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Cook Islands
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People & Culture of Cook Islands
A background of Fiji, its people and its culture.
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ABOUT COOK ISLANDS - CULTURE
The vast distances between the different small islands which comprise the polynesian Cook Islands, coupled with the different ancient migrations that occurred, have led to varied individual cultures in this region.
DANCE & SONG
The art of dance is taken very seriously in the Cooks. Each island has its own special dances and these are practised diligently from early childhood. There are numerous competitions throughout the year on each island and these are highly contended. The rhythmic drumming on the paté and the wild and sensuous movements of both men and women virtually guarantee that Cook Islands teams win all the major Pacific dance festivals. The Cook Islands hura is highly sensual and fierce. Many resorts and hotels put on at least once a week performances and guests are encouraged to participate!
Like many South Pacific nations, music and song is an important part of the culture, and Church Music provides close harmony singing that is unforgettable. As with dance, there are numerous festivals throughout the year, with each island competing fiercely with its own songs. There are numerous Polynesian string bands who play at restaurants, hotels and concerts and they use combinations of modern electronics with traditional ukeleles fashioned from coconut shells.
ARTS AND CRAFT
Woodcarving is a common art form in the Cook Islands. Sculpture in stone is much rarer although there are some excellent carvings in basalt by Mike Taveoni. 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, Mauke 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.
The outer islands produce traditional weaving of mats, basketware and hats. Particularly fine examples of rito hats are worn by women to church on Sundays. They are made from the uncurled 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.
A major art form in the Cook Islands is tivaivai, the art of making handmade 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. The Fibre Arts Studio on Atiu has tivaevae for sale as does the Blue Note Gallery on Rarotonga.
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