The People
The people are Polynesian of the Maori race with close ethnic affinity to the indigenous people of Tahiti (Maohi), New Zealand (Maori), and Hawaii (Kamaina). Most Cook Islanders are bilingual - speaking both Maori and English. The northern islands were most probably settled around 800AD by migrants from the west - Samoa and Tonga. The southern group inhabitants are largely descended from voyagers from the Society Islands and the Marquesas. The total population of the Cook Islands is 15,000, of whom 8,000 live on Rarotonga - the business and economic hub, with 70,000 visitors coming each year. The people of the Cook Islands are naturally friendly, easy going and sociable. They are also resourceful and hold pride in their ethnic identity. The islanders are a fairly conservative and generally religious people, the lifestyle is fairly relaxed, casual and informal. Serious crime is not a major problem in the Cook Islands. On the capital island of Rarotonga, the lifestyle is more varied and the standard of living is of a higher standard than in the smaller, more remote, outer islands.
