'Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani - Cook Islands Māori Language Week
Kia orana! 'Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani - Cook Islands Māori Language Week will take place from Sunday 2 to Saturday 8 August 2026.
'Epetoma ō te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani - Cook Islands Language Week celebrates the languages spoken by the people of the Cook Islands; Cook Islands Māori, the Western Polynesian language Pukapuka, and the distinctive mixture of Cook Islands Māori and English spoken by the people of Palmerston Island. Cook Islands Māori has a number of distinct dialects, the most widely used of which is Rarotongan.
According to the 2023 Census, 94,176 people of Cook Islands heritage live in New Zealand and 2,472 people of Cook Islands heritage reside in Christchurch.
The 2026 theme for Cook Islands Māori Language Week is “Me kite koe i te tuatua i to’ou reo tupuna, e turanga rangatira tena nō’ou no te uki amuri atu" - With our language as our foundation, we will embrace the future.
- Visit the Ministry for Pacific Peoples Cook Islands Language Week page for more resources.
- Like the Cook Island Language Week Facebook page.
Strengthen Your Ties: Cook Islands Māori for Beginners
'Ei Katu Workshop
Avaiki Ou presents: Epetoma o te Reo Māori Kūki 'Āirani
Strengthen Your Ties: Cook Islands Māori for Beginners
'Ei Katu Workshop
Avaiki Ou presents: Epetoma o te Reo Māori Kūki 'Āirani
Ei katu colouring in
'Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani colouring in
'Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani scavenger hunt
'Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani pyramid
Ei katu colouring in
'Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani colouring in
'Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani scavenger hunt
'Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani pyramid
Listen to Cook Islands Māori words and greetings
Kia orana - Hello
Aere ra - Goodbye
Ka kite - Goodbye
Akarongo mai - Listen here
Meitaki ma'ata - Thank you
Numbers 1-10
Days of the week
Months of the year
Many thanks to Sera Thompson from the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs for providing these recordings.
Cook Islands language
- Cook Islands Language Week Ministry for Pacific Peoples
- Cook Islands Māori online storybooks
- Cook Islands Language Week Facebook page
- Cook Islands Language Week resource from Te Papa
Photos
- View our Cook Islands Language Week photos.
Cook Islands resources
Census Information
Statistics New Zealand, 2023 Cook Islands Maori ethnic group
