The Cook Islands
15 tiny islands in paradise, that a small nation calls home.
Where would someone say, “may you live long,” upon
meeting you for the first time, but in the Cook Islands.
The Cook Islands greeting Kia Orana, means exactly that, “may
you live long.” It is a unique first gesture of friendship from a
special Polynesian people, renown for their hospitality and warmth.
It is as if God chose his 15 most precious gems, and then
sprinkled them over 2.25 million sq km of the Pacific to
become the Cook Islands – an ei (necklace) of islands awaiting
to embrace all visitors.
All the islands combined make up a land area of just 240 sq km.
Each of the ‘gems’ is unlike the other and all have their own
special features. From the majestic peaks of Rarotonga to the low-
lying untouched coral atolls of the northern islands of Manihiki,
Penrhyn, Rakahanga, Pukapuka, Nassau and Suwarrow. The
latter, inhabited only by a caretaker and his family, is a popular
anchorage for yachts from all over the world.
The Southern Cooks is made up of the capital Rarotonga,
Aitutaki, Atiu, Mangaia, Mauke, Mitiaro, Manuae, Palmerston
and Takutea. Takutea is an uninhabited bird sanctuary and
managed by the Atiu Island Council. Manuae is the remaining
uninhabited island.
Cook Islanders have their own Maori language and each of the
populated islands a distinct dialect. It has a population of around
13,000. The Cooks has been self-governing in free association
with New Zealand since 1965. By virtue of that unique
relationship, all Cook Islanders hold New Zealand passports.
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The country is governed by 25-member Parliament elected by
universal suffrage. The Cook Islands Parliamentary system is
modelled on the Westminster system of Britain. The Queens
Representative is Head of State. A House of Ariki (traditional
paramount chiefs) counsels and advises government, as does the
Koutu Nui, a body of traditional chiefs.
This is a delightful Pacific country where the ‘metropolis’ of
Rarotonga offers a wide range of activities, accommodation
and cuisine and visitors can choose to be as busy as they wish.
A short inter-island flight away are the less developed southern
group islands each offering something different.
Travelling to the isolated northern islands by inter-island flight
or boat, one savours a South Pacific rarely seen by outsiders.
Due to distance and infrequency of transport there are fewer
visitors to the northern group islands.
But wherever you turn you see bright tropical colours and
movement, whether it is the sway of palms and sea in the trade
winds, or dancers entertaining at one of the many nightspots
found on Rarotonga and Aitutaki. While you may nearly
always hear the ocean, you will always feel the warmth of the
people and their tropical paradise. The Cook Islands truly is a
slice of heaven.