In free association with New Zealand, the Cook Islands have been granted increased autonomy throughout its history and in 1981, the Coook Islands adopted a local anthem. The composer of the music, Sir Thomas Davis, was Prime Minister of the Cook Islands at the time the anthem was composed, and was also married to the lyricist, Tepaeru Terito, a chief (Ariki) of one of the tribes of the Islands.
The Cook Islands also has the royal family of Great Britain as their head of state, and the British anthem is the Cook Islands royal anthem.
Special thanks to: Ben Cahoon for some of this information