Cook Islands Local Custom Tips by FletteMette

To Cook Islanders, flowers represent all that is beautiful and bountiful on their islands, and fantastic, fragrant flowers seem to be everywhere - the locals wear them either as floral crowns, or a single flower tucked behind the ear - right ear if you are taken or married, left if you are single.

There are lovely gardenias (the national flower) and hibiscus all over the islands - and the Cook Island women take great pride in their gardens.

Flowers are used in lei's given to arriving visitors and returning or leaving family members - and the wonderful scent of white Frangipanis filled the air on the small plane between Aitutaki and Rarotonga.

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Noni juice is made from the fruit of Morinda citrifolia, a tree that is now grown all over Rarotonga and the outer Cook Islands. All Cook Islands noni, both cultivated and wild gathered, is organically grown and then processed on Rarotonga.

According to Polynesian healers, this natural product stimulates the body's immune system and improves your vitality. The islanders have for centuries been using this juice against asthma, arthritis, infections, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and lots of other health problems - it's also used as as a pain reliever, and known as the "Headache Tree" - and to generally support good health. (It probably boosts your IQ too, and protects you against the Ebola virus & the stonefish lurking around the Cook Islands lagoons..;-)

Does it actually work? Who knows, but maybe a good idea to pick up a bottle or two while you're visiting the Cooks..:-)

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You'll see Tangaroa, the Polynesian god of the ocean and of fertility, everywhere on the Cooks - Tangaroa has become a symbol of these islands.

The Cook Islands are famous for their fabulous dancers - and the dance was traditionally performed in honour of the short, squat, extraordinarily well-endowed Tangaroa... :o)

According to the legends, Tangaroa is so huge he only needs to breath once in 24 hours - and this explains the tidal movement. If you show respect to the ocean and the sea creatures, Tangaroa will look after you - a tradition amongst the Maori is to throw back the first fish caught, as a way of thanking Tangaroa for his bounty.

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Religion is a very important part of the Cook Island culture, and Sunday is kept as a day of churchgoing, worship and rest. Christianity is the dominant religion of the Cook Islands - after the missionaries arrived in 1821 the worship of old tribal gods like Tangaroa, which you'll see depicted in woodcarvings everywhere you go, came to an end.

Around 70 % of the islands' population belong to the Cook Islands Christian Church (CICC). But various other denominations & sects are represented in the islands: among them the Mormon, Anglican, Baha'i, Seventh Day Adventist, Baptist, Jehovah's Witness, and Roman Catholic.

The CICC has several beautiful limestone churches on the islands, built around 1880 - like the one in Avarua.

Few activities are allowed on Sunday, and there's a very limited bus service around Rarotonga - to bring people to & from church.

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