What are the Religions in the Cook Islands?
The Cook Islands is a predominantly Christian country. Christianity was introduced to the islands around 150 years ago and has been going strong ever since.
Christianity influences cultural norms, such as observing Sunday as a day of worship and rest. The church also plays a part in social interactions, providing guidance and redistributing goods and services to those in need. As a visitor, participating in a church service or observing Christian holidays with the locals is a great way to immerse oneself in the local culture. Find out more about religions in the Cook Islands in the guide below.
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A (Quick) History of the Religions in the Cook Islands
In pre-missionary times, the Cook Islands had their own ancient religion, which was consistent with island cultures across Polynesia. Gods such as Vatea, Tangaroa, Rongomatane, and Tane, as well as demigods like Maui and Rata, were known across Polynesia, including in the Cook Islands.
One of the most important gods, who is the inspiration for carvings produced across the Cook Islands even to this day, is Tangaroa, the god of the sea and fertility.
Stories and worship of the ancient gods were replaced with Christianity during the 19th-century missionary period. Reverend John Williams from the London Missionary Society (LMS) left two Tahitian preachers on Aitutaki for two years, returning to an island that was almost fully converted by 1883. Over the next 50 years or so, the rest of the Cook Islands followed suit.
Learn more about the missionary history of the Cooks in A Brief History of Rarotonga & the Cook Islands.
© CookIslandsPocketGuide.comChristianity in Rarotonga and the Cook Islands
The religion most represented in the Cook Islands is Christianity with around 84.2% of the population identifying with one of the Cook Islands’ main Christian denominations. Religion is sacred in the Cook Islands, where Sundays are widely considered a day of worship and rest.
Where to Experience Christianity in the Cook Islands as a Tourist
Visitors to Rarotonga and the Cook Islands are welcome to join Sunday worship in churches across the islands. Churches are found in all villages, while some villages in the smaller outer islands share a church. For the visitor, going to a Cook Islands church is an experience of listening to the powerful a cappella harmonies and seeing the locals dress in their finest rito (coconut palm frond) hats crafted on the distant island of Penrhyn.
Note that anyone going to a church in the Cook Islands needs to dress respectfully, covering their knees and shoulders. Think your Sunday best! See more tips in the 10 Best Churches in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands for Visitors.
The Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter are also great times to be in the Cook Islands to witness celebrations of these holidays. Learn more in How to Spend Christmas in the Cook Islands and The Guide to Easter in the Cook Islands.
Christian Denominations Represented in the Cook Islands
These are the main Christian denominations found in the Cook Islands in order of popularity:
- Cook Islands Christian Church (CICC) – 49.1%
- Roman Catholic – 17%
- Seventh Day Adventist – 7.9%
- The Church of the Latter-Day Saints – 4.4%
- Assemblies of God – 3.7%
- Apostolic Church – 2.1%.
Around 7% of the population belongs to six more Christian denominations.
© CookIslandsPocketGuide.comOther Religions in the Cook Islands
Around 1% of the population of the Cook Islands belongs to a religion other than Christianity, according to a 2016 census. 5.6% of the population doesn’t belong to any religion.
The Baha’i Faith is the only non-Christian religion represented in the Cook Islands (which is the majority of that extra 1% of the population). There is a Baha’i Faith Centre in Ngatangiia, just outside of Muri on Rarotonga.
Islam represents a small religious minority in the Cook Islands, accounting for less than 0.10% of the population. Although there have been attempts to establish a mosque on Rarotonga, this initiative has faced controversy related to land rights issues.
© CookIslandsPocketGuide.comFrequently Asked Questions About Religion in the Cook Islands
Finally, check out the frequently asked questions about the religions in the Cook Islands and see if your question is answered!
Are There Muslims in Cook Islands?
Islam is a tiny religious minority in the Cook Islands. Although there have been attempts to establish a mosque on Rarotonga, this initiative has faced controversy related to land rights issues.
Who Brought Christianity to the Cook Islands?
After converting Tahiti to Christianity, Reverend John Williams is cited as the one who brought Christianity to the Cook Islands along with two Tahitian preachers, Papeiha and Vahapata. See A Brief History of Rarotonga & the Cook Islands to learn more about the history of Christianity in the Cooks.
More About Religion in the Cook Islands
That’s it for our guide to the religions in Rarotonga and the Cook Islands. To learn more about the culture of the Cooks, check out our other guides:
- A Traveller’s Guide to the Cook Islands Culture
- Who are the People of the Cook Islands?
- Cook Islander Etiquette: Rarotonga & Cook Islands Customs & Traditions
Finally, get the full picture of planning a trip to the Cook Islands using The Best Cook Islands Travel Guide.
Sources:
The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across the Cook Islands and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:
- Cook Islands Tourism Corporation (General travel advice - Updated [2025])
- Cook Islands Tourism Industry Council (Tourism trade association - Updated [2025])
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (Visa and immigration advice - Updated [2025])
- Ministry of Finance & Economic Management (Border restrictions advice - Updated [2025])
- Ministry of Agriculture (Biosecurity advice - Updated [2025])
- Cook Islands Meteorological Service (Weather forecast and warnings - Updated [2025])
- Cook Islands Statistics Office (Statistics and travel data - Updated [2025])
- Ministry of Transport (Transport operators and licenses - Updated [2025])
- SPTO (Pacific tourism advice - Updated [2025])
- Safe Travel (New Zealand travel advisory for the Cook Islands - Updated [2025])
- Smart Traveller (Australia travel advisory for the Cook Islands - Updated [2025])
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