After having landed at the Rarotonga airport, the Customs officer smiles to you and says: "Kia orana ! Welcome to the paradise on Earth".
No need to add more.
Kia orana means "hello" in the Cook Islands language.
You can also use it to say "thanks".
Cook Islands: A tropical paradise in the South Pacific.
The Cook Islands are a group of 15 islands located in the South Pacific Ocean. They are a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand. The Cook Islands are known for their stunning white-sand beaches, crystal-clear waters, and lush rainforests. They are a popular destination for honeymooners, families, and adventure travelers.
The Cook Islands are located in the South Pacific Ocean, about 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) northeast of New Zealand. The islands are divided into two groups: the Southern Cook Islands and the Northern Cook Islands.
The Southern Cook Islands include Rarotonga, the largest island in the group, and Aitutaki, which is known for its perfect lagoon.
The Northern Cook Islands include Mangaia, the oldest inhabited island in the group, and Penrhyn, which is home to the world's largest raised coral atoll.
The Cook Islands have a tropical climate with warm temperatures and high humidity. The average temperature ranges from 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit (24 to 29 degrees Celsius). The rainy season is from November to April, while the dry season is from May to October. The Cook Islands are home to a diverse array of plant and animal life. The islands are covered in lush rainforests with an incredible variety of trees, plants, and flowers, as well as a diverse marine life, including fish, sharks, rays, and turtles.
In the Cook Islands, it is quite common to find graves in the gardens of family homes. This is largely due to cultural traditions and practical reasons. In the Polynesian (Maori) culture of the Cook Islands, family land is very important. Burying loved ones on the land serves to keep ancestors close to the family, strengthen the spiritual connection to the land, and demonstrate that the land has belonged to the family for generations. Furthermore, in the Cook Islands, much of the land is ancestral land (customary land), passed down within the family. Graves therefore become a kind of marker of family history on the land and reinforce the family's right to that land.
Finally, on small islands like Rarotonga or Aitutaki, public cemeteries are few or small, so burying close to home is easier for visiting and caring for the grave.