This is the forth editorial in a series of opinion pieces covering the Cook Islands development journey. Written by Secretary for Cultural Development, Emile Kairua
The journey of the Cook Islands from 1965 to 2025 is not only a tale of political evolution and economic development, but also equally a profound story of cultural resilience, continuity, and renewal. Over six decades of self-governance, our people have not only built the institutions of a modern nation but have done so by anchoring ourselves firmly in our ancestral knowledge, language, and cultural values.
Our achievements as a nation are rooted in the strength of a community that has held fast to its identity since time immemorial. Long before the attainment of self-government, our ancestors had established complex systems of governance, land tenure, spiritual practice, navigation, and oral recordkeeping. These systems form the foundation of te peu Māori. The values and ways of being that continue to guide our national development today.
While the political milestone of 1965 marked a turning point in our constitutional status, it also marked a conscious commitment to protect and elevate our cultural heritage. The evolution of the Cook Islands over the past 60 years is therefore not just a journey of modernization, but of cultural assertion, of adapting to change without losing sight of who we are.
Any development without culture at its core is not sustainable. Culture is not an optional feature of our identity or economy, it is the lens through which we understand progress, the foundation of our resilience, and the core of who we are.
From our history, we have adapted, evolved, and emerged as a people who are confident in where we have come from, and certain of where we are going.
Establishing the foundation: 1965–1980s
The establishment of self-governance in 1965 laid the groundwork for cultural self-determination. Though early national efforts focused on infrastructure and economic capacity-building, cultural expressions remained at the heart of everyday life. Evident in traditions, oral histories, village-based performances, and community rituals.
It was during this period that formal cultural events began to emerge. Te Mire Ura Dancer of the Year festival, first held in 1981, became an early vehicle for the public celebration of performing arts. These cultural milestones occurred alongside the broader nation-building effort, helping to shape national identity not just through legislation or administration, but through drumming, dance, language, and storytelling.
The establishment of the Cultural and Historic Places Trust in the 1980s by the Ministry of Cultural Development, was a response to growing awareness of the need to protect our tangible and intangible heritage. Initiatives to preserve vaka-making, our oral history through our pe’e (chants) and genealogical history emerged in parallel with infrastructure growth and international diplomacy.
National recognition and policy direction: 1990s–2000s
The formal establishment of the Ministry of Cultural Development in 1991 was a critical cultural milestone. It institutionalised cultural heritage within the government framework, reflecting a national recognition that culture was not secondary to development, but integral to it.
In the years that followed, the creation of the Cultural and Creative Industries Division brought focus to safeguarding traditional knowledge and supporting the livelihoods of cultural practitioners. Parallel to economic reforms and education restructuring, cultural development gained policy momentum.
This period also saw the formalisation of Te Maeva Nui as an annual celebration of self-governance. The festival became a living cultural archive, a public space where each performance told stories of island identity, cosmology, conflict, and continuity.
The event’s evolution to include diaspora and Pa Enua participants has reinforced its role as a national cultural unifier and an intergenerational transmission mechanism for te peu Māori.
The Ministry of Cultural Development continues to strengthen the implementation of this Act by developing targeted policies and regulations that genuinely safeguard the gifts, knowledge, and creative talents of our Cultural and Creative Industries.
Safeguarding cultural heritage: 2010s–2025
As the Cook Islands matured politically, so too did our cultural sector. The adoption of the Cook Islands National Policy on Culture in 2017 was a landmark achievement. Asserting a comprehensive, strategic approach to sustaining culture across education, governance, and the economy.
The policy’s six strategic goals: safeguarding heritage, promoting cultural industries, strengthening cultural education, fostering community engagement, building institutional capacity, and ensuring the integration of culture into national development, have provided a holistic foundation for cultural sustainability.
Major cultural achievements during this period include:
- UNESCO nominations for vaka navigation and the art of tivaevae, placing Cook Islands culture on the world stage.
- The introduction of Reo Kuki Airani Language Weeks (2021), rotating through island-specific dialects—Mangaia, Atiu, and Pukapuka-Nassau, elevating linguistic diversity and pride.
- Ongoing curriculum reforms in schools and teacher training institutions that center Cook Islands Maori language and identity at all levels of education.
- International cultural leadership and recognition, as a result of efforts to grow and promote key aspects of Cook Islands culture. The Ministry of Cultural Development (MOCD) has been appointed to Chair and Executive Director roles in major regional and international cultural organisations, including:
- The International Federation of Arts Councils and Cultural Agencies (IFACCA)
- The Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC)
- The Council of Pacific Arts and Culture and Cultural Ministers Meeting (CPAC)
- The formation of the Emoa Aito Maori Traditional Sports Federation, aimed at encouraging
recognition and growth of indigenous sports in the Cook Islands as well as across the Pacific
region.
These efforts represent a bold step forward in cultural revitalization.
Institutional and grassroots collaboration
Throughout the decades, the power of community has been central. Institutions like the Cook Islands National Museum and Cultural Centre (Punanga Nui) provide exhibitions and programming that educate the public and preserve vital history, while Tauranga Vananga continues to support artisans, dancers, and elders through its cultural grants and initiatives.
Meanwhile, community organisations such as Kōrero o te ‘Ōrau are actively leading the revival of traditional skills through youth-focused intergenerational programs, ensuring that voyaging, medicinal knowledge, agriculture, and spiritual customs are passed on.
The Pa Enua Cultural Festivals, which rotate among outer islands, have further enhanced cultural visibility and pride in less-represented dialects, crafts, and practices.
Culture as our compass
In 2025 we welcome and celebrate thousands of years of cultural continuity. The Cook Islands stands not only as a self-governing nation, but as a cultural nation: proud, sovereign, and deeply connected to its ancestral roots.
Culture is no longer viewed as a passive legacy to be protected, it is a strategic pillar of sustainable development, interwoven into education, health, tourism, climate resilience, and diplomacy. It is expressed through our voices, our chants, our threads, our carvings, our knowledge systems, and now, our policies and partnerships.
The enduring challenge is ensuring that cultural development remains community-led, that it honors customary guardianship, and that it is resourced equitably and sustainably.
Our identity is not a relic. It is our compass. As we step forward into the future, we carry with us a cultural inheritance that continues to shape, inspire, and define who we are.
