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Cook Island Events 2012Cook Island activites and attractions are in addition to the 'raft' of amazing local events listed here. Discover exciting local year-round events during your
Rarotonga resort vacation.
Choose from one our special Cook Island accommodation package deals, then immerse yourself in the wonders of the local culture at local events.
The Calendar of Events below is provided courtesy of Cook Islands Tourism Corporation. Dates of events are provided by Cook Islands Tourism Corporation
and are subject to change without notice.
February
Canoeing – Sprint Season (Oe Vaka)
Feb
Oe Vaka, a popular water sport event
BUSINESS HOUSE SQUASH COMPETITION
Feb
March
Te Mire Atu – (Song Composers)
Thur 1st
Theme: OPEN THEME
National Composers Competition – National Auditorium
Triathlon
Sat 3rd
Business House Team Relay (200m Swim, 8km Cycle, 2km Run)
International Women’s Day
Sun 4th
Triathlon
Sat 10th
Women Only (600m Swim, 16km Cycle, 4km Run)
V 12 Oe Vaka Corporate Race
Sat 24th
BUSINESS HOUSE SQUASH SEMI/FINALS
March
April
Good Friday (Public Holiday)
Fri 6th
Easter Saturday
Sat 7th
Easter Sunday
Sun 8th
Easter Monday (Public Holiday)
Mon 9th
Te Mire Ura – (National Dancer of the Year)
Thur 12th
Rarotonga Sections Elimination
Cook Islanders have a passion for dance and each year there's a keenly fought competition to find the best dancers from across the Islands. Events are held for juniors, intermediates, seniors and "golden oldies". The National Auditorium in Rarotonga is the usual venue for the final and it's a spectacularly noisy and colourful event not to be missed.
School Holiday Begins (2weeks)
Fri 20th to Mon 7th May
End of Term 1
Te Mire Ura – National Dancer of the Year Competition
Mon 23rd
Te Akauroa (Papaa – Expats, Visitors) and Golden Oldies Masters & Golden Oldies Finals
Te Mire Ura – National Dancer of the Year Competition
Thur 26th
Juniors and Intermediate National Finals (Including Participants from the Outer Islands)
ANZAC DAY – Public Holiday
Wed 25th
Air NZ Anzac Golf Tournament
April
May
Te Mire Ura – National Dancer of the Year Competition
Thurs 3rd
Open Senior National Finals (Including Participants from the Outer Islands)
National Auditorium
End of School Holidays
Mon 7th to July 20th
School Term 2 Begins
Te Mire Ura - International Dancer of the Year Senior Finals
Thurs 10th
National Auditorium
Oceania Masters Squash Tournament
Tues 22nd to Sat 26th
June
Rugby Union 7’s & 15’s (22 weeks)
Sat 2nd to Nov
Golf Tournament (Turama House)
Queens Birthday (Public Holiday)
Mon 4th
Kumete Sports
Kitesurfing
June
NEW IN 2011: INTERNATIONAL KITESURFING COMPETITION
In June, kite surfers from all over the world will compete in the second kite surfing competition of its kind in the Cook Islands on the stunning waters of Aitutaki lagoon.
Canoeing – National Distance Series
June
July
East Pacific Qualifier Tennis
Mon 2nd to Sat 9th OTF 14’s & 18’s
“Ra o te Ui Ariki” (Public Holiday)
Fri 6th
Cook Islands Ministry of Education Careers Expo 2012
Thur 19th
School Holiday Begins (2 Weeks)
Fri 20th to Tues 7th August
End of Term 2
Squash – Club Tournament
July
Sailing – National Class Champs – Aitutaki
July
Golf Michigan Shout out/Palm grove – Open Tournament
July
Canoeing – National Distance Series
July
“TE MAEVA NUI CELEBRATIONS”
Thurs 26th
Opening Ceremony
Main Theme – TE REO O TOKU ENUA/MATAKEINANGA
Cultural festival of music and dance, and celebration of the constitution)
The most important event in the Cook Islands calendar is the annual celebration of self rule, granted in 1965. Formerly called the Constitution Celebrations, it was renamed in 2001 because the Prime Minister of the time wanted a Cook Islands Maori name to capture the essence and joy of the annual festival. "Te Maeva Nui" translates as "the major or most important celebration". Each year, performing artists from Rarotonga and the outer islands gather at the National Auditorium in Rarotonga to present new dances, songs, drum beats and costumes expressing the cultural theme chosen for that particular year. THE THEME for this year's celebration is TE REO O TOKU ENUA/MATAKEINANGA Teams from the outer islands will also be selling crafts and other produce from their home during island days throughout the festival. This year's celebrations are the biggest for many years and mark the 46th anniversary of the Islands gaining independence. Other events during the festival include coconut husking, and a Maori food festival.
Te Maeva Nui Celebrations
Fri 27th
Float Parade
Te Maeva Nui
Sat 28th
Market Day (Punanga Nui Markets)
Te Maeva Nui
Sun 29th
Choir Competition
Imene Tuki (Traditional Singing)
Te Maeva Nui
Tues 31st
Island Trade Day
Cultural Performances
August
Te Maeva Nui
Wed 1st
Island Trade Day
Cultural Performances
Te Maeva Nui
Thur 2nd
Island Trade Day
Cultural Performances
Te Maeva Nui
Fri 3rd
Cultural Performances
Te Maeva Nui 2012 Celebrations
Sat 4th
Market Day
Tangi Kaara Competition
August
Prize Giving / Awards
Official Closing Ceremony
Reception for TE MAEVA NUI TEAMS
Te Maeva Nui Rugby 7’s Tournament
Sat 4th to Sat 6th
COOK ISLANDS NATIONAL SELF GOVERINIG
Mon 6th
COMMEMORATIVE DAY – PUBLIC HOLIDAY
End of School Holidays
Tues 7th to 5th October
School Term 3 Begins
Rarotonga Main Football Season (11-A-Side)
Mon 20th to 18th Dec
Canoeing – National Distance Series
Aug
Squash – National Champs
Aug
September
Fathers Day
Sun 1st
Canoeing – National Distance Series
Sept
Rarotonga Club 15’s Grand Finals
Sat 22nd
ROUND RARO ROAD RACE (main race)
Sat 22nd
October
School Holidays Begins (1 Week)
Fri 5th to Mon 15th
End of Term 3
Te Mire Tama 2012 - Maine Tiare & Tama Aito Competition
Thurs 11th
National Auditorium Miss Tiare Pageant & the Young Warrior Competition
Crowning of Miss Tiare 2012/2013 & the 2012/2013Young Warrior
The crowning of the new Miss Tiare is the finale of the annual Tiare festival, Which this year begins in October. And as if to prove there is equality in the islands, a new feature of the event was introduced last year for the young men.
They'll compete in the Young Warrior (Tama Aito) event. The young women also have to choose a flower that best represents them, while the young men pick a plant or tree. And all have to recite a speech and showcase their own personal talent.
Edgewater Women’s & Men’s Cricket Competition
Oct
School Holiday Ends
Mon 15th to Fri 14th December
Term 4 Begins
National Gospel Day – Public Holiday
Fri 26th
Cook Islanders are very religious...but who says religion can't be fun?! Gospel days are public holidays for celebrating the arrival of Christianity. Events are organised by the Cook Islands Christian Church (CICC) and the churches themselves compete against each other to put on the best show. Islanders dress up, stage elaborate dramas or "nuku", sing, dance, play music and generally have a great time
Rarotonga Primary Schools Mixed Rippa Rugby Championships.
Tues 30th
U15 College Rugby 7’s Championships
Wed 31st
Canoeing – National Distance Series
Oct
Squash – Cook Islands Open
Oct
Club Raro Cook Islands Squash Open, so get ready for some of the hottest squash action in the south pacific.
ANZ Mini Tennis Program
Oct – Dec
November
Turama – All Souls Day
Thur 1st
Graves may not be everyone's idea of a tourist attraction, but on Rarotonga they're a spectacular sight on 1st November each year when islanders decorate them with flowers, and candles (real and solar powered!) which burn throughout the night. Turama is a an ancient Roman Catholic celebration of All Souls Day (2nd November) when people gather at gravesides, laugh about happy times and tell stories of their departed loved ones. On the evening of the 1st, the church holds a requiem mass at the cathedral in Avarua. The priest blesses holy water and takes it to the nearby cemetery at Panama, close to the airport. He sprinkles it on the graves as a symbol of the water used at baptism as a sign of the promise of eternal life. After a short prayer service, and as the sun sets, people light the candles.
Cook Islands International Rugby 7’s Tournament
Thur 1st to Sat 3rd
Also known as ‘Sevens In Heaven', rugby 7s is fast becoming one of the most sought after 7s competitions in the Pacific.
VAKA EIVA – Paddling/Canoeing Festival
Fri 16th to Friday 23rd
Vaka Eiva has been referred to “the most fun event on the paddling planet!” and that would just about sum up the weeklong festival which has the largest number of International Paddlers.
December
Te Mire Tiare 2012
Sat 1st
National Senior/Vets Tennis Championships
Tues 4th
National Junior Tennis Championships 2012
Tues 4th to Sat 9th
Flora Decorated Government & Business Properties
Wed 5th
Flora Decorated School Properties
Fri 7th
School Holidays Begins
Fri 14th
End of Term 4
Rotaract Christmas in the Park
Dec
Christmas Day – Public Holiday
Tues 25th
Boxing Day – Public Holiday
Wed 26th
Christmas Day – Public Holiday
Thur 27th
Squash – Christmas Tournament
Dec
Events from earlier in 2012
January
New Years Day
Sun 1st
Turou & Welcome to the New Year
New Year Day (observed public holiday)
Mon 2nd
School Term 1 Begins (12 Wks)
Mon 30th to April 20th
Primary Schools, Private Schools, Colleges commences here on whole of the Cook Islands. Term 1 proceeds for a 12 week period and ends on the 20th April. School Holiday is for 2 weeks and is due back on the 7th of May.
Welcome to Cook Islands Tennis
Thur 26th to March
M.Kajer Junior Tennis Development Program
Cook Islands Tennis Association Tournaments are held in Nikao
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 16/05/2012 11:23:37 a.m.
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