of the five administrative divisions of French Polynesia. In the history of the Marquesas Islands, the first recorded settlers were Polynesians, who, from archеological evidence, are believed to have arrived before 100 CE. Ethnological and linguistic evidence suggests that they likely arrived from the region of Tonga and Samoa. The islands were given their name by the Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira, who reached them on 21 July 1595. Much of Polynesia, including the original settlers of Hawaii, Tahiti, Rapa Iti, and Easter Island, was settled by Marquesans who were believed to have departed from the Marquesas as a result of overpopulation and drought-related food shortages. Much of the rest of Polynesia was colonized by Marquesan descendants centered in Tahiti. These islands share similar artistic traditions of other Pacific Islands, including the art of tattooing.

The Marquesas have a long history of complex geometric tattooing, covering the whole bodies of both men and women. Today, Marquesan culture is a mélange created by the layering of the ancient Marquesan culture, with strong influences from the important Tahitian culture and the politically important French culture. History of the Cook Islands  What is in our past Self-rule and democracy Pre-European COOK Islanders are true Polynesians, the finest seafarers of the vast Pacific, voyagers on frail canoes who felt at home on the ocean and who travelled across its huge wastes in search of new lands and new beginnings.The journeys undertaken by these stone age people in their fragile craft dwarf the voyages of exploration boasted of by the Portuguese, Spanish, British, Dutch, and French. Over-population on many of the tiny islands of Polynesia led to these oceanic migrations. Tradition has it that this was the reason for the expedition of Ru, from Tupua'i in French Polynesia, who landed on Aitutaki and Tangiia, also from French Polynesia, who are believed to have arrived on Rarotonga around 800 AD.

Some evidence for this is that the old road of Toi, the Ara metua which runs round most of Rarotonga, is believed to be at least 1200 years old. Similarly, the northern islands were probably settled by expeditions from Samoa and Tonga. As was common with most patterns of Polynesian migration, expanding population and pressure on resources resulted in the ocean-going canoes being stocked with food and the most venturesome souls being encouraged to set off to look for more living space. This pattern continues today across most Pacific islands except that entry restrictions to other lands are nowadays much more stringent. Cook Islanders are convinced that the great Maori migrations to New Zealand began from Rarotonga possibly as early as the fifth century AD. The most favored location for the starting point was Ngatangiia on the eastern side of Rarotonga where there is a gap in the fringing reef at the widest part of the island's lagoon. Early European contact THE written history of the Cooks began with the sighting of Pukapuka by the Spaniard Alvaro de Mendaña in 1595 followed by a landing on Rakahanga in 1606 by another Spanish explorer, Pedro Quiros.

The British arrived off Pukapuka in 1764 and named it Danger Island because they could not land. This was a very active time in Pacific exploration with the British and French seeking greater prestige as maritime powers. Between 1773 and 1779 Captain James Cook sighted and landed on many of the southern group but never came within eyeshot of Rarotonga . The infamous Captain William Bligh of the Bounty landed on Aitutaki in 1789  he is credited with importing paw paw trees to the Cooks  and in April of that year the mutineers of the Bounty appeared off Rarotonga but, contrary to popular belief, probably did not land. Cook named the islands the Hervey Islands. In fact, he gave this name to the first island he discovered  Manuae. The name "Cook Islands" was given to the group by the Russians in honor of the great English navigator when it appeared for the first time on a Russian naval chart in the early 1800s. The first official European sighting of Rarotonga was from the Endeavour in September/October 1813.

The first known landing was by the crew of the Cumberland in 1814. This was a commercial expedition from Australia and New Zealand and its objective was to find sandalwood. There was none on Rarotonga. Instead, trouble broke out between the sailors and the islanders and many were killed on both sides including the captain's girlfriend, Ann Butchers. She was eaten and her bones are buried in Muri, close to the site of the sailing club. She has the distinction of being the only white woman ever to have been killed and eaten by Pacific islanders! Missionaries THE bluestockings and Rechabites were next to arrive  the missionaries. John Williams of the London Missionary Society landed on Aitutaki in 1821. Williams used Tahitian converts to carry his message to the Cook Islanders and they took to this task with great enthusiasm and were extremely successful. Williams was later killed and eaten on Erromango in the New Hebrides, now known as Vanuatu, but by then his work had been followed up and the gospels were well and truly embedded in the people's psyche. The missionaries were responsible for the discontinuation of cannibalism.

They also tried hard to fence their island converts off from the influences of European and American ships' crews and introduced schools and written language so their charges could read the scriptures. However, they also supported rigid police supervision over the people's morals and activities considered by them to be dubious. There are reports, for example, that in 1900 islands such as Mangaia had more than 150 "police" spying on and questioning a population of fewer than 2000 in the name of "morality". An American voyager to Mangaia in 1863, E.H. Lamont, wrote scathingly of the lifestyle enjoyed by the first permanent white missionary, Mr G. Gill and his wife. He said:"It is evident that missionaries in the South Seas have an opportunity of acquiring wealth, and of having more of the comforts of life around them than their poor struggling brethren at home; but, oh!

how much more delightful to the exalted mind it is to fill a position where they can benefit hundreds of their fellow creatures, where they can promote happiness, virtue, and love amongst a whole community, enlightening their minds and improving their habits, and therefore being looked up to by them with respect and veneration." The "police" were known as "rikos". They were appointed by the missionary and were usually married church members. Their purpose was to discover the delinquencies of their neighbors and they pursued this with great diligence. There are many exhaustive and interesting accounts of the missionaries' labors (see Further reading ). The early missionaries estimated the population of Rarotonga at between 6000 to 7000. The impact of contact with the wider world was devastating. Western diseases spread like bushfires through the islanders and their numbers reduced dramatically during the mid-19th century to probably fewer than 2000. Since then periodic additions of people from outer islands have built Rarotonga's population back to about 10,000.

In 1923 the population was reported by Stewart's Handbook of the Pacific Islands to have been '3287 natives and half-castes living as natives, and 200 whites and half-castes living as whites.' However, even as late as 1923 curious attitudes existed to the extent that Stewart's Handbook blamed the decline on:'There are various causes which have produced this decrease, such as severe epidemics, immorality, intoxicating liquors (prohibition is now in force for all), and the careless use of European clothing.'(!) Further depletions of the outer islands' populations resulted from the raids of Peruvian slavers in the mid-1800s. Most of those kidnapped never returned. The British period FRANCE'S armed takeover of Tahiti and the Society Islands in 1843 caused considerable apprehension among the Cook Islands' ariki (chiefs) and led to requests from them to the British for protection in the event of French attack. This nervousness continued for many years and the call for protection was repeated in 1865 in a petition to Governor Grey of New Zealand.

During the 1870s the Cooks enjoyed prosperity and peace under the authority of Queen Makea, Makea Takau as she was known. A wily negotiator, she secured good prices for exports and cut the debts which had piled up before she became ariki. By 1882 four of the five ariki of Rarotonga were women. Since the sovereign of the British Empire was Queen Victoria, Makea probably found it easier to achieve a paramount status. In 1888 she formally petitioned the British to set up a Protectorate to head off what she believed to be imminent invasion by the French. The British were reluctant administrators and continued pressure was applied to them from New Zealand and from European residents of the islands to pass the Cooks over to New Zealand. The first British Resident was Frederick Moss, a New Zealand politician who tried to help the local chiefs form a central government. In 1898 another New Zealander, Major W.E.

Gudgeon, a veteran of the New Zealand Maori wars, was made British Resident with the aim of paving the way for New Zealand to take over from Britain as part of the expansionist ambitions of New Zealand's Prime Minister, William Seddon. This was not favored by Makea who preferred the idea of being annexed to Britain. One of the results of the British annexation was freedom of religion and a new influx of missionaries from different denominations. The first Roman Catholic church was dedicated in 1896. The New Zealand period AFTER much manoeuvring and politicking, the Cook Islands was formally annexed by New Zealand on October 7 1900 when a deed of cession was signed by five ariki and seven lesser chiefs without any debate or examination of its ramifications or implications. The following year Niue was annexed by New Zealand and included in the Cooks although it had always been associated previously with Samoa and Tonga. In 1903 it was, after protest, placed under separate administration. The Cook Islands remained under New Zealand's benign negligence until 1965.

Desultory and half-hearted attempts were made by New Zealand authorities to upgrade facilities but the majority of New Zealanders were not interested in their colonial possessions and had only the haziest idea of the islands' geographical location. Even today there are many New Zealanders unaware that the Cook Islands was once one of their colonies. In 1946 an important step was taken when a Legislative Council was elected. This was a tentative move towards allowing the islanders to participate in the government of their own country. After World War II a boom in the New Zealand economy called for large numbers of unskilled workers for factories and this need was filled largely by migrants from Western Samoa, the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau. New Zealand now has the largest Polynesian population in the world with the addition of thousands of Pacific islanders to its substantial numbers of Maori and awareness of the Pacific islands has increased significantly. In the early 1960s New Zealand became hypersensitive to the decolonisation fashion then sweeping the rest of the world and quickly buckled under pressure to give the Cook Islands self-rule.

Elections were held on April 20 1965 and resulted in the first government of the Cook Islands Party headed by Albert Henry. He was later knighted and, many years later, stripped of his knighthood for illegal electoral rigging. The islands became self-governing in association with New Zealand. This "special relationship" is recognised by New Zealand in the form of annual aid and by the automatic right Cook Islanders have to New Zealand citizenship, a right also enjoyed by the people of Niue and the Tokelau Islands. Self-rule and democracy DEMOCRACY in the Pacific is a delicate flower. Some believe that occidental democratic systems of government sit uneasily with the traditional power structures of Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia. As many Western countries are now re-examining their own democracies sometimes with the objective of giving ordinary people a greater say in the workings of government, traditional Polynesian countries often find it uncomfortable having to cope with calls for more accountability from their political leaders. Nearly all Pacific island nations have difficulty with the investigative, questioning attitude of privately-owned news media, particularly the printed media. Western democracies have long been used to this and, indeed, thrive on it.

The role of the fourth estate is recognised and cherished in these societies as being one of the cornerstones of successful democracy. It is very different in many Pacific island nations. Western Samoa, for example, has a recent history of demanding respect from journalists for matai (hereditary chiefs). The government also runs its own newspaper  a hair-raising prospect for Europeans and North Americans. In the Kingdom of Tonga in the late 1990s a journalist and a correspondent to a newspaper's letters column were arrested and convicted for 'angering a public servant', namely, the Minister of Police. Democracy is not a popular word in Tonga and the struggles with the media continue to this day. The western Pacific has a noxious situation in the Solomons where tribal jealousies have resulted in murder and pillage and Papua New Guinea is bedevilled by problems with Bougainville. French Polynesia is still a colony of France, as is New Caledonia. Democracy was stone-cold dead in Fiji after the military coup of Sitiveni Rabuka in the mid-80s and Fiji officially practised a very real form of racial discrimination against its citizens of Indian provenance by denying them the vote.

The only sanctions used against Fiji was to eject them from the Commonwealth until they were reinstated in October 1997 after Rabuka had a change of heart about disenfranchising the Indians. In mid 2000 the whole sorry saga was repeated when a failed businessman turned gunman, George Speight, in collusion with elements of the Fijian Army, kidnapped the Prime Minister and a large number of MPs and overthrew the democratically elected government and Fiji's constitution. The Fijian Army did not remain true to its oaths and by its inaction allowed the coup to succeed. Despite a later change of heart and numerous changes of Government ministers the rivalry between traditional chiefs continues to bedevil Fiji. The latest development is a military dictatorship under Frank Bainimarama which displays all the classic symptoms of a dictatorship with press censorship and persecution of liberals. In contrast, the Cook Islands enjoys universal suffrage, democratic government, several privately-owned newspapers and a vigorous standard of debate. For all practical purposes the Cook Islands is independent. It is governed by a Parliament of 24 elected representatives including one who represents Cook Islanders living in New Zealand and Australia, as well as a House of Ariki or hereditary chiefs who provide consultation and advice.

The Members of Parliament represent districts and entire islands. The system is based on the Westminster model and elections are held every five years. The Head of State is Queen Elizabeth II in her capacity as Queen of New Zealand. Cook Islands travel guide - Wikitravel Time Zone UTC-10 The Cook Islands are a self-governing parliamentary democracy in free association with New Zealand , located in Polynesia, in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean , between French Polynesia (Society Islands) to the east and Tonga to the west. This archipelago has 15 inhabited islands spread out over 2.2 million square kilometres of ocean with no land between the tropical Cook Islands and Antarctica . With the same time zone and latitude (south, rather than north) as Hawaii, the islands are sometimes thought of as "Hawaii down under". Though smaller, it reminds some elderly visitors of Hawaii before statehood without all the large tourist hotels and other development. History[ edit ] Named after Captain Cook, who sighted them in 1770, the islands became a British protectorate in 1888.

By 1900, administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965 residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. New Zealand handles defence, foreign affairs (including issuing passports) and currency; otherwise the islands are self-governing. This includes immigration, which is strictly controlled -- even for non Cook Island New Zealanders. People[ edit ] Many Cook Islanders will tell you how there are more Cook Islanders living in New Zealand and Australia than in the Cook Islands. The population of the Cook Islands is less than 15,000 but there are over 50,000 Cook Islanders living in New Zealand , and over 30,000 in Australia . Those remaining have often spent time in Auckland , Melbourne or Sydney before returning home. Climate[ edit ] Tropical, moderated by trade winds. Rarotonga has average maximum temperatures of around 25°C (77°F) in winter (May-October) and 29°C (82°F) in summer (November-April), temperatures in the northern islands are several degrees higher. Rainfall mostly occurs in summer, usually in the form of afternoon storms.

Cyclone season is November to March, although the islands are hit by a big one only once every five years or so. Terrain[ edit ] The Northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls. The Southern Cook Islands consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles where most of the populace lives. Tourism[ edit ] Tourism facilities are well developed on Rarotonga and Aitutaki , and information is available. However you won't see a single tout, and tourist scams are unheard of. If you want to organize something, it usually isn't hard to do, but you will need to make the first move. Get in[ edit ] All visitors to the Cook Islands, irrespective of nationality, are visa exempt for a maximum stay of 31 days. Visitors travelling for touristic purposes may extend their stay, for periods of 31 days, up to a maximum of 6 months. There is a departure tax of $55 per person adult and $15 per child between 2 and 12 but this is now included in your ticket price.

You must have a reservation for accommodation pre-arranged or you may be sent back (or onward) on the next flight out. Camping on the beach is not allowed. By plane[ edit ] Rarotonga International Airport ( IATA : RAR) is the main gateway to the Cook Islands. There are daily services to Auckland (3.5h) and weekly services to Sydney , Fiji and to Los Angeles . The only international airlines at present are Air New Zealand, once-weekly Air Tahiti, and twice-weekly Virgin Australia (ex. Pacific Blue). Air New Zealand has code share arrangements with other Star Alliance members including United Airlines , and Rarotonga is a popular stopover on Round the world flights . See the Rarotonga article for airport details. By boat[ edit ] Rarotonga and Aitutaki are regular stops for cruises operating from Tahiti. Other cruise companies also stop by occasionally. If you're planning to sail to the islands you must enter through one of the five designated ports of entry. These are Rarotonga, Aitutaki and Atiu in the Southern group, and Penrhyn and Pukapuka in the Northern group.

By plane[ edit ] Domestic inter-island service is provided by Air Rarotonga . Although you can book flights through Air New Zealand, it is usually cheaper to do so directly with Air Rarotonga. This has become much easier in the past few years, now that they offer on-line booking. Unless you're a member of Air New Zealand's "Airpoints Dollars" program, you won't receive any airline miles for Air Rarotonga -- and then only if you book through Air New Zealand, often at a higher price. Star Alliance mileage for Air Rarotonga is not available. Most of the outer islands have only unpaved runways. However, landing won't be much rougher than that of a paved runway. If you've never landed on an unpaved runway before, it's nothing to be overly concerned about, and you've probably had a few rougher landings on a paved runway. By boat[ edit ] The intrepid traveller can visit all inhabited islands by inter island freighters, but these can be weeks apart or worse if you want to get the really remote islands. Details of services are published in local island newspapers. There are no generally scheduled boat or ferry services between the inhabited islands.

There are two uninhabited islands - Takutea and Manuae. The only easy way for a visitor to get to Takutea is on the research vessel Bounty Bay operated by Rarotonga-based Pacific Expeditions, which has special permission to run occasional Eco tours. On Rarotonga[ edit ] There is a bus line that circles around the island, in both directions. Although there are official bus stops, the driver has no problem stopping where ever you want him to. As for the drivers: Often they like to chat a bit, and make some jokes, so if you for any reason should need some cheer-up, just take the bus! It is very common for tourists to rent a scooter, but you need to make a Cook Island driving license. If you have a valid driving license, it is just a formality, but bring some time, since there is usually rush hour the day after the plane from New Zealand arrived. Talk[ edit ] There are five living languages in the Cook Islands with English and Cook Islands Maori the official languages. Cook Islands Maori is called Rarotongan after the capital island and is the most widely spoken version of Maori in the Islands.

Others are Penrhynese, unique to the Northern group island of Penrhyn and rapidly disappearing, and Rakahanga-Manihiki, spoken by about 2,500 Cook Islanders, only half of whom on the two islands from which it takes its name. On the remote Northern group island of Pukapuka, the islanders have a unique language of their own called Pukapukan of which there is no written version. It is more like Samoan, and some of it cannot even be understood by other Cook Islanders. But even there, English is spoken, albeit not widely. Children, though, are taught it in school. At the very least, the visitor will quickly learn the usual greeting, "kia orana" which means "may you live long". Do[ edit ][ add listing ] You can do some really nice snorkeling in the lagoon that surrounds Rarotonga. Or go scuba diving outside the lagoon (there is at least one dive shop). Among the usual reef inhabitants you can see turtles, rays, and when the season is right, you might even see whales. Visit the market on Rarotonga.

A good chance to enjoy fresh ika mata, to watch some traditional dancing and to buy some craftwork. Find a guide and take a hike into the mountains. If you are interested in Polynesian culture, it is worth visiting one of the other islands, for example Atiu. If you talk to the people (there are not many), you might find someone like Papa Paiere, who might take you on tour around Atiu, and show you the places, where history happened, both Polynesian and European. Also on Atiu Marshall Humphreys offers a tour to the caves, which includes a short hike through the jungle. In the caves you can take a swim, you will hear stories about the islands and the caves, and get a digestible amount of Polynesian culture. You will see some endemic birds that live in these caves, and which manage to fly in total darkness, just like bats. And, of course, enjoy the beauty of the caves! Money[ edit ] The three unique dollar coins depicted are still in use, but the 5 and 10 cents coins, along with all other cent denominations have been discontinued since 2006. New Zealand coins are used in their place.

The figure with the large head and penis on the $1 coin is Tangaroa, a sea god in Māori mythology The Cook Islands use the New Zealand Dollar, but also issue their own banknotes and coinage, including two varieties of highly unusual $3 banknotes and the triangular $2 coins. Cook Islands money can only be used within the Cook Islands. There are a handful of ATMs in Rarotonga and two on Aitutaki . There are no ATM facilities on any of the other islands. Economy[ edit ] Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture and tourism provide the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt.

Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled some investment and growth. Costs[ edit ] Overall, much cheaper than nearby Tahiti , though anything imported will be expensive. This especially applies to fuel and milk. There is no fresh milk made on the islands, and the only fresh milk available is air-freighted from New Zealand daily, and costs around $7.00. Locals generally get by with powdered or UHT milk. Calling home can cost a bundle, due to the need of having a large satellite dish and related equipment on each sparsely populated island. Don't expect significant savings by Skype-in or VOIP callback, as the rates using these services tend to be the most expensive anywhere in the world. However, some hotels and resorts have free direct Skype connections (in addition to a regular telephone number) which can be used for reservations. Don't eat pizza in the Cook Islands before you have tried the local stuff (which is admittedly hard to find): ika mata (raw fish) with coconut milk, finely chopped vegetables. It is delicious!

umu food (prepared in the traditional earth oven) curried eke (octopus in coconut curry) rukau (Taro leaves, usually cooked with coconut cream) poke (cooked fruit pudding) (banana, pawpaw,...) with coconut milk. Some of these are available every day at the market in Avarua. Every 2 weeks there is a "Go Local" market where locals sell their products. If you want to cook your own food, note that things which are in Europe cheap, are here usually expensive, and vice versa. Apples and grapes don't grow on the islands, they have to be imported. But "tropic" fruits, like bananas, pawpaw (Papaya), and of course coconuts are everywhere, very delicious (since naturally ripened), and might even be for free (when you rent a cottage, it might have a garden with bananas or lemons - but ask first if you can take some) Meat in turn is expensive, because usually imported. There are chickens and pigs on the islands, but not enough to feed a crowd of every-day-meat-eaters. Fish you get at the harbor, but you have to go there early in the morning.

Work[ edit ] Non-residents, even New Zealanders, require work permits. The Cook Islands has a problem with people of working age leaving the islands. Jobs are generally available in the tourism and hospitality sector. There is also a possibility of volunteer work, in education and care. Stay safe[ edit ] No major hazards. Police are contactable on the emergency number 999. Though the locals often go barefoot (they're experts at it!), it's not recommended beyond sandy beaches due to the sharp coral rocks. Use caution when climbing stairs that connect the lower parts of an island near the sea to the upper part above the cliffs. Some do not have railings on the edge, including platforms. Only the most acrophobic would be uncomfortable with this (they're plenty wide enough and not vertically "open"), but for children, the blind, and someone who's had too much to drink, the risk is extreme. On the platforms, avoid getting too close to the edge -- especially if you need a rest from climbing. Motorcycle accidents cause many injuries and fatalities. Driving after dark has additional hazards due to poor visibility.

Stay healthy[ edit ] There is a hospital on Rarotonga , and a smaller one on Aitutaki , and some private medical practices operate in the islands. Medical care is limited on the outer islands. Ambulance emergency is on 998. Try not to eat snapper fish, they may give you ciguatera. Mosquitoes are mostly a nuisance, though every few years there is a dengue fever outbreak in the wet season. No malaria, or other serious tropical diseases to worry about, (but do take dengue fever seriously during outbreaks). Respect[ edit ] Though the survey form given on arrival (and collected at departure) is optional, the airport staff will be very disappointed if you don't complete it. In case you've misplaced it, additional ones are available at the airport at departure. The Cook Islands inhabitants are not behind the times. They have TV and Internet and they know very well what's going on in the world, so don't patronize them. German tourists on outer islands might be asked about Germany's "dark history", but they know very well that these times have gone a long time ago, and that modern Germany is an industrialized and democratic country.

Respect their religious habits; especially that nearly everything is closed on Sundays (with the exception of a few bars and shops). Contrary to popular belief, the Cook Islands own history doesn't include head hunting but there was a large loss of life during the World War I (1914-1918) fighting with the British against Germany and Central Powers. Contact[ edit ] Not all islands have internet, and some not even mobile phone reception. Check the appropriate island articles. Cook Islands -- New Internationalist New Internationalist June 2012 Older people on the outer islands such as Atiu rely on agriculture Despite having a resident population of less than 11,000, Cook Islands celebrates over 700 weddings per year. Fortunately, this is not due to a catastrophic divorce rate but to the romantic attraction of these largely unspoiled islands for couples from New Zealand/Aotearoa and beyond. After the nuptials, the more adventurous guests can try their hands at game fishing for marlin, tuna or wahoo, or dive into the spectacular underwater scenery, or just laze on the beach watching whales.

The Cooks, named for the 18th-century explorer, comprise 15 islands in two groups scattered over two million square kilometres of the South Pacific. Most people live in the hilly volcanic islands that make up the southern group – particularly in the largest, Rarotonga, which sports the smartest shops and resorts. The more remote northern group, largely atolls, has far fewer residents or visitors. Transport is difficult: a subsidized shipping line delivers goods to the outer islands, while passengers usually travel, expensively, by air. Captain Cook and earlier Spanish explorers were beaten to the spot by around 400 years by the ‘Cook Islands Maori’ – originating from what are now French Polynesia and Samoa. In the 19th century the London Missionary Society laid the foundations for the country’s robust Christian legacy. By 1888, the British government, nervous that the islands might be seized by the French, made the southern group a protectorate. Then in 1901, New Zealand, overriding the objections of the islands’ ariki (chiefs), annexed both groups of islands.

Independence was restored only in 1965 when the Cook Islands became self-governing in ‘free association’ with New Zealand. This allows for co-operation in defence, the use of the NZ dollar and, crucially, makes Cook Islanders NZ citizens. In the past, people survived largely by farming or fishing or harvesting the islands’ distinctive black pearls. Many people still have plots of land, growing taro and yams, and the country exports some fresh fish and pearls. But nowadays most Cook Islanders rely directly or indirectly on tourism, mainly on the largest islands, Rarotonga and Aitutaki. In 2010-11 over 108,000 visitors spent $230 million, and Rarotonga was visited by 28 cruise ships, some with more than 2,000 passengers. Tourism is healthy when New Zealanders are feeling flush, but quickly catches a chill when times are harder. Tourism also depends on regular flights by Air New Zealand – encouraged by subsidies of up to $12 million per year.

The other source of foreign exchange is aid – around $44 million in 2011-12 – mostly from New Zealand, Australia and Japan. China is also making its mark, having, for example, financed a new courthouse and police station, though, as elsewhere in the Pacific, the shoddy constructions are already showing cracks. Politics in the Cook Islands is often lively. There is a 24-member parliament, for which there have been 12 elections since 1965. In the most recent, in 2010, the Cook Islands Party, led by Henry Puna, defeated the incumbent Democratic Party, which had been tainted by a catastrophic deal with an oil company. MPs take a fairly populist line, doling out cash for weddings and other local events. And they are not renowned for loyalty, frequently changing allegiance after elections. Parliament is advised by a 15-member House of Ariki. In 2008, a group of ariki attempted a coup, aiming to recover their traditional powers and eject the British queen as head of state, though the rebellion eventually subsided. Each island also has an elected council that works with a government-appointed island secretary.

Overall, the most serious issue facing the Cooks is the exodus of young people, heading overseas for education and work. Around 50,000 Cook Islanders now live in NZ or Australia. A trickle of retirees move in the other direction, but not enough to stop the population steadily shrinking. Cook Islands Fact File

Question: Rarotonga is the most-populated of the group of Pacific Islands named for which explorer?
Answer: James Cook