Kia orana! This week Unitec joins the rest of Aotearoa in celebrating Cook Islands Language Week (Te Reo Māori Kūki Airani) from 3-9 August 2025.

This year’s theme is 'Ātui'tui’ia au ki te raurau a tōku matakeinanga, which means ‘Connect me to the offerings of my people'.

On Wednesday, 6 August from 12pm-1:30pm at the Koru Pod in Te Puna, kaimahi and ākonga are invited to the ‘Weave your own frangipani flower Workshop’, organised by the Unitec Pacific Centre.

“We welcome all our colleagues to please join us for what will be a fun and educational workshop where you will learn more about Cook Islands culture and one of their most loved traditions,” says Ioane Aleke Fa'avae, Academic Development Lecturer – Pacific.

Cook Islanders are studying and working at every level of our instititution.

Meet Jarome Tarai, who hails from the Kimiangatau village on the island of Mauke and is currently studying towards a New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing - Mental Health and Addiction Support. He introduces himself in our Cook Islands Language Week video.

Student Central Advisor, Pa Tepairu Tere, is proud of her Cook Islands heritage, which is traced to the villages of Ureia and Amuri on the island of Aitutaki where her parents are from.

In her role at Student Central, she shares her culture and values in her daily interactions with ākonga and manuhiri.

“It helps build a more inclusive and respectful environment. It strengthens team connections and brings fresh perspectives to the table. Culture isn’t something I leave at home—it’s something I carry into everything I do,” she explains.

Pa grew up with her language and culture all around her, thanks to her parents.

“I understand the language better than I speak it, but I grew up hearing and speaking it at home. My parents used it naturally—in conversations, stories, songs, and everyday life,” she explains.

“It wasn’t something I had to learn; it was just part of who we were. For me, it’s more than a language—it’s a connection to my roots and a way to keep our heritage alive.”

Keeping the language and culture alive is important, especially for those Cook islanders born in the diaspora.

“Our culture isn’t stuck in the past; it’s alive in every meal, every story, and every act of care. Te Reo Māori Kuki Airani is how we express love and stay connected. Being Cook Islander means continuing what my parents started—honouring their journey and making sure our culture stays strong for the next generation,” she says.

Quick Facts about the Cook Islands

Cook Islands is a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand which means most residents have New Zealand citizenship, plus the status of Cook Islands nationals.

The Pacific island nation consists of fifteen islands with the capital Avarua and the main international airport located on the main island of Rarotonga.

The total Cook Islands population is 14,987 with the majority living on Rarotonga (10,863), according to the 2021 census. There is also a larger population of Cook Islanders in New Zealand: in the 2018 New Zealand census, 80,532 people said they were Cook Islanders, or of Cook Islands descent.

Tourism is the country's main industry and revenue earner for the economy, ahead of offshore banking, pearls, and marine and fruit exports.

The island nation got its name from the English explorer James Cook, who visited the Cook Islands during the 1770s. The islands' official name in Cook Islands Māori is Kūki 'Āirani.

Some prominent Cook Islanders in New Zealand include Green’s MP, Teanau Tuiono (Atiu), Pacific Arts community leader, Caren Jane Rangi ONZM (Manihiki, Rarotonga), businessman Mike Pero, and economist Adrian Orr.