Living here in Rarotonga full-time as a family means we get to witness some pretty spectacular cultural moments. But every now and then, an event comes along that is so thick with Pacific pride that it leaves you completely awestruck.
Today was one of those days.
We had the absolute privilege of witnessing the celebrations for Te Rā o te Ui Ariki – Ariki Day, or the “Day of the Council of High Chiefs”. The Ui Ariki are the highest-ranking traditional chiefs in the Cook Islands, serving as cultural leaders alongside the church and government.
Te Rā o te Ui Ariki: Ariki Day 2026
While Ariki Day is an official public holiday every year, this year’s celebration was on a completely different scale. It marked the 60th Anniversary of the Are Ariki (the House of Ariki), celebrating six decades of customary leadership and national governance since its official establishment back in 1966.
This monumental anniversary celebration of the House of Ariki meant that not only leaders from the Cook Islands were celebrated but traditional leaders and dignitaries from around the Pacific came to Rarotonga for the week’s events.
A Week of Double Celebrations: School Life & Māori Language Week
Because we live here with our boys, Harry and Oscar, we love seeing how these big national events weave their way into everyday community life.
This historic week beautifully coincided with Māori Language Week in the Cook Islands, which meant the schools were also full of cultural pride and energy.
Our boys go to Apii Nikao, and their school went all out with daily activities. One day was dedicated to Traditional Games, where the kids competed in traditional Cook Islands sports. On other days, each marae (class) was learning local arts, crafts, and traditional weaving.
The highlight of the school week though happened on Thursday with the Apii Nikao Singing Competition.
Each marae has spent weeks studying a specific island within the Cook Islands and learning a traditional song from that island:
- Harry’s class represented the southern island of Mangaia called “Auau E”.
- Oscar’s class stayed local, learning a beautiful song from Rarotonga around Te Rua o te Tonga.
- My ECE (Early Childhood Education) students did amazingly learning a beautiful song from the island of Mauke called “Akatokamanava.”
It is exactly the kind of immersive island life we feel so lucky to give our boys.
Read all about ECE, Primary and Secondary Schools in Rarotonga.
What Happens During Ariki Week?
With Friday being a national public holiday, it was a shorter but packed week at school.
But there are other formal events for the Ui Ariki and guests on the island as part of the official celebrations:
- The Commemoration: The House of Ariki held its Annual General Meeting at Parliament, where the Ariki gathered to discuss the future of traditional leadership and preservation.
- Key Events: There are many events around the island with traditional welcomes, cultural performances, speech addresses, and traditional vaka (outrigger canoes and voyaging canoe Maramara Atua) in the Avarua Harbour.
Ui Ariki Day: Ra o te Ui Ariki
On Friday morning, we headed down to the main celebrations, at the National Auditorium in Avarua.
The Friday was a National Public Holiday for Ra o te Ui Ariki – Ariki Day (the Day of the Council of High Chiefs).
Welcoming Ariki and Traditional Leaders of the Pacific
First was the arrival of the guest dignitaries, leaders, and chiefs from across the Pacific – the Prince of Hawaii, the New Zealand Māori Queen Te Arikinui Kuini Ngā Wai hono i te pō, and Ariki representing Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia, PNG, the Solomon Islands, French Polynesia, and more.
Next was the formal arrival and traditional welcome for Kaumaiti Nui Travel Tou Ariki, the President of the House of Ariki and the highest chief of the Cook Islands, the King’s Representative, Sir Tom Marsters, and the Deputy Prime Minister and government officials.
Then was the arrival and welcome of the remaining Cook Islands leaders.
There are 26 Ariki as part of the Are Ariki (House of Ariki) representing Rarotonga and the Southern and Northern Cook Islands.
They looked incredible. Each of them was wearing their distinct, traditional attire from their island. It is a very grand, ceremonial dress made from natural fibres, shell headpieces (ei Katu), and beautifully woven materials from each of the different islands.
Umu Kai & The Lesson of the Raurau
No major Pacific celebration is complete without food, and the event wrapped with an absolute mountain of Umu Kai traditional food.
The food is distributed to all the guests in traditional raurau (beautifully hand-woven leaf bowls).
In previous years, we’ve always been a bit shy and managed to miss out on parts of the feast. But this year, we were handed three raurau!
Gavin mentioned we didn’t need that much, but the Aunty organising smiled and reminded us that this is exactly what the day is about – taking abundance home to share it around. So that is exactly what we did! 🍱❤️
Our Advice for Visitors
If you ever find yourself planning a trip to Rarotonga, or if you are lucky enough to be living here on the island, keep a close eye on the calendar for late June or early July.
Experiencing Ariki Day – especially a major milestone anniversary like this one – is a rare and special experience to be part of. It is a side of the Cook Islands that goes so much deeper than the beautiful beaches and lagoons.
We are always grateful for the privilege of this life here in the Cook Islands and the beautiful community we get to be a part of. If you get the chance to witness it, grab it with both hands!
Meitaki ma’ata for reading, and we’ll see you out on the island! 🇨🇰✨
Read More About Travel to Rarotonga
- 10 Foods To Try In Rarotonga.
- Charter Fishing In Rarotonga.
- All About The Rarotonga Bus.
- Hiring A Scooter In Rarotonga.
- Renting A Car In Rarotonga.
- Choosing A Lagoon Cruise In Muri, Rarotonga.
- Rarotonga Reef Explorer Tour With Ariimoana.
- Is Dengue Fever A Worry For Travel To Rarotonga?
- Transport And Getting Around Rarotonga.
Travel Planning for Cook Islands and Beyond
These are the companies we use and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – Best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. Easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for.
- Skyscanner – This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world. Everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel including those who have already left home. Make sure you have travel insurance before holidaying to Rarotonga!
Hi! I’m Sarah. I am the self-confessed dreamer, travel-schemer and the main editor behind this blog. I love to write, and it is a dream come true to share so many experiences together and inspire others in our stories.
