Niue Language Week

About Niue Language Week

Niue is one of world's largest coral islands. With over 30 000 people living in Aotearoa New Zealand, the Niue population is the fourth-largest Pacific community. According to the 2018 New Zealand census, 75% of Niue peoples who live in Aotearoa reside in Auckland.

Niue Language Week provides an opportunity for students to learn, speak, and celebrate the indigenous language of Niue, through language, song, dance, cultural displays, and community events.

Niue Language Week helps all New Zealanders journey towards shared cultural understandings. Learning a new language gives us insight into new ways of thinking, and to different beliefs and cultural practices. Through this learning we acquire knowledge, skills, and attitudes that help us live in our culturally diverse world.

Curriculum connections

Vagahau Niue Week supports the curriculum principles of cultural diversity and inclusion, and provides an opportunity for students to explore the values of diversity, community, and respect. Students can achieve learning outcomes described in the learning languages area and make use of key competencies, especially using language, symbols and texts, and relating to others.

How can you get involved?

Some ideas for classroom programmes or school-wide activities:

Make connections to your community
There is a chance that you will have some Niuean speakers in your school community. Encourage those students and their families to be experts during Niue Language Week and validate their expertise in front of other students. Support them to teach Niuean and prepare the Niue Language Week celebrations for the school, placing an emphasis on shared language experiences.

Discussion starters 
Use the following questions as discussion starters with your class:

• "Why is it important for all New Zealanders to celebrate and learn Niuean?" 
• "What benefits will this bring to New Zealanders of Niuean descent?" 

This YouTube video could be used to explore how Niuean New Zealanders are working together to protect their language and culture.  

Learn some simple words and phrases
Words and phrases you could try:

• Hello: Fakalofa atu
• Good morning: Monuina e pogipogi
• Goodbye (to one person): Koe kia
• Have a nice day: Monuina e aho
• Please: Fakamolemole
• Thank you: Fakaue
• How are you?: Malolō nakai a koe?
• Food time!: Magaaho Kai!

You can use this education language resource to learn the basics in Vagahau Niue.

Explore what it means to be Niuean
Inspired by “You know you are Niuean when…” , ask your Niue students to give a speech on this theme. Make it into a YouTube clip, or ask other schools in your cluster to participate and use it as a theme for a speech competition.

Pasifika dual language books
Ask a grandparent or parent to come and read to children in the classroom/library at lunchtime. Check your resource room for Vagahau Niue titles from the Pasifika dual language resources. If students have Vagahau Niue speakers at home, give them Vagahau Niue books to take home.

Weaving
In Niue, weaving (especially hats) is a tradition carried out by both men and women. Watch this video which describes the value of weaving in Niue. Introduce your students to basic weaving skills by getting them to weave placemats using coloured paper. Older students could try harder designs instead of the basic straight lines. 

Instructional series 

Another great way to get your students involved in Niue Language Week is to incorporate it into your reading and writing programme. The Instructional Series offers the following texts: 

John Pule, Artist of the Pacific, School Journal Level 4, October 2012
This article describes the life and work of John Pule, a well-known Pasifika artist and poet. 

Lavalava, Ready to Read, Level 1
In this personal report, Sofi, a girl from Niue, talks about her family and when they wear lavalava.

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