Cook Islands Language Week

Avondale College proudly celebrated Cook Islands Language Week with a fun-filled week of activities, cultural experiences and opportunities for students to learn more about the Cook Islands language and heritage.

This year’s theme was “Me kite koe i te tuatua i to'ou reo tupuna, e turanga rangatira tena nō'ou no te uki amuri atu,” which translates to “With our language as our foundation, we will embrace the future.” The theme highlights the importance of celebrating and preserving language as a connection to culture and identity.

Tuesday kicked off the celebrations with a Homeroom Cook Islands Kahoot Quiz. Students put their knowledge to the test while learning fun facts about the Cook Islands language and culture.

On Wednesday, students could head to D Block for a food tasting fundraiser, where generously sized, fresh doughnuts were available for the bargain price of $2.

Thursday brought out everyone's creative side, with students taking part in Cook Islands-inspired crafts.

The week concluded on Friday with Culture Wear Day. Students and staff embraced the celebration by wearing an ei katu (flower crown) and traditional Cook Islands necklaces. There was also a special Cook Islands dance demonstration in the C13 Dance Studio, where students had the opportunity to watch traditional performances and even learn a few dance moves themselves.

A huge meitaki maata (thank you) to Ms Alai and Ms Dennison for organising such an amazing Cook Islands Language Week. Their hard work helped create a vibrant celebration of Cook Islands culture and language across our school.