cook islands

Events In History

Articles

Pacific Islanders in the NZEF

  • Pacific Islanders in the NZEF

    Cook Islanders, Niueans, Fijians and Gilbert Islanders all took their place in the ranks of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force during the First World War. As well as the dangers of war, Pacific soldiers faced language difficulties, an unfamiliar army diet and European diseases.

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  • Page 2 – Niueans and Cook Islanders

    Information about Niuean and Cook Island soldiers who were part of the 3rd Maori Contingent in 1916.

  • Page 3 – The Rarotongan Company

    Information on the New Zealand Rarotongan Company, which served in the Sinai and Palestine campaigns 1916-18.

  • Page 5 – Difficulties faced by Pacific Islanders

    Information on the difficulties faced by Pacific Islanders when they left their island homes for the first time and entered the army.

  • Page 6 – Roll of Honour

    List of soldiers from the Cook Islanders and Niue who were killed in the First World War

Anzac Day in the Pacific

  • Anzac Day in the Pacific

    Armistice Day was the initial focal point for commemorations in the Cook Islands and Niue after the First World War. But because men from both countries had served in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, observances gradually shifted to Anzac Day in April

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  • Page 2 – Early commemorative efforts

    During the 1920s war memorials provided a focus for commemoration services in the Cook Islands, where the first Anzac Day service was possibly held in 1927. On Niue, Armistice

  • Page 3 – The growth of Anzac Day

    By the end of the Second World War military commemorations in the Cook Islands and Niue centered around Anzac Day. Services in both countries followed the pattern of those in

  • Page 4 – Present day commemorations

    In the new millennium there has been increasing interest in the story of Pacific Island involvement in the First World War. In the Cook Islands there have been efforts to

  • Page 5 – Further information

    Books and further reading relating to the history of Anzac Day in the Pacific Islands of Niue and the Cook Islands

Pacific aftermath

The 1960s

  • The 1960s

    Five decades ago most Kiwis enjoyed a standard of living that was the envy of other nations. During the 1960s the arrival of TV and jet airliners shrank our world, and New Zealanders began to express themselves on a range of international issues, including opposition to the Vietnam War.

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  • Page 8 - 1965 - key eventsA selection of the key events in New Zealand history from

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