The objective of this research was to investigate sex, sexuality and sexual relationships through the voices of young people in the Cook Islands (a small developing nation in the Pacific) to develop a contextually appropriate, needs-led, sexuality and relationships educational resource to be implemented by educators in the Cook Islands.

This research is underpinned by a Cook Islands research framework known as the Tivaevae Research Model (Maua-Hodges, 2001, 2016). The research unfolds as a metaphorical tivaevae (hand-made quilt) that represent young Cook Islanders? views of gender, sex, sexuality, and relationships. The research sample consisted of 674 Cook Islanders who were aged between 15 and 24 years who answered 35 questions in the questionnaire, and 97 young people who participated in six focus groups. Participants were drawn from all population settlements throughout the Cook Islands and encompass more than 20% of the youth population.

Contribution is made to the literature on sexuality education by documenting young Cook Islanders? sexual subjectivities and how these are shaped by dominant discourses that circulate within the Cook Islands. The research methods were designed to empower youth in the Cook Islands by using their knowledge and experiences of sex and sexuality education and to identify their perceived needs in these areas. The research project then utilises these findings to develop a needs-led Cook Islands sexuality and relationships education resource consisting of twenty lessons. Countries in the Pacific usually use educational resources developed on the ideas other countries perceive they have for such purposes; so development of such a resource has the potential to be useful for other Pacific nations. In an attempt to resist dominant medicalised approaches to sexuality education, the sex positive resource uses poststructural and cultural theoretical concepts to support young people in critiquing dominant discourses.

The research extends the understanding of the sexual subjectivity of young people in the Pacific as much literature related to sex and young Pacific people stems from a medical and / or sexual reproductive health lens. Therefore, the findings associated with young Cook Islanders? conceptualisations of their sexual knowledge and sexual experiences are unique and reveal that non-monogamy, sexual violence and heteronormativity feature in young people?s sexual lives.

This research therefore has important implications for the health and wellbeing of young people in the Pacific and the ways that they enact gender, sex, sexuality and relationships in their lives.