Cook Islands Language Week

Te epetoma o te reo Māori Kuki Airani or Cook Islands Language Week celebrates the languages spoken by the people of the Cook Islands.

The theme of this year's Cook Islands language week is: "Ei rāvenga nāku i te tuatua i tōku reo Māori Kūki 'Āirani ka anoano au i te turuturu ā tōku ngutu`are tangata `ē te matakeinanga - an encouraging home and community environment is what I need to build my love and my confidence to speak my reo Māori Kūki 'Āirani."

There are a number of cultural activities and events are being held across New Zealand, this week.

Cook Islands Language Week, which ran from 3 August until today, celebrates the language of the islands, but has also served to highlight its impending loss, especially in New Zealand.

The main native language of the Cook Islands is Cook Islands Māori (Māori Kuki Airani), which belongs to the same language family as New Zealand Māori.

There are also several different dialects within the language.

The latest Cook Islands census, in 2011, showed the population of the 14 islands that make up the small Pacific nation is less than 15,000.