Te Ipukarea is symbolic of who we are as a people of the Cook Islands, firmly rooted and grounded in our belief systems, epistemologies, traditions and customs, culture and language.  In the cosmology of today’s fast and changing world it is imperative that we stand tall in our pride; in our knowledge and wisdom (Tu Rangatira) of who we are; individually, and most importantly, as a c

There is evidence to suggest that the different languages of the Pasifika people in New Zealand are declining (Taumoefolau, Bell & Stark, 2003).  This decline particularly in Manukau South Auckland, New Zealand, is a challenge.  There are two sides to the challenge.  The first, involves the interrelationship between language and culture.  The other is a consequence of th

This paper examines the health of the four largest Pasifika Languages in Aotearoa/New Zealand (NZ). It uses perspectives and interpretations from the researchers and writers who are at the same time, parents and grandparents of Pasifika children of Tongan, Samoan, and Cook Islands ancestry.