Cook Islands Maori

A language of Cook Islands

Cook Island, Kuki Airani, Māori Kūki ’Āirani, Maori, Rarotongan

Te Reo Maori

13,100 in Cook Islands (2011 census), decreasing. 2,035 Aitutaki, 481 Atiu, 573 Mangaia, 307 Mauke, 189 Mitiaro (2011 census). Speaker numbers rapidly decreasing, especially in the diaspora (Wurm 2007). Total users in all countries: 27,200.

Location

Widespread.

Language Maps

Cook Islands

Language Status

6b* (Threatened). Statutory language of national identity (1965, Constitution, Article 35), limited use in higher government domains.

Classification

Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, East, Central, Tahitic

Dialects

Mitiaro, Mauke, Atiu, Mangaia, Rarotonga, Aitutaki. Lexical similarity: 83% with Tuamotuan [pmt], 79% with Hawaiian [haw], 75% with Mangareva [mrv], 73% with Marquesan [mrq].

Language Use

English [eng] preferred by the younger generation (Wurm 2007). Used as L2 by Penrhyn [pnh], Pukapuka [pkp].

Language Development

Bible: 1851–1888.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Cook Islands Maori

Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Christian.