Religion in the Cook Islands
In antiquity, Cook Islanders practiced Cook Islands mythology, before widespread conversion by the London Missionary Society during the nineteenth century. In modern times, the Cook Islands are predominantly Christian, with the largest denomination being the Cook Islands Christian Church.[1][2]
History
Pre-European contact
The Cook Islands were settled at some point between 900 and 1200 CE by Polynesian settlers, who brought with them Polynesian mythology. Over the following centuries, this developed distinctive characteristics in the islands, forming a unique mythology local to the islands. Legends and stories were passed down in an oral tradition through songs and chants.[3] On the island of Rarotonga, the physical landscape was heavily tied to religion, with all marae (sacred buildings) constructed oriented towards Ara Metua, the ancient road around the island.[4]
Cook Islands mythology included
Missionary activity and spread of Christianity
In 1821, John Williams of the London Missionary Society landed at Aitutaki and began using Tahitian converts to spread Christianity. In 1823, John and his wife Mary were on the first European vessel to officially sight Rarotonga, the Endeavour. In 1834 the couple returned to Britain to supervise the printing of the New Testament of the Bible in Cook Islands Māori. John was killed in Vanuatu in 1839, and a memorial stone was erected to him in Rarotonga that same year.[10]
Williams had become the first recorded Reverend of the Cook Islands in 1821, at
Demographics
The majority of
According to the 2016 Cook Islands census:[15]
Religious affiliation | Population | Percent |
---|---|---|
Christian | 12,866 | 86.92 |
Cook Islands Christian Church | 7,225 | 48.81 |
Roman Catholic |
2,574 | 17.39 |
Seventh-day Adventist |
1,249 | 8.44 |
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
609 | 4.11 |
Assemblies of God | 569 | 3.84 |
Jehovah's Witness |
357 | 2.41 |
Apostolic | 283 | 1.91 |
Irreligion/Not Stated | 1,097 | 7.41 |
Other | 839 | 5.67 |
Total | 14,802 | 100 |
According to the CIA World Factbook:[1]
Religious affiliation | Percent |
---|---|
Protestant | 62.8 |
Cook Islands Christian Church | 49.1 |
Seventh-day Adventist Church | 7.9 |
Assemblies of God | 3.7 |
Apostolic Church | 2.1 |
Roman Catholic |
17 |
Mormon |
4.4 |
Other | 8 |
None (Irreligion) | 5.6 |
No response | 2.2 |
Total | 100 |
See also
- Mythology of the Cook Islands
- Culture of the Cook Islands
- Demographics of the Cook Islands
References
- ^ a b "Australia-Oceania ::: COOK ISLANDS". CIA The World Factbook. 24 July 2023.
- ISBN 9789820200234.
- ^ a b William Wyatt Gill (1876). Myths and Songs from the South Pacific. Henry S. King & Co. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
- S2CID 162885134.
- ^ William Wyatt Gill (1880). Historical sketches of savage life in Polynesia; with illustrative clan songs. Wellington: George Didsbury, Government Printer.
- ISBN 982-02-0171-3.
- ISBN 978-0143504078.
- ISBN 0-313-25890-2.
- ISBN 0473011336.
- ^ "Wills & Admons = Pt II, KÜCK, John". q.v. Public Record Office (PRO). Retrieved 6 February 2010.
- ISBN 0-918373-99-9.
- ^ Cook Islands Christian Church Archived 2011-05-21 at the Wayback Machine, oikoumene.org, accessed 2008-03-19.
- ^ "Bill signals change for Cook Islands Christian Church" Archived 2008-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, press release, 3 July 2003, cook-islands.gov.ck, accessed 2008-03-19.
- ISBN 9789820200234.
- ^ "2016 Cook Islands census" (PDF). mfem.gov.ck. 2016. p. 20. Retrieved 13 August 2020.