Launch of Online Rarotongan Dictionary
On Friday 8 August, Te Ipukarea Research Institute hosted Keu Mataroa, the Cook Islands Consul General to New Zealand, to launch the online Dictionary of the Māori language of Rarotonga ("The Savage Dictionary") to end Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki 'Airani.
Compiled by Stephen Tipinini Tivini Taina Haweti (Savage), the Savage Dictionary was first published in 1962 by the Department of Islands Territories. The Savage complements the existing Cook Islands dictionaries including:
- Cook Islands Maori Dictionary by Jasper Buse & Rautui Taringa. This dictionary was edited by Bruce Biggs & Rangi Moeka'a and was originally published in 1995
- Shibata Dictionary of the Tongareva Language published in 2003
- The Marshall Dictionary of the Mangaian language
These dictionaries are all free to access online.
Professor Tania Ka'ai, who leads the Dictionary of Cook Islands Language project, says online dictionaries are a hugely valuable resource assisting language learners regardless of where they are. “Te Ipukarea is proud to be able to do this kind of important work on Indigenous language revitalisation to empower our island communities wherever they are in the world.
"The completion of the digitisation of the Savage dictionary is truly a celebration as it is a resource that will be accessible by people all over the world especially our own Cook Island community.”
Professor Ka’ai acknowledged the many people over a decade who have helped on the project and hope that they will soon realise the fruits of their labour by the many users of the resource.