Community & Business
18 March, 2025
Cook Islands centre of World Day of Prayer
Oakey’s Cook Islander community took centre stage at a service celebrating the World Day of Prayer last Friday (March 7th) at Oakey Uniting Church.
Speaker May Arioka spoke about life in the Cook Islands, while Jondaryan’s Graham Cooke talked about visiting as a tourist.
The centre text of the day was Psalm 139:14, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made”.
A specially composed hymn was sung to the Psalm’s words, set to a tune by Ruru Maeva, with the first verse sung in Cook Island Maori and the second sung in English.
After the service, a delicious lunch was served in the Church Hall.
The Cook Islands are made up of 15 small volcanic islands scattered over two million square kilometres of the Pacific Ocean.
The country is self-governing, “in free association” with New Zealand.
A council of hereditary leaders, the House of Ariki (High Chiefs) advises the government of traditional matters of land ownership and customs.
The London Missionary Society brought the Christian Gospel to the Cook Islands in 1821.
