Cook Islanders find their own tongue

By STUART DYE

There are 13 words meaning "touch the skin" in the Cook Islands Maori language.

But only a tiny fraction of Cook Islanders living in New Zealand would know them all, says the Cook Islands High Commissioner, Sir Thomas Davis.

Sir Thomas was schooled in the days when speaking Maori in class was a punishable offence.

So yesterday's launch of New Zealand's first Cook Islands Maori language curriculum was particularly poignant for him.

"Our language is inextricably woven into our culture - it is who we are as a people," said Sir Thomas.

"The knowledge this new curriculum will bring will give us greater personal esteem and understanding of where we are from, so we can see where we are going."

The curriculum has been six years in development and will be available to schools throughout the country.

It is designed to assist and support teachers in the planning and delivery of effective Cook Islands Maori language programmes in early childhood and in schools.

Launched yesterday at Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate in Otara, South Auckland, the curriculum came about after research in 1998 revealed that, in the case of several Pacific languages, less than 20 per cent of children under five could speak their own language.

Work is now under way on curricula for Niuean, Tokelauan, and Tongan youngsters.

Education Minister Trevor Mallard said Cook Islands Maori was the second-largest Pacific ethnic group living in New Zealand, and the language was a precious gift from the Cook Islands community to New Zealanders.

"Research shows that if a student knows their first language well, then it helps when learning a second language," said Mr Mallard.

"We also know that students respond well to their home, community and language being recognised and valued."

Yesterday's launch saw students from pre-school to school-leaver age perform traditional Cook Island songs and dances.

Mr Mallard also launched Discovering Our Ancestors and Hawaiki, two books which explore the origin and spread of Polynesian peoples across the Pacific.