Cook Islands Language Week

By Trina Wilkinson | Posted: Monday August 3, 2020

The theme for Cook Islands language week is"Kia pūāvai tō tātou Reo Māori Kūki 'Āirani i Aotearoa" which in English means "That the Cook Islands Māori language may blossom throughout New Zealand.

This language week has been recognised here at Casebrook Intermediate with a learning experience where our students have been exposed to language, culture, traditions and the amazing music of this country.

Each classroom has been given the opportunity to engage with simple phrases in the Cook Islands language and have been challenged to use these in conversations in the classroom and in the playground. 

Many students have realised the commonalities between Te Reo Māori and the Cook Island Language. It was exciting to see students seeing words in Māori being the same or almost the same in Cook Islands language, with subtle consonant or vowel differences.

The Cook Islands people have more living here in NZ than in their own country. It is a culture and language that is loud and proud. Our school is lucky to have a few students who identify with this culture.

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