1. T h e B e a u t i f u l

2. T h e B e a u t i f u l Territory: Number of Islands: Population: Capital: Area: Major language: Major religions: Life expectancy: Monetary unit: Main exports: Internet domain: International dialling code: Cook Islands 15 15,600 (UN, 2012) Avarua, on Rarotonga 237 sq km (91 sq miles) English and Cook Islands Maori Christianity 70 (men), 76 (women) (UN) 1 New Zealand dollar ($NZ) = 100 cents Black pearls .ck +682 P R O F I L E 3. T h e B e a u t i f u l Rarotonga Aitutaki Mangaia Atiu Mauke Takutea Palmerston Mitiaro Tongareva Rakahanga Manakiki Nassua Suwarrow Pukapuka Penrhyn/Tongareva I S L A N D S SOUTHERN GROUP NORTHERN GROUP 4. T h e B e a u t i f u l Snorkelling Kayaking Hiking Biking Skootering A C T I V I T I E S 5. jgfddc W o m a n s c o s t u m e M e n s c o s t u me T h e B e a u t i f u l D A N C E C O S T U M E S 6. A typical drum team usually involves five or more drummers: A lead drummer (patetaki), support lead (pate takirua),a double player(tokere or pate akaoro),wooden gongs and two other players on skin drums(pau and mango). The music of the cook islands is characterised by heavy drums and ukuleles. T h e B e a u t i f u l M U S I C 7. Some justification for this since the art of dance is taken very seriously in the Cook islands. Each island has its own special dances and these are practised assiduously from early childhood. There are numerous competitions throughout the year on each island and these are hotly contested. My community connects to koromatua because a student from our school performed a cook island dance in the groove idol. T h e B e a u t i f u l D A N C E , H O W M Y C O M U N I T Y L I N K S T O K O R O M A T U A 8. B L A C K P E A R L S ,W H Y M Y C O M MU N I T I E S U N I Q U E T h e B e a u t i f u l Black pearls are mainly found in the Cook islands. Cook Islands black pearls are farmed in one of the most remote and beautiful parts of the world. On the atolls of Manihiki, Rakahanga and Tongareva (Penrhyn), around 1200 km north of Rarotonga, pearl farming is the lifeblood of these communities. Cook Islands black pearls are farmed in one of the most remote and beautiful parts of the world. On the atolls of Manihiki, Rakahanga and Tongareva (Penrhyn), around 1200 km north of Rarotonga, pearl farming is the lifeblood of these communities. The industry is the country's second biggest income earner (after tourism). Black Pearls are a special souvenir Cultivating black pearls is a long and complex interaction between nature and technology. It is a relatively new industry here (the first cultivated black pearls were harvested in 1988) and is still small on an international scale but has become very important. Thats what makes cook islands unique.