Netball in the Cook Islands and Mixed Netball Tournament. A demonstration of the Cook Islands success can be found by looking at the national team: It is one of the top ranked in the world. Netball has grassroots support and plays an important part in the life of women on the islands. There are over 15 netball clubs. Beyond club competitions, the game is played at schools and at national festivals like the Manea Games. The game's reach extends beyond traditional gender boundaries and is also being played by some Cook Islander men. Netball has benefited from several high visibility players and administrators, who have
Flag of the Austral Islands symbolizes the archipelago. The red stripes are a reminder that the archipelago is part of French Polynesia, and blue symbolizes the sea. The colors are prescribed as red Pantone 185c and blue Pantone 286c. On 4 December 1985 the Territorial Government decreed that the flags of the archipelagos and islands of French Polynesia may be flown next to the French Polynesian Territorial and French National flags. The former flag of the Austral Islands has a white vertical stripe placed along the hoist, covering 1/3 of the flag length and containing the writing ARCHIPEL / DES / ILES / AUSTRALES ("Archipelago