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‘Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki 'Airani - Cook Islands Māori Language Week

‘Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki 'Airani - Cook Islands Māori Language Week

Celebrate: 3 - 9 August 2025

The 2025 theme for Cook Islands Māori Language Week is 'Ātui'tui’ia au ki te raurau a tōku matakeinanga – “Connect me to the offerings of my people'. 

Resources, including social media graphics and posters, are available below. 

CookIslands2025 facebook banner

Cook Islands Language Week resources

Simple greetings and phrases:

  • Kia Orāna: Greetings / Hello - (MP3) - Listen
  • 'E no’o rā: Goodbye, I'm off now - (MP3) - Listen
  • Meitaki Maata: Thank you - (MP3) - Listen

Calendar of Events 2025

Event Description Time and location Host
Opening Prayer Service  Opening Prayer Service followed by light refreshments 

9.30am

St Lukes PIPC

Tokoroa

Cook Islands Community Society Incorporated (Tokoroa)
Opening Service Opening ceremony and Combined Service

2pm

Invercargill Christian Centre

Kia Orāna Murihiku
Oata Memorial Evening Honouring our loved ones who have since passed

4pm

Tokoroa Lawn Cemetary

Cook Islands Community Society Incorporated (Tokoroa)
Event Description Time and location Host
CILW opening Official Wellington region opening with performances from Akatokamanava Mauke and Atiu Enuamanu

8am

Pataka Art Museum

Porirua, Wellington

Hutt Valley Mrs Mii Tupangaia
Wellington Society Mrs Grace Hutton
Porirua Mrs Teuru Kekena
Community march Community march in honour of our 60 years self-governance starting at Raukawa House and finishing at St Lukes PIPC community Hall followed by celebration items and kaikai at 11am

9am

Raukawa House/St Lukes PIPC

Tokoroa

Cook Islands Community Society Incorporated (Tokoroa)
Mangaia workshop Mangaia 

9:30am - 11.30am

Mangaia Hall

Kia Orāna Murihiku
CILW opening Opening formalities followed by Lunch in Te Oro

1pm - 3pm

Te Oro, Glen Innes

Auckland

East Cook Islands Community Culture Group
Reo, Pure,Tuatua Tapu  

4.30pm - 6pm

South Alive

Invercargill

Kia Orāna Murihiku
Event Description Time and location Host
Arts and Crafts Workshop Teaching the art of Block Printing and Tye-Dye to the community 

9am - 2pm

St Lukes PIPC

Tokoroa

Cook Islands Community Society Incorporated (Tokoroa)
Penrhyn Workshop Penrhyn/Tongareva

9:30am -11:30am

PIACT, Invercargill

Kia Orāna Murihiku
Maani Ei Katu and Board Painting Cook Islands arts and crafts

10am - 12pm
1pm - 3pm

Te Oro, Auckland

East Cook Islands community group
Cook Islands Story time Story time for kids

10:30am - 11:30am

Panmure Library

Auckland

East Cook Islands community group
Ei katu Workshop Learn to make a Cook Islands Ei katu

12pm -1pm

Tāmaki Regeneration Company 244 Apirana Avenue, Glen Innes

Auckland

East Cook Islands community group
Manihiki Workshop  

4pm-5pm

South Alive

Invercargill

Kia Orāna Murihiku
Ura Fit  

5:30pm - 6:30pm

St Andrews

Kia Orāna Murihiku
Event Description Time and location Host
Vainetini Workshop  

10am - 2pm

PIACT, Invercargill

Kia Orāna Murihiku
Tivaevae Exhibit Gold coin entry - Tivaevae Exhibit to connect communities

10am - 4pm

Cargo Shed, The Strand, Tauranga

Te Moananui Society Incorporated
Wriggle and Rhyme - Anu Fun activity for kids to celebrate Cook Islands language week

10:30am - 11am

TBC

East Cook Islands Community Group
Cook Islands board painting workshop Small board painting 

11am - 2pm

Panmure Library

Auckland

East Cook Islands Community Group
Ngaputoru Workshop  

2pm - 3pm

PIACT, Invercargill

Kia Orāna Murihiku
Community Services Expo  

2pm - 6pm

St Lukes PIPC

Tokoroa

Cook Islands Community Society Incorporated (Tokoroa)
Vainetini Workshop  

4pm - 6:30pm

PIACT, Invercargill

Kia Orāna Murihiku
Mangaia Workshop  

5pm - 6pm

South Alive

Invercargill

Kia Orāna Murihiku
Event Description Time and location Host
Community Pimp my 'Are Event All Organisations in Tokoroa to 'pimp' their spaces out to be judged by the community

9am - 12pm

Tokoroa

Cook Islands Community Society Incorporated (Tokoroa)
Tivaevae Exhibit Gold coin entry - Tivaevae Exhibit to connect communities

10am - 4pm

Cargo Shed, The Strand, Tauranga

Te Moananui Society Incorporated
Cook Islands Board painting workshop Small board painting 

10am - 12pm

Te Oro, Glen Innes

Auckland

East Cook Islands Community Group
Rangaranga Crochet  

10am - 12pm

Mīharo (Invercargill)

Kia Orāna Murihiku
Wriggle and Rhyme Fun activity for kids in celebration of Cook Islands language week

10:30am - 11am

Glen Innes Library

Auckland

East Cook Islands Community Group
Cook Islands Dance  

12pm - 1pm

Tāmaki Regeneration Company 244 Apirana Avenue

Glen Innes, Auckland

East Cook Islands Community Group
Iti Rangaranga - Crochet  

1pm - 3pm

Mīharo (Invercargill)

Kia Orāna Murihiku
Cook Islands crafts workshop Making head Ei and board making

1pm - 4:30pm

Te Oro, Glen Innes

Auckland

East Cook Islands Community Group
Aitutaki Workshop  

4pm - 5pm

Mīharo (Invercargill)

Kia Orāna Murihiku

 

Event Description Time and location Host
Tivaevae Exhibit Gold coin entry - Tivaevae Exhibit to connect communities

10am - 4pm

Cargo Shed, The Strand, Tauranga

Te Moananui Society Incorporated
Cook Islands Story time  

10am - 10:30am

Glen Innes Library

East Cook Islands Community Group
Story Time and Drummers  

10am - 11am

Invercargill Library

Kia Orāna Murihiku
Taviri Ei katu  

10am - 12pm

Mīharo (Invercargill)

Kia Orāna Murihiku
Ura Akaetaeta Cook Islands Ura fitness

10:30am - 11:30am

Te Oro, Glen Innes

East Cook Islands Community Group
Rarotonga Workshop  

4pm - 5pm

Mīharo (Invercargill)

Kia Orāna Murihiku
Honouring 60 Local Heroes  Honouring 60 local heroes in celebration of 60 years of self-governance in the Cook Islands 

6pm

SW Events Centre (TBC)

Cook Islands Community Society Incorporated (TOKOROA)
Event Description Time and location Host
Kuki Fun Day  

9am - 11am

Badmington hall

Kia Orāna Murihiku
Cook Islands Food Market  

9am

St Lukes PIPC Hall

Cook Islands Community Society Incorporated (Tokoroa)
Noou Noku, Noou Noku, Noou Teia Ra (Yours and mine, this is our day)

A walk down memory lane in celebration of 60 years of Self Governing in the Cook Islands:

  • through personal stories and journeys from our pa metua 
  • through songs that were originally composed for self-governance
  • through oral recitals 
  • through material cultural artifacts that we will get to hold and see firsthand
  • through photography

10am

18 Bland Place, Otara, Auckland (Mauke Orau Community Shed)

Akatokamanava Mauke Enua NZ Auckland
Cook Islands Cultural Celebration Pacific groups cultural event with Language, Dance and sharing with Cook Islands Seasonal workers

10:30am - 2pm

Cargo Shed, The Strand, Tauranga 

Te Moananui Society Incorporated
Closing ceremony Closing of Cook Islands language week for East Auckland Cook Islands communities

11am

Te Oro, Glen Innes

East Cook Islands Community Group
National Closing Ceremony Official CIMLW Closing 

2pm

Invercargill Christian Centre

Kia Orāna Murihiku
Te Eiva Nui dance competition  

4pm

St Lukes PIPC Hall

Cook Islands Community Society Incorporated (TOKOROA)
Event Description Time and location Host
Closing Service Combined Service

2pm

Invercargill Christian Centre

Kia Orāna Murihiku
Closing Service and Uapou Closing service for CIMLW 2025 in Tokoroa

2pm

St Lukes PIPC

Cook Islands Community Society Incorporated (Tokoroa)
Auckland Closing Service Church Service to end CIMLW

TBC

Newton PIPC

Newton PIPC Cook islands Congregation

 

Cook Islands Māori Language Week Funding Recipients

Below are recipients of funding for community contributions towards Cook Islands Māori Language Week preparations in 2024:

Organisation/Group Name

Location

Approved Amount

Language

Initiative focus

Te Hiku Avaiki Nui

Northland

$1,500

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning through community awareness event, cultural arts and crafts exhibition.

Cook Islands Development Agency New Zealand

Auckland

$12,000

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning through digital/online learning, traditional dance, arts and crafts, and music.

Aitutaki Enua Society Incorporated

Auckland

$11,500

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning through community awareness events, cultural arts and traditional cooking.

Tama'aru Dance Group

Auckland

$1,560

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning through traditional dance, community awareness workshops and arts and crafts activities.

Maine Kuki Airani Aotearoa (Miss Cook Islands NZ)

Auckland

$500

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning through community awareness events.

Akatokamanava Mauke Enua Association (NZ) Inc

Auckland

$3,500

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning through oral history, music and storytelling activities.

East Cook Islands Community Culture Group Inc

Auckland

$1,469.40

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning through community awareness, arts and crafts, music, and traditional dancing activities.

Polynesian Creative Artists

Auckland

$2,000

Kūki 'Airani

Learning activities through community awareness and cultural arts workshops.

Hamilton Cook Islands Association Incorporated (HAMCIA)

Waikato

$1,800

Kūki 'Airani

Learning activities through community awareness in schools and music and traditional dance activities.

Te Moananui Society Incorporated

Bay of Plenty

$900

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning through community awareness events and traditional dance and music.

Rotorua Cook Islands Society Incorporated

Bay of Plenty

$3,800

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning through community awareness events, arts and crafts, and traditional dance.

Akatokamanava Organisation Wellington Incorporated

Wellington 

$1,100

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning through storytelling and oral history workshops.

Cannons Creek Business Owners Collective Trust

Wellington

$1,500

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning community awareness events, arts and crafts workshops.

Porirua Cook Islands Association

Wellington

$2,500

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning activities through community awareness events, oratory, arts and crafts, and health promotion.

Ekalesia Kerisitiano Kuki Airani

Wellington

$2,700

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning workshops through community awareness events, cooking, arts and crafts and intergenerational fellowship.

Cook Islands Canterbury Rugby League

Canterbury

$1,425

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning community awareness event/ workshops and health and wellbeing activities.

Te Vaka Cook Islands Dunedin Inc

Otago

$2,150

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning through workshops and educational resources.

Atuitui Charitable Trust

Southland

$900

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning through community awareness events in the Southland region.

Below are recipients of funding for community contributions towards Cook Islands Māori Language Week preparations in 2023:

Organisation/Group Name

Location

Approved Amount

Language

Initiative focus

Cook Islands Development Agency New Zealand

Auckland

$50,000

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning through digital/online learning, traditional dance, arts and crafts, and music

Below are recipients of funding for community contributions towards Cook Islands Māori Language Week preparations in 2022:

Organisation/Group Name

Location

Approved Amount

Language

Initiative focus

CIDANZ

Wellington

50,000.00

Kūki 'Airani

Language week: language learning through community awareness events, conversational classes, reading and writing, cultural and traditional practices, oratory, storytelling, arts and crafts, dance and music workshops 

Below are recipients of funding for community contributions towards Cook Islands Māori Language Week preparations in 2021:

Organisation/Group Name

Location

 Approved Amount

Language

Initiative focus

CIDANZ

Wellington

50,000.00

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning classes for all levels and teach through cultural practices, oratory, storytelling, arts and craft, dance, music and events

Cook Islands Society of Tokoroa

Hamilton

5,000.00

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning through cultural practices, oratory, and storytelling

Te Vaka Cook Islands of Dunedin Inc

Dunedin

5,000.00

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning through cultural practices, oratory, storytelling, and church resources

Victoria University of Wellington Cook Islands Association

Wellington

1,930.00

Kūki 'Airani

Language learning through cultural practices, oratory, storytelling, arts and craft, dance, music and showcasing Cook Islands films