Rarotongan (Māori)

Rarotongan is a variety of Cook Islands Māori spoken on the island of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, where is has official status. There are 14,000 speakers in the Cook Islands, according to the 2011 census, and 7,725 speakers in New Zealand, according to the 2013 census.

Rarotongan is also known as Māori, Cook Islands Māori (Māori Kūki 'Āirani) or Te reo Ipukarea (the language of the Ancestral Homeland). It is closely related to Taihitian and Maori.

Other Cook Islands Maori dialects include Rakahanga-Manihiki, Tongareva (Penrhyn), Aitutaki, Mangaia, and the Ngaputoru dialects of Atiu, Mitiaro and Mauke.

Rarotongan alphabet and pronunciation

Notes

The macron (te makarona) and glottal stop (amata) are not used in everyday writing by most Rarotongan speakers.
F is only used in Manihiki dialect
S is only used in Penrhyn dialect
H is only used in Manihiki and Penrhyn dialects

Download a Rarotongan alphabet chart (Excel)

Sample text in Rarotongan

Kua anau rangatira ia te tangata katoatoa ma te aiteite i te au tikaanga e te tu ngateitei tiratiratu. Kua ki ia ratou e te mero kimi ravenga e te akavangakau e kia akono tetai i tetai, i roto i te vaerua piri anga taeake.

A recording of this text by Tamati Taylor

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Sample video in and about Rarotongan

Information about Rarotongan | Numbers | Tower of Babel

Link

Information about the Rarotongan Language
http://www.biroz.net/otherpages/tahiti/raro.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rarotongan_language
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rarotonganische_Sprache

Online Rarotongan courses
http://www.tuatuamai.co.nz

Online Rarotongan dictionaries
http://www.cook-islands-maori-dictionary.org

Rarotongan grammar
http://books.google.co.uk/

Polynesian languages

Anutan, Austral, Emae, Futuna-Aniwa, Futunan, Hawaiian, Kapingamarangi, Mangareva, Māori, Marquesan (North), Marquesan (South), Mele-Fila, Moriori, Niuafoʻou, Niuatoputapu-Tafahi, Niuean, Nukumanu, Nukuoro, Nukuria, Ontong Java, Penrhyn, Pukapukan, Rakahanga-Manihiki, Rapa, Rapa Nui, Rarotongan, Rennellese, Samoan, Sikaiana, Tahitian, Takuu, Tikopia, Tokelauan, Tongan, Tuamotuan, Tuvaluan, Vaeakau-Taumako, Wallisian, West Uvean

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 23.04.21

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