Ryan+cookislands+page



=Cook Islands= From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: [|navigation], [|search] For individual islands named "Cook Island", see [|Cook Island (disambiguation)]. //Kūki 'Āirani// || //God is Truth// || (and largest city) || [|Avarua] [|21°12′S] [|159°46′W] || [|Cook Islands Māori] || [|Cook Islands Māori] [|Pukapukan] [|Rakahanga-Manihiki] || 91 sq mi || 197/sq mi ||
 * ~ Cook Islands
 * || [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Flag_of_the_Cook_Islands.svg/125px-Flag_of_the_Cook_Islands.svg.png width="125" height="63" link="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_Cook_Islands.svg"]] || [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e1/Coat_of_arms_of_cook_islands.gif/85px-Coat_of_arms_of_cook_islands.gif width="85" height="99" link="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_arms_of_cook_islands.gif"]] ||
 * [|Flag] || [|Coat of arms] || ||
 * = **Anthem:** //[|Te Atua Mou E]//
 * = [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Cook_Islands_on_the_globe_%28Polynesia_centered%29.svg/250px-Cook_Islands_on_the_globe_%28Polynesia_centered%29.svg.png width="250" height="250" link="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cook_Islands_on_the_globe_%28Polynesia_centered%29.svg"]] ||
 * **Capital**
 * ~ Official language(s) || [|English]
 * ~ Spoken languages || [|English]
 * **Ethnic groups** || 87.7% [|Māori], 5.8% part Māori, 6.5% other [|[][|1][|]] ||
 * ~ [|Demonym] || Cook Islander ||
 * ~ [|Government] || [|Constitutional monarchy] ||
 * - || [|Monarch] || [|Elizabeth II] ||
 * - || [|Queen's Representative] || Sir [|Frederick Tutu Goodwin] ||
 * - || [|Prime Minister] || [|Henry Puna] ||
 * ~ Legislature || [|Parliament] ||
 * ~ [|Associated state] ||
 * - || Self-government in [|free association] with [|New Zealand] || 4 August 1965 ||
 * - || Independence in foreign relations recognized by the [|UN][|[][|2][|]] || 1992 ||
 * ~ * [|Area] ||
 * - || Total || 240 km2 ([|210th])
 * ~ [|Population] ||
 * - || 2006 census || 19,569 ([|213th]) ||
 * - || Density || 76/km2 ([|124th])
 * **[|GDP]** ([|PPP]) || 2005 estimate ||
 * - || Total || $183.2 million ([| not ranked]) ||
 * - ||  || $9,100 ([| not ranked]) ||
 * ~ Currency || [|New Zealand dollar] ([|NZD]), [|Cook Islands dollar] ||
 * ~ Time zone || ([|UTC]-10) ||
 * ~ Drives on the || left ||
 * ~ [|Internet TLD] || [|.ck] ||
 * ~ [|Calling code] ||  ||



he **Cook Islands** (   [|/][|ˈ][|k][|ʊ][|k][|ˈ][|aɪ][|l][|ən][|d][|z][|/] ; [|Cook Islands Māori]: //Kūki 'Āirani//[|[][|3][|]]) is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in th e [|South Pacific Ocean] in [|free association] with [|New Zealand]. It is composed of 15 small islands whose total land area is 240 square kilometres (92.7 sq mi). The Cook Islands' [|Exclusive Economic Zone] (EEZ), however, covers 1,800,000 square kilometres (690,000 sq mi) of ocean.[|[][|4][|]] The main population centres are on the island of [|Rarotonga] (14,153 in 2006), where there is an international airport. There is a much larger population of Cook Islanders in New Zealand, particularly the [|North Island]. In the 2006 [|census], 58,008 self-identified as being of ethnic [|Cook Island Māori] descent.[|[][|5][|]] With about 100,000 visitors travelling to the islands in the 2010-11 financial year,[|[][|6][|]] [|tourism] is the country's main industry, and the leading element of the [|economy], far ahead of offshore banking, pearls, and marine and fruit exports.

History
Main article: [|History of the Cook Islands] Beach on [|Rarotonga]. The Cook Islands were first settled in the 6th century [|CE] by [|Polynesian people] who migrated from nearby [|Tahiti], to the southeast.[|[][|8][|]] [|Spanish] ships visited the islands in the 16th century; the first written record of contact with the islands came with the sighting of [|Pukapuka] by Spanish sailor [|Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira] in 1595 who called it //San Bernardo// (Saint Bernard). Portuguese-Spaniard [|Pedro Fernández de Quirós], made the first recorded European landing in the islands when he set foot on [|Rakahanga] in 1606, calling it //Gente Hermosa// (Beautiful People).[|[][|9][|]] British navigator Captain [|James Cook] arrived in 1773 and 1777[|[][|10][|]] and named the islands the //Hervey Islands//; the name "Cook Islands", in honour of Cook, appeared on a Russian naval chart published in the 1820s.[|[][|11][|]] In 1813 [|John Williams], a missionary on the //Endeavour// (not the same ship as Cook's), made the first recorded sighting of [|Rarotonga].[|[][|12][|]] The first recorded landing on Rarotonga by Europeans was in 1814 by the Cumberland; trouble broke out between the sailors and the Islanders and many were killed on both sides.[|[][|13][|]] The islands saw no more Europeans until missionaries arrived from England in 1821. Christianity quickly took hold in the culture and many islanders continue to be Christian believers today. The Cook Islands became a [|British] [|protectorate] in 1888, due largely to community fears that [|France] might occupy the territory as it had Tahiti. In 1901 the New Zealand Government decided to annex the country despite opposition from the country's traditional chiefs. As many of the islands were independent and ruled by local chiefs, the Cook Islands had no federal statutory law to decide the constitutional constraints regarding whether to agree to the country's annexation. When the British Nationality and New Zealand Citizenship Act 1948 came into effect on 1 January 1949, Cook Islanders who were British subjects gained [|New Zealand citizenship].[|[][|14][|]] The country remained a New Zealand protectorate until 1965, when the New Zealand Government decided to offer self-governing status to its colony. In that year, [|Albert Henry] of the [|Cook Islands Party] was elected as the first [|Prime Minister]. Henry led the country until he was accused of vote-rigging. He was succeeded in 1978 by [|Tom Davis] of the [|Democratic Party].

Politics and foreign relations
Main articles: [|Politics of the Cook Islands] and [|Foreign relations of the Cook Islands] The parliament building of the Cook Islands, formerly a hotel. The Cook Islands is a [|representative democracy] with a [|parliamentary system] in an [|associated state] relationship with New Zealand. [|Executive power] is exercised by the government, with the Chief Minister as [|head of government]. [|Legislative power] is vested in both the [|government] and the [|Parliament of the Cook Islands]. There is a pluriform multi-party system. The [|Judiciary] is independent of the executive and the legislature. The [|Head of State] is the [|Queen of New Zealand], who is represented in the Cook Islands by the [|Queen's Representative]. The islands are self-governing in "free association" with [|New Zealand]. New Zealand retains primary responsibility for external affairs, with consultation with the Cook Islands government. Cook Islands nationals are citizens of New Zealand and can receive New Zealand government services, but the reverse is not true; New Zealand citizens are not Cook Island nationals. Despite this, as of 2011, the Cook Islands had diplomatic relations in its own name with 34 other countries. The Cook Islands is not a [|United Nations] full member, but does participate in [|WHO] and [|UNESCO], and is an associate member of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific ([|UNESCAP]). On 11 June 1980, the [|United States] signed [|a treaty] with the Cook Islands specifying the [|maritime border] between the Cook Islands and [|American Samoa] and also relinquishing any United States claim to the islands of [|Penrhyn], [|Pukapuka], [|Manihiki], and [|Rakahanga].[|[][|15][|]] In 1990 the Cook Islands and [|France] signed [|a treaty] that [|delimited] the boundary between the Cook Islands and [|French Polynesia].[|[][|1]

Carving
This wood carved figure escaped emasculation, despite its missionary collectors. Only one other comparable example is known, [|British Museum]. [|Woodcarving] is a common art form in the Cook Islands. The proximity of islands in the southern group helped produce a homogeneous style of carving but which had special developments in each island. Rarotonga is known for its fisherman's gods and staff-gods, [|Atiu] for its wooden seats, [|Mitiaro], [|Ma'uke] and [|Atiu] for mace and slab gods and [|Mangaia] for its ceremonial adzes. Most of the original wood carvings were either spirited away by early European collectors or were burned in large numbers by missionary zealots. Today, carving is no longer the major art form with the same spiritual and cultural emphasis given to it by the Maori in New Zealand. However, there are continual efforts to interest young people in their heritage and some good work is being turned out under the guidance of older carvers. Atiu, in particular, has a strong tradition of crafts both in carving and local fibre arts such as tapa. Mangaia is the source of many fine adzes carved in a distinctive, idiosyncratic style with the so-called double-k design. Mangaia also produces food pounders carved from the heavy calcite found in its extensive limestone caves.

Weaving
The outer islands produce traditional [|weaving] of mats, basketware and hats. Particularly fine examples of rito hats are worn by women to church. They are made from the uncurled immature fibre of the coconut palm and are of very high quality. The Polynesian equivalent of Panama hats, they are highly valued and are keenly sought by Polynesian visitors from Tahiti. Often, they are decorated with hatbands made of minuscule pupu shells which are painted and stitched on by hand. Although pupu are found on other islands the collection and use of them in decorative work has become a speciality of Mangaia. The weaving of rito is a speciality of the northern island of Penrhyn.

Tivaevae
A major art form in the Cook Islands is [|tivaevae]. This is, in essence, the art of handmade Island scenery patchwork quilts. Introduced by the wives of missionaries in the 19th century, the craft grew into a communal activity and is probably one of the main reasons for its popularity.

Contemporary art
The Cook Islands has produced internationally recognised contemporary artists, especially in the main island of Rarotonga. Artists include painter (and photographer) Mahiriki Tangaroa, sculptors Eruera (Ted) Nia (originally a film maker) and master carver Mike Tavioni, painter (and Polynesian tattoo enthusiast) Upoko’ina Ian George, Aitutakian-born painter Tim Manavaroa Buchanan, Loretta Reynolds, Judith Kunzlé, Joan Rolls Gragg, Kay George (who is also known for her fabric designs), Apii Rongo, Varu Samuel, and multi-media, installation and community-project artist Ani O'Neil, all of whom currently live on the main island of Rarotonga. Atiuan-based Andrea Eimke is an artist who works in the medium of tapa and other textiles, and also co-authored the book 'Tivaivai - The Social Fabric of the Cook Islands' with British academic Susanne Kuechler. Many of these artists have studied at university art schools in New Zealand and continue to enjoy close links with the New Zealand art scene. New Zealand-based Cook Islander artists include Michel Tuffrey, print-maker David Teata, Richard Shortland Cooper, Sylvia Marsters and Jim Vivieaere. On Rarotonga, the main commercial galleries are Beachcomber Contemporary Art (Taputapuatea, Avarua) run by Ben & Trevon Bergman, and The Art Gallery ('Arorangi). The Cook Islands National Museum also exhibits art.