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The Cook Islands
Culture Guide  The Cook Islands HomePage Cook Islands Map ; Rarotonga Map ; Aitutaki Map ; Atiu Map ; Northern Atolls Cook Islands Accommodation Guide ; Cook Islands Travel Guide ; Cook Islands Tourist Information ; Cook Islands Pictures south pacific pictures ; fiji islands hotel pictures ; samoa islands hotel pictures ; tahiti islands hotel pictures ; tonga islands hotel pictures ; hawaii accommodation pictures ; |
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Cook Islands Culture Today, Cook Islands culture has eroded and is not nearly as traditional as neighbouring South Pacific countries. On the outer islands of atiu, mauke, mangaia and the northern atolls, traditions remain strong and still play a major part in the lifestyles of the people. However, on Rarotonga and Aitutaki, these traditions and respect for them, have all but faded away although a resurgence is slowly taking hold. The main reason for the depletion of traditional culture is its close association with New Zealand and frequent travel and living between the two countries. The Cook Islands Maoris are of Polynesian descent and make up more than 90% of the population. Life on the islands is extremely laid back - subsistence farming prevails on the outer islands with tourism and service industries dominating on the main island of Rarotonga. New Zealand is the influencing force on Rarotonga - English is widely spoken, schools follow the New Zealand certificate and roads, hospitals and shops are of a high standard. Traditional Cook Islands 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 symbolize ones family lineage and today this art form is just starting to become popular again. Kava, the traditional and spiritual drink of the Pacific, is no longer consumed in the Cook Islands. . 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. Most islanders still bury their relatives in elaborate graves within the family garden as opposed to the church graveyard. Book your Holiday with the Specialists  Cook Islands Holidays & Hotels
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Thank you for visiting our website and we hope you have found it inspiring and useful. south pacific pictures cook islands pictures ; fiji pictures ; samoa pictures ; tahiti pictures ; tonga pictures ; hawaii pictures For a comprehensive hotel guide with information and pictures: south pacific hotels cook islands hotels ; fiji hotels ; samoa hotels ; tahiti hotels ; tonga hotels ; hawaii hotels For more detailed maps showing towns and villages please visit: south pacific maps : cook island maps ; fiji maps ; samoa maps ; tahiti maps ; tonga maps ; hawaii maps ; This Accommodation Guide is brought to you by South Pacific Pictures, the photographic division of Pacific Travel Guides. This leading independent travel publisher is based in Fiji and aims to provide unbiased travel information to help potential holiday-makers plan their trip to the South Pacific. We do not sell individual hotels, tours or packages - we simply provide an overview to help you make the decision and provide links for you to make further enquiries and bookings. All the pictures in this website have been taken by us and try to show a true representation of our destinations. No picture has been staged - all were taken as presented. Our small team of researchers travel around the south pacific on a regular basis to update our guides and to ensure their accuracy. Please feel free to contribute your own travel experiences to pass on to fellow travellers. If you haven't been able to find what you're looking for in our website, you might want to try the following specialist websites:  South Pacific Travel Guides - comprehensive travel guide for the islands Fiji Travel ; Cook Islands Travel ; Samoa Travel ; Tonga Travel ; Tahiti Travel Hawaii Travel ; Oahu Travel ; Kauai Travel ; Maui Travel ; Big Island Hawaii Travel South Pacific Resorts Search - listings of all resorts in the South Pacific Beautiful Pacific Holidays - South Pacific Islands - travel agent based in the south pacific offering bookings South Pacific Travel Resources - selection of accredited website links Last Updated by  Pacific Travel Guides PO Box 10146, Nadi Airport, Fiji Contact Us |
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