Coat of arms of the Cook Islands Coat of arms of the Cook Islands The coat of arms of the Cook Islands has a shield as its focal point. The shield is blue with fifteen white stars arranged in a circle, as found on the national flag, and is supported by a flying fish ("maroro") and a white tern ("kakaia"). The helmet is an ariki head-dress ("pare kura") of red feathers, symbolising the importance of the traditional rank system, and the name of the nation is on a scroll below the shield. The achievement is augmented by a cross and a Rarotongan club ("momore taringavaru") used by
Sport in the Cook Islands Sport in the Cook Islands Rugby league is the most popular sport in the Cook Islands, with soccer and rugby union as the next most popular/played sports. In September 2009, the country hosted the 2009 Pacific Mini Games. Rugby league is the most popular sport in the Cook Islands. The Cook Islands were introduced to rugby league in 1988, when the Cook Islands national rugby league team played their first match against the New Zealand Maori team. In the mid-1990s, rugby league in the Cook Islands received significant funding through the SuperLeague organisation; however, money from this source is no