Today marks the start of ‘Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani – Cook Islands Language Week.
Deepening the connections between Aotearoa’s Cook Islands community and their cultural traditions is the focus of this year’s programme, which has the theme of Ātuitui’ia au ki te au peu o tōku kāinga Ipukarea, which translates to ‘Connect me to the traditions and culture of my homeland’.
Aotearoa is home to a thriving community of more than 80,000 Cook Islands Māori that Minister for Pacific Peoples Barbara Edmonds says in a release Sunday share “deep whakapapa ties with tangata whenua in Aotearoa, including through our indigenous languages.”
“Troubling, however, only 9% of this group speak te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani,” adds Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone, the secretary for Pacific Peoples and chief executive of the Ministry for Pacific People.
Clifford-Lidstone says this year’s language week aims to strengthen the bonds between Cook Islanders and their language through the cultural traditions of enua (island) and vaka (tribe), including song, dance and pe’e (chants).
“These are the pillars that uphold the Cook Islands identity and empowers the community to be proud of its rich cultural heritage,” Clifford-Lidstone says in a video on Facebook.
Edmonds says the theme continues the focus on “bridging the feeling of disconnection” experienced by the Cook Islands community in Aotearoa.
“I’m encouraging everyone to get involved in the festivities this week and support our Cook Islands whanaunga so their beautiful culture and language can be cherished for generations,” Edmonds says.
Cook Islands Language Week runs from 30 July to 5 August.