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Free-to-use games from Digital dialect. Includes language learning games, vocabulary builders, numbers, and quizzes.

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Digital Dialects Cook Islands Māori language learning games are free to use, do not require registration, and are suitable for kids and Cook Islands Māori students of all ages. Designed for use in classrooms, and as a homework or self study resource. Vocabulary practice quizzes, language education resources, phrase lists and vocabulary lists. All learning materials include voice audio recordings.

Language and linguistics

Cook Islands Māori (Māori Kūki 'Āirani) is a member of the Eastern Polynesian language family and is quite similar to the Māori and Tongan languages. Cook Islands Māori is the official language of the Cook Islands along with English, and is spoken by around three quarters of the Cook Islands population and almost all (96%)of the island's indigenous population. There are also around 7,700 speakers of Cook Islands Māori living in New Zealand Aotearoa. Pukapukan is primarily spoken on the northern island of Pukapuka of the Cook Islands.

Cook Islands Māori language learning activities

Numbers in Cook Islands Māori 1-12 - learn counting with the numbers in Cook Islands Māori with this online language practice exercise. A fun beat-the-hourglass activity for students at beginner level and for visitors to the Cook Islands. Learn the words up to twenty with the numbers in Cook Islands Māori 13-20 game.

Phrases in Cook Islands Māori - 17 essential phrases and expressions with audio samples of speech. Learn the word for 'awesome!' -'no te a'a!' in the Cook Islands Māori language.

Fruit and vegetable in Cook Islands Māori - fun online kid's game for learning essential food items. Imported and local produce Cook Islands Māori vocabulary.

Animal words - educative and engaging word practice drill created for all learning types and ages, from kids to seniors.

On this website we host several Pacific Island/Polynesian language pages including learn Fijian language, learn Māori language, learn Niuean language, learn Samoan language and learn Tongan language section. All include several games. You can specifically learn a few phrases in Samoan (17 essential greetings, salutation and survival phrases) and some phrases in Tongan.

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Online games for learning Cook Islands Māori language

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Digital Dialects Cook Islands Māori language learning games are free to use, do not require registration, and are suitable for kids and Cook Islands Māori students of all ages. Designed for use in classrooms, and as a homework or self study resource. Vocabulary practice quizzes, language education resources, phrase lists and vocabulary lists.

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Tivaevae: Stitching culture and community together

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Tivaevae: Stitching culture and community together

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Every Wednesday around 50 Pacific Island women gather in Porirua to revive and enjoy one of the Cook Islands' most vibrant treasures, the creation of tivaevae (quilts). While Whānau Ora supports these women to practice their art form - the true investment is even richer.

Published: Thursday, 16 November 2017 | Rāpare, 16 Whiringa ā-rangi, 2017

Mrs. Ngaro Teuruaa, 78, has a passion for tivaevae and shares her knowledge with other women. She leads the Mamas group, which started out as six women, mainly Cook Island mamas.

"We came together to share our love of tivaevae making. Today we have Samoan and Tokelauan mothers who are part of the group and we open up to all women willing to learn.

"I've been doing tivaevae for many years. I always watched my mother back in the Cook Islands measure the materials under an orange tree.

"I observed her every move, from drawing patterns to the cutting, but I have to say it didn't look hard at the time.

"Now I look back at how my mother did it, she made it look easy," smiles Mrs. Teuruaa.

"I think that's where my passion for tivaevae started."

Making tivaevae is special

Mrs. Teuruaa has eight children, 27 grandchildren and 34 great grandchildren. Old age is starting to kick in she says, but out of love for her family she continues her work. She finds comfort in tivaevae making. Its importance cannot be overstated.

"We make them for our children. I've never sold a piece unless a family member has approached me. We make tivaevae for special occasions or for important visitors."

Tivaevae are a treasured item in the Cook Islands. You will see the colourful embroidery or appliqué quilts displayed on special occasions. It is an artwork and every person has their own special design.

"I do it for my family and I am always willing to pass on my knowledge to my children and our Pacific women who have an interest in tivaevae making."

Whānau Ora commissioning agency Pasifika Futures supports the women to teach, learn and practice the art form but the true investment is in keeping their culture alive, connecting with each other, growing strong cultural capital and a sense of belonging for themselves and others.

'Mama Donut'

It can take days, weeks or even months to stitch tivaevae. Mrs. Teaue Robati, 64, known to many as 'Mama Donut' is all too familiar with the detailed techniques and time involved.

"I weave and I also make tivaevae. I am self-taught. Growing up in the Cook Islands I learned how to make baskets, fans, mats and cushions to care of my family.

"I'm known as Mama Donut because I bake beautiful donuts for our tivaevae get togethers.

"I love being a part of this group, getting together to bond, sing songs and catch up on Island gossip. I'm enjoying myself.

"And I'm making a bed spread in case my son gets married one day. I will share this on his special day. I am also making other tivaevae for my grandchildren."

Mama Donut, who weaves for her church, is proud to be part of the 'small group of beautiful women trying to revive one of our Cook Island treasures'. She recalls it was difficult and expensive to turn the mamas' passion for tivaevae into an ongoing activity. She remains grateful for the support the group has received.

"Now we can do what we like to do best, teach other women and encourage more to join our group."

Investing in revival

'Leadership, culture and community' is one of four Whānau Ora outcomes that Pasifika Futures delivers on as a non-government Commissioning Agency that is contracted to implement Whānau Ora.

Taeaomanino Trust has also supported the group. Ms. Theresa Nimarota, Chief Executive says the Trust recognises the women's valuable contribution to reviving culture and language.

"It is the sharing, passing down of knowledge and caring for each other. It is having a place for our mamas to come together to stitch, learn and pass on their knowledge to younger generations.

"Wider support has meant that the group can do things like host visitors to come and talk with the women as part of their teaching and learning.

"The tivaevae project is amazing. You will hear a lot of singing and laughter, and witness the great fellowship these women have," says Ms. Nimarota.

This year the women exhibited their work at Pātaka Museum, Porirua. There was a strong response from the community and it attracted approaches from many groups wanting to purchase the work.

Pasifika Futures Chief Executive Debbie Sorensen is delighted to hear the women are creating an additional income for themselves, at the same time as investing in each other.

Bonds across Te Moananui a Kiwa

The beauty of tivaevae making is the sharing of cultural values, not business ventures. This is the reason Feiloaiga Maene, 50, joined the group.

"I was at the doctor's the other day and I saw one of the mamas there knitting this beautiful material. I was amazed and I told her I would love to learn one day what she's doing and she invited me to this group.

"Two months on, I am now part of the group attempting to make my first tivaevae, but most importantly I am part of a beautiful fellowship of women who have so much passion for culture and learning."

Mrs. Meane is Tokelauan-Tuvaluan and jokes she is still trying to find her Cook Island roots.

"I come from a musical background and I was the lead singer in our family band in the 1970s. I never imagined that one day I would learn how to sew or be making a tivaevae.

"I've been told each stitch has a meaning and every tivaevae tells a story. Colours are important, as are the designs and patterns. Every mother produces a tivaevae for a reason. We have unique patterns. It is like our own intellectual property," laughs Mrs. Meane.

"I love working with bright colours and hand-stitched cotton tivaevae. I'm learning as much as I can and hopefully soon I'll have a piece ready to display one day."

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Stitching culture and community together

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Every Wednesday around 50 Pacific Island women gather in Porirua to revive and enjoy one of the Cook Islands' most vibrant treasures, the creation of tivaevae (quilts). While Whānau Ora supports these women to practice their art form - the true investment is even richer.

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Series: Junior Journal 60, Level 2, 2020
Learning area: English, Social Sciences
Colour wheel level: Gold
Curriculum level: 2

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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Cook Island -Purple Mariri the Flying Man

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Learning area: Social Sciences
Colour wheel level: Purple
Curriculum level: 2

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VideoLink lets you share videos on YouTube easily, without distracting third-party content or advertisements.

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Learning area: Social Sciences
Colour wheel level: Gold
Curriculum level: 2

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Learning area: Social Sciences
Reading year level: 5

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VideoLink lets you share videos on YouTube easily, without distracting third-party content or advertisements.

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I-E-KO-KO! An introduction of Cook Islands Māori

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I-E-KO-KO! An introduction of Cook Islands Māori

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I-E-Ko-Ko An Introduction to Cook Islands Māori

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Cook Islands located in the Pacific Islands is famous for its wood carving, weaving and tivaevae quilts. Material for weaving comes from the pandanus plants and coconut tree. Mats for sitting on, baskets, hats, fans and fishing traps are some the the things crafted from these materials.

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Tivaevae - Pacific Lifeways Gallery - Auckland Museum

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Cook Islands Stage - Mangere College Full Performance - Polyfest 2017

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Rore is an example of the traditional games of the Pacific that have lasted the generations and keep the knowledge of our ancestors alive today. 

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Level 3 Follow up activity: After watching 'Stretched with Love', making a tiavaevae. Click on the link below to the measurement below. Although, it's level 3, it will be fun working together in a mixed ability group.

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This is a level 3 measurement strand activity from the Figure It Out series.
A PDF of the student activity is included.

Click on the image to enlarge it. Click again to close. Download PDF (390 KB)

Specific Learning Outcomes

Required Resource Materials

FIO, Level 3, Measurement, TĪvaevae Karakara, page 6

square grid paper

Activity One

This activity provides some area problems in an interesting context.
Ask students how they solved question 1. If necessary, explain that the quickest solution would be to calculate the length and the width and multiply the two.
Question 2 may present a difficulty for those who mistake this for a perimeter question. It is really asking for the area of the border. Other students may simply count the squares.

Discuss other ways of calculating the area of the border. Some useful hints may be: "Try to use the answer from question 1 to help you" or "Which part of the rectangle is not part of the border? How can you use this to help?" These questions may help students see that problems of this sort can be solved by subtracting the area of the smaller (10 x 8) rectangle from the larger (14 x 12) rectangle.
Question 3 asks the students to estimate the amount of area that the frangipani flower covers on each square. The answer gives the total squares used, but it also indicates that the actual area covered by each flower is half of each of the squares on which it appears.

Activity Two

In this activity, encourage your students to investigate different ways of calculating the answers for questions 1 and 2. This may include subtracting the small (8 x 6) rectangle from the large (12 x 10) rectangle.
You may like to set some conditions for the patterns that students use in their designs, for example, each pattern should have an area of four squares but must be in more than four squares.

Answers to Activity
Activity One
1. 168 pieces
2. 88 pieces
3. 4 squares are used, but each flower covers approximately half of each square.
Activity Two
1. 72 squares
2. 48 squares

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This is a level 3 measurement strand activity from the Figure It Out series.A PDF of the student activity is included. Click on the image to enlarge it. Click again to close.