Fakaalofa lahi atu! Niue Language Week - Faahi tapu he vagahau Niue celebrates the culture and language of the more than 23,883 people of Niuean heritage who live in New Zealand.1 There are over 495 people of Niuean heritage in Christchurch.2 This page highlights our resources about Niue and the Niuean language. 2019 Niue Language Week is on from Sunday 13 October to Saturday 19 October.
The theme for this year is:
Tokiofa, ofania, mokoina e vagahau Niue.
Treasure, love and cherish the Niue language.
Niue Language Week - Faahi tapu he vagahau Niue library events 2019
Family Makerspace Monday 14 October 3.30pm to 4.30pm
Come along and make your very own Niuean leaf envelope and write a message for someone you would like to celebrate or thank.
Free, no bookings required. Aranui Library.
Niuean Storytime Thursday 17 October 10.30am to 11am
Enjoy stories, songs and rhythms in vagahau Niue.
Free, no bookings required. Aranui Library.
Family Makerspace Saturday 19 October 2.30pm to 4pm
Join Pasifika Librarians in weaving a Niuean Lili (table mat) to use at home. Come along to the Hapori floor's Creative Space to have fun, create, craft and make cool stuff.
Free, no bookings required. Creative Space, Hapori | Community, Level 1, Tūranga
Facts on Niue / Folafolaaga hagaaoia ke he motu ko Niue
- Niue is an elevated coral atoll with fringing coral reefs encircling steep limestone cliffs. It has a landmass of 259km and its highest point is about 60 metres above sea level.
- The island is commonly referred to as “The Rock”, a reference to Niue being one of the biggest raised coral islands in the world.
- Niueans are citizens of New Zealand.
- The capital of Niue is the village of Alofi.
- Niue (pronounced “New-e (‘e’ as in ‘end’ – which means ‘behold the coconut’) may be the world’s smallest independent nation.
- Niue lies 2400 km northeast of New Zealand between Tonga, Samoa and the Cook Islands.
Find Niuean resources in our collection
- Resources in Niuean
- Bilingual Niuean-English dictionaries
- Children's stories in Niuean
- Resources about Niue
- Children's resources about Niue
- Niue in Britannnica Library Adults
- Niue in World Book Online Reference Center
Niuean language and culture
- Vagahau Niue Language Week from the Human Rights Commission
- Read Pasifika salutations on the Pacific Languages Week webpage, Ministry for Pacific Peoples.
- Vagahau Niue Trust which is responsible for events and activities associated with Vagahau Niue
- Vagahau Niue Language Week from Te Kete Ipurangi, including links to useful Vagahau Niue words and phrases [155KB PDF]
- All about the Rock blog post from Te Papa Tongarewa
Footnotes
- 1. Statistics New Zealand, 2013 Census ethnic group profiles: Niuean, accessed 9 October 2015
- 2. NZ.Stat, Ethnic group (total responses), for the census usually resident population count, 2001, 2006, and 2013 Censuses, accessed 9 October 201
