'Language starts at home': Cook Islanders launch week of cultural celebration

When Ngametua Wilson was born in 2010, New Zealand had just launched its language series.

At the time, his parents, who hail from Avarua, could not speak te reo Māori Kūki' Āirani or the Cooks Islands Māori.

This is because Teremoana and Vaine Wilson were not raised in Rarotonga and they were not taught the language and culture.

They were adopted by Pākehā families on Auckland's North Shore and New Plymouth respectively when they were toddlers, according to Teremoana.

"It was what attracted us to each other I guess. We met at a church youth camp and found that we had so much in common," he said.

"We were both adopted and we knew that we were from the Cooks but that we didn't know much about the language and culture.

"In the past five years, we have been lucky enough to learn kukirani and teach Ngametua.

"Most of it is pretty much self-taught but we have support from our Cook Islands whānau particularly on customary and protocols."

Ngametua says he is proud to be a Cook Islander, grateful to his parents and he will continue to strive in his language lessons at home.

The 13-year-old says although his parents have busy schedules with work and family commitments, they make the time to teach him the language.

"Language learning starts at home," the Year 9 student says. "I'm happy with how my lessons are going. We are not rushing into anything. My parents teach me slowly, making sure that I understand the language and culture."

This week, Ngametua and his family join tens of thousands of Cook Islanders across Aotearoa to celebrate ‘Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki 'Airani - Cook Islands Māori Language Week.

Photos/MPP

The celebrations were launched across Aotearoa on Sunday, with the theme ‘Ātui’ia au ki te vaka o tōku matakeinanga - connect me to the canoe of my tribe’.

Organisers say this theme is derived from the overarching New Zealand Language Week Series theme for 2024 - 'Sustainability'.

The Cook Islands is part of the Realm of New Zealand and the Head of State is the King of New Zealand. While it administers its affairs, Cook Islanders are New Zealand citizens who are free to live and work in Aotearoa.

There are more than 80,000 Cook Islands Māori living in Aotearoa, Stats NZ data show. While thousands of them are celebrating their language and culture this week, for the majority, their knowledge of Cook Islands Māori is declining.

Te reo Māori Kūki' Āirani or the Cooks Islands Māori language is among the Pacific languages at risk of disappearing, and in the Cooks' case, this is evident as a preference from the native tongue to English grows.

Te reo Māori Kūki' Āirani or the Cooks Islands Māori language is listed on the Unesco Oceania endangered languages as speaking in Kūki’ Āirani is decreasing at an accelerating pace among younger generations.

The Ministry for Pacific Peoples says only nine per cent of the Cook Islands community in Aotearoa speak Kūki’ Āirani”.

But the Wilsons of South Auckland are hopeful more Cook Islanders will start speaking their reo including those who are still learning will continue to thrive.

Watch Jimah Ruland-Umata, co-president of Nga Tauira Maori, sharing the importance of ensuring openmindedness and diversity with his Cook Island and Maori identities in his association.

"If we can do it, I'm sure other families can. It's all about prioritising what's important for your children's future," Teremoana said.

"I'm grateful that my wife and I have stuck on this course to ensure that Ngametua is not deprived of who he is and where he comes from. That he can be proud of himself no matter where he goes and what he does in his life."

The weeklong celebrations will include 59 years of self-governance. Cook Islands remained a New Zealand-dependent territory until the NZ government granted them self-governing status. On 4 August 1965, a constitution was promulgated for the Cooks.

Celebrations have been organised across the motu.

In the South Island, Ōtautahi's Kuki XIII Rugby League Club will host a tuoro/welcome on Monday from 6pm, opening prayer and cultural performance at 455 Hagley Avenue in Christchurch.

This will be followed by introductions of those attending and an ei katu-making session, kaikai, and a packdown to round the day's events off at 8.30pm.

Te reo Māori Kūki' Āirani or the Cooks Islands Māori Language Week will end on 10 August.

Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e lea Faka-Tonga - Tonga Language Week will be held from 18-24 August.

Watch Minister for Pacific Peoples Shane Reti's address on the launch of Cook Islands Language Week.