Editing Cook Islands (section)

==History==
{{Main|History of the Cook Islands|British Western Pacific Territories}}
The Cook Islands were first settled around AD 1000<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://journals.lib.washington.edu/index.php/BIPPA/article/download/11533/10166 |last1=Chikamori |first1=Masashi |title=Development of coral reefs and human settlement: Archaeological research in the Northern Cook Islands and Rarotonga |journal=Bulletin of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association |date=1996 |volume=15 |pages=45–52 |doi=10.7152/bippa.v15i0.11533 |doi-broken-date=1 November 2024 |access-date=21 August 2020}}</ref> by [[Polynesian people]] who are thought to have migrated from [[Tahiti]],<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document/Volume_72_1963/Volume_72%2C_No._2/East_Polynesian_relationships%2C_by_Kenneth_P._Emory%2C_p_78_-_100 |title=East Polynesian Relationships: Settlement Pattern and Time Involved as Indicated by Vocabulary Agreements |author=Kenneth P. Emory |journal=Journal of the Polynesian Society |volume=72 |issue=2 |pages=78–100 |date=1963 |access-date=26 August 2020 |archive-date=6 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006051833/https://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document/Volume_72_1963/Volume_72%2C_No._2/East_Polynesian_relationships%2C_by_Kenneth_P._Emory%2C_p_78_-_100 |url-status=dead }}</ref> an island {{convert|1154|km|mi nmi}} to the northeast of the main island of Rarotonga.

The first European contact with the islands took place in 1595 when the Spanish navigator [[Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira]] sighted the island of [[Pukapuka]], which he named ''San Bernardo'' (Saint Bernard). [[Pedro Fernandes de Queirós]], a Portuguese captain at the service of the [[Spanish monarchy|Spanish Crown]], made the first European landing in the islands when he set foot on [[Rakahanga]] in 1606, calling the island ''Gente Hermosa'' (Beautiful People).<ref name="Hooker 1998 54–62"/>

British explorer and naval officer Captain [[James Cook]] arrived in 1773 and again in 1777,<ref>Thomas, Nicholas (2003). ''Cook : the extraordinary voyages of Captain James Cook'', Walker & Company, {{ISBN|0802714129}}, pp. 310–311.</ref> giving the island of [[Manuae (Cook Islands)|Manuae]] the name ''Hervey Island''. The ''Hervey Islands'' later came to be applied to the entire southern group. The name "Cook Islands", in honour of Cook, first appeared on a Russian naval chart published by [[Adam Johann von Krusenstern]] in the 1820s.<ref name=Hist1>{{cite web|url=http://www.cook-islands.gov.ck/history.php |title=Cook Islands Government website |publisher=Cook-islands.gov.ck |access-date=18 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326003510/http://www.cook-islands.gov.ck/history.php |archive-date=26 March 2009  }}</ref>

In 1813 [[John Williams (missionary)|John Williams]], a missionary on the colonial brig ''Endeavour'' (not the same ship as Cook's) made the first recorded European sighting of [[Rarotonga]].<ref name="History"/> The first recorded landing on Rarotonga by Europeans was in 1814 by the ''Cumberland''; trouble broke out between the sailors and the Islanders and many were killed on both sides.<ref name="History">{{cite web|url=http://www.ck/history.htm|title=History of the Cook Islands|publisher=Ck/history|access-date=18 November 2011}}</ref> The islands saw no more Europeans until English missionaries arrived in 1821. Christianity quickly took hold in the culture and many islanders are Christians today.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|date=9 January 2018|title=Cook Islands profile – Timeline|language=en-GB|work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-16495600|access-date=19 February 2021}}</ref>

The islands were a popular stop in the 19th century for [[whaling]] ships from the United States, Britain and Australia. They visited, from at least 1826, to obtain water, food, and firewood.<ref>Robert Langdon (ed.) ''Where the whalers went: an index to the Pacific ports and islands visited by American whalers (and some other ships) in the 19th century'', (1984) Canberra, Pacific Manuscripts Bureau, pp. 16, 24.</ref> Their favourite islands were Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Mangaia and Penrhyn.

[[File:Cook Islands Annexation Ceremony.jpg|thumb|Governor [[Lord Ranfurly]] reading the annexation proclamation to [[Makea Takau Ariki|Queen Makea]] on 7 October 1900.]]
The [[Kingdom of Rarotonga|Cook Islands]] became aligned to the United Kingdom in 1890, largely because of the fear of British residents that France might occupy the islands as it already had Tahiti.<ref name="PIM1933-5">{{cite web| last =Ward | first =Charles James | work= IV(3) Pacific Islands Monthly |title= How Cook Islands Became British |date = 20 September 1933|url= https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-310918876/view?partId=nla.obj-310932142#page/n19/mode/1up| accessdate=27 September 2021}}</ref> On 6 September 1900, the islanders' leaders presented a petition asking that the islands (including [[Niue]] "if possible") should be annexed as British territory.<ref name="Kenneth Roberts-Wray 1966. P. 891">''"Commonwealth and Colonial Law"'' by [[Kenneth Roberts-Wray]], London, Stevens, 1966. p. 891</ref><ref>N.Z. Parliamentary p., A3 (1901)</ref> On 8 and 9 October 1900, seven instruments of cession of Rarotonga and other islands were signed by their chiefs and people. A British Proclamation was issued, stating that the cessions were accepted and the islands declared parts of Her Britannic Majesty's dominions.<ref name="Kenneth Roberts-Wray 1966. P. 891"/> However, it did not include [[Aitutaki]]. Even though the inhabitants regarded themselves as British subjects, the Crown's title was unclear until the island was formally annexed by that Proclamation.<ref>"Commonwealth and Colonial Law" by Kenneth Roberts-Wray, London, Stevens, 1966. p. 761</ref><ref>N.Z. Parliamentary Pp., A1 (1900)</ref> In 1901 the islands were included within the boundaries of the [[Colony of New Zealand]] by Order in Council<ref>S.R.O. & S.I. Rev. XVI, 862–863</ref> under the Colonial Boundaries Act, 1895 of the United Kingdom.<ref name="Kenneth Roberts-Wray 1966. P. 891"/><ref>58 & 59 V. c. 34.</ref> The boundary change became effective on 11 June 1901, and the Cook Islands have had a formal relationship with New Zealand since that time.<ref name="Kenneth Roberts-Wray 1966. P. 891"/>

The Cook Islands responded to the call for service when [[World War I]] began, immediately sending five contingents, close to 500 men, to the war. The island's young men volunteered at the outbreak of the war to reinforce the Māori Contingents and the Australian and New Zealand Mounted Rifles. A Patriotic Fund was set up very quickly, raising funds to support the war effort. The Cook Islanders were trained at Narrow Neck Camp in [[Devonport, New Zealand|Devonport]], and the first recruits departed on 13 October 1915 on the SS ''Te Anau''. The ship arrived in Egypt just as the New Zealand units were about to be transferred to the Western Front. In September 1916, the Pioneer Battalion, a combination of Cook Islanders, Māori and Pakeha soldiers, saw heavy action in the Allied attack on Flers, the first battle of the Somme. Three Cook Islanders from this first contingent died from enemy action and at least ten died of disease as they struggled to adapt to the conditions in Europe. The 2nd and 3rd Cook Island Contingents were part of the [[Sinai and Palestine campaign|Sinai-Palestine campaign]], first in a logistical role for the Australian and New Zealand Mounted Rifles at their Moascar base and later in ammunition supply for the Royal Artillery. After the war, the men returned to the outbreak of the influenza epidemic in New Zealand, and this, along with European diseases meant that a large number did not survive and died in New Zealand or on their return home over the coming years.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Manava Toa: the Cook Islands in WWI|url=https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/discover/stories/blog/2019/manava-toa-the-cook-islands-in-wwi|url-status=live|access-date=8 June 2021|website=[[Auckland Museum]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513065846/http://www.aucklandmuseum.com:80/discover/stories/blog/2019/manava-toa-the-cook-islands-in-wwi |archive-date=13 May 2019 }}</ref>

When the [[British Nationality and New Zealand Citizenship Act 1948]] came into effect on 1 January 1949, Cook Islanders who were [[British subject]]s automatically gained [[New Zealand citizenship]].<ref>[http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/citizenship/3 3. Aliens and citizens – Citizenship – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand]. Teara.govt.nz (4 March 2009). Retrieved 26 December 2012.</ref> The islands remained a New Zealand dependent territory until the New Zealand Government decided to grant them self-governing status. On 4 August 1965, a constitution was promulgated. The first Monday in August is celebrated each year as [[Public holidays in the Cook Islands|Constitution Day]].<ref>{{Cite CIA World Factbook|country=Cook Islands|access-date=4 August 2019}}</ref> [[Albert Henry (politician)|Albert Henry]] of the [[Cook Islands Party]] was elected as the first Premier and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.<ref name=":2" /> Henry led the nation until 1978, when he was accused of vote-rigging and resigned. He was stripped of his knighthood in 1979.<ref name=":2" /> He was succeeded by [[Tom Davis (Cook Islands)|Tom Davis]] of the [[Democratic Party (Cook Islands)|Democratic Party]] who held that position until March 1983.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Craig|first=Robert D.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Julc0FIsYMEC&q=Albert+Henry+was+succeeded+by+Tom+Davis&pg=PA57|title=Historical Dictionary of Polynesia|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|year=2011|isbn=978-0-8108-6772-7|page=57|language=en}}</ref>

On 13 July 2017, the Cook Islands established [[Marae Moana]], making it become the world's largest [[protected area]] by size.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/335067/cook-islands-marae-moana-legislation-passed|title=Cook Islands Marae Moana legislation passed|date=13 July 2017|publisher=[[RNZ]] |access-date=27 February 2022}}</ref>

In March 2019, it was reported that the Cook Islands had plans to change its name and remove the reference to Captain James Cook in favour of "a title that reflects its 'Polynesian nature{{'"}}.<ref name="telegraphname">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/03/05/cook-islands-change-name-remove-association-captain-cook/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/03/05/cook-islands-change-name-remove-association-captain-cook/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Cook Islands to choose new indigenous name and remove any association with British explorer|newspaper=Daily Telegraph|access-date=6 March 2019|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="radionzname">{{Cite web|url=https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/383948/cook-islands-government-backs-name-change-body|title=Cook Islands government backs name change body|date=5 March 2019|website=[[Radio New Zealand]] |language=en-nz|access-date=6 March 2019}}</ref> It was later reported in May 2019 that the proposed name change had been poorly received by the Cook Islands diaspora. As a compromise, it was decided that the English name of the islands would not be altered, but that a new Cook Islands Māori name would be adopted to replace the current name, a transliteration from English.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/radio-australia/programs/pacificbeat/cook-islands-name-change/11140916|title=Cook Islands: Backlash over name change leads to compromise traditional name|work=Pacific Beat with Catherine Graue|publisher=ABC News|date=23 May 2019|access-date=26 November 2019}}</ref> Discussions over the name continued in 2020.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2 July 2020|title=Renewed calls for the Cook Islands to take on indigenous name|work=[[RNZ]] |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/420385/renewed-calls-for-the-cook-islands-to-take-on-indigenous-name}}</ref>

On 25 September 2023, the United States recognised Cook Islands sovereignty and established diplomatic relations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/365588|title=Statement on the Recognition of the Cook Islands and the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations|date=25 September 2023|publisher=The American Presidency Project|access-date=25 September 2023}}</ref>