Ra o te Ui Ariki 1st Friday in July

The Cook Islands are a self-governing island country in free association with the New Zealand. People inhabited the islands around 1000 years ago and the first European contact took place in 1595. In 1890, the Cook Islands aligned with the United Kingdom and became part of the British Dominions in 1900. United incorporated the islands into the colony of New Zealand a year later.

In 1965, the islands became a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand. In the same year, the House of Ariki, a parliamentary body, was suggested, which was built in 1967. The House of Ariki is made up of 24 Cook Islands High Chiefs (Ariki). Accordingly, Ra o te Ui Ariki can be translated as “Day of the Great Council of Chiefs”.