Lay summary
Physical literacy is a rising concept in health promotion, offering a nuanced and holistic approach to incorporating physical activity across the lifespan. Despite its potential, the discourse on physical literacy has notably overlooked the inclusion of Pacific voices and Indigenous perspectives to date. Cultural relevancy is critical to the success of health promotion strategies, as beliefs, values, and cultural background significantly influence a population's reception of health messages. The purpose of this research is to develop a reconceptualised framework for understanding physical literacy within a Cook Island context. This will enable the creation of effective and culturally appropriate health promotion strategies underpinned by physical literacy. A Cook Islands Māori perspective and research framework is adopted to conduct this research and guide our methodology.