Pule fakamotu Ke 50 Aki (1974 – 2024)
50th Anniversary of Self Government (1974 – 2024)
" The sovereign and ethnic standing of the
people of Niue will be secured and will thrive as
the driving force in the development and
sustainability of Niue as a viable living
community "
“ Develop, sustain, and enhance the sovereign and ethnic identity of the people of Niue
through their own distinctive language, customs and traditions, arts and crafts, and history ”
“ You cannot eat culture but you will be hungry without it” (Terry M Chapman, 2005)
Fakalofa lahi atu and Welcome to Tāoga Niue
“Nākai maeke e tagata ke kai haana a tau aga fakamotu ka e tō hoge a ia ka nākai hā hā ai mo ia”.
Ko e talahauaga fakamotu ne fakakite he taha tupuna he Tāoga Niue he Fakamatalaaga Fetoko Vagahau Niue he Aoga Tokoluga, tau 2005. Ko e talahauaaga ke fakamalolō aki e tūaga mo e tau fakavēaga he tagata Niue mo e kia taofi mau e aoga he tau aga fakamotu ke taki aki e tau momoui. Nākai maeke ke kai e tau mena oti ia ka e to hoge foki e tagata Niue ka nākai fai tapikiaga atu ki ai.
The Niue saying was composed by one of the founding fathers of Tāoga Niue at the Niue High School Vagahau Niue Speech Competition in 2005. A call to strengthen the identity and values of the tagata Niue and value the importance of culture in our livelihoods. We cannot eat all those things but a Niue person will be hungry if unable to understand the principles of who we are and why we are here.
The impact from the decline of population poses many challenges to our role as guardians of our tāoga and we must reach out to every Niue person in ensuring that our Niue identity, Vagahau Niue,heritage and values are strengthened and sustained for years to come.From all this we can build a striving and sustainable Niue for our people.
Tāoga Niue is an initiative established in 2003 to pro-actively address concerns about the viability and sustainability of Niue as living community. The national investment in culture and heritage in the past has been very modest with main focus being on economic development and social initiatives and demands. There was apparently a mistaken assumption that the culture and the people of Niue would sustain itself, without too much conscious investment or efforts. Moreover, the adverse impact on culture as a direct consequence of the continuing decline in the size of the resident population over the past 55 years.
We acknowledge the work provided by Members of the Tāoga Niue Advisory Committee (pictured) in the development of the Strategy since it was first approved by the Government of Niue in 2003. The information highlighted under the 7 Strategies were provided by the members, who put their heart and soul to develop the initiative and elucidate the meaning of ‘Tāoga Niue’.
We invite you to be part of this exciting journey.
Fakaaue lahi mo e ki a monuina.
The meaning of Tāoga
In short the meaning of the word tāoga, according to the Vagahau Niue dictionary is “treasure or precious possession”. The extended meaning in the context and purpose of Tāoga Niue is as follows: “Precious heritage treasures into which a Niuean is born”. These are treasures fostered and handed down by the tau tupuna from generation to generation, right through to this day. These heritage treasures are represented by:
- Language
- Customs and traditions
- Arts and craft
- History
The source of these heritage treasures is the people having as their own a country and environment, and their intrinsic right to sovereignty. This coming together in harmony with their heritage treasures sustains the spiritual and physical identity and the personality of the people of Niue. The concept of tāoga is many things, but above all it represents the spirit and the physical being of Tagata Niue.
While the Department is the immediate face of Tāoga Niue, it is not Tāoga Niue. It is part of Tāoga Niue, and although it is principally its coordinating, facilitating and monitoring arm, the department in addition will have its own separate functions and responsibilities. (Please refer Tāoga Niue Act 2012). The Department had been part of the Ministry of Social Services (MOSS) since 2014. Our sister departments under the Ministry are Education, Health and Justice Lands & Community Services.
Ownership
All Niue people and descendants of Niue people living in Niue, including Niue people abroad who wish to retain their ethnic affiliation and identity, and non-Niue people who wish to adopt Niue as their sovereign home, have the right to be stakeholders of Tāoga Niue. Ownership is structured in the following manner:
- Tagata tokotaha – individual
- Magafaoa – family
- Maaga – village
- Motu – country
Matapatu Fekau he Faahi Gahua Tāoga Niue – Department Mission
Tāoga Niue Department is the coordinating, facilitating and monitoring arm of Tāoga Niue and established under the Tāoga Niue Act 2012 and the central coordinator of all matters relating to tāoga Niue. It is also the Secretariat for Vagahau Niue Commission and Tāoga Niue Council and responsible for administering the Archives Act 1992 and the Vagahau Niue Act 2012. The Department also manages the daily operations of the Niue National Archives and the Niue National Museum and is committed to the effective implementation of its core functions and most importantly be a competent body to
safeguard the intangible cultural heritage of Niue.
The Department’s mission is “to provide effective and efficient coordinating, monitoring and facilitation role in the promotion and strengthening of Niue cultural heritage, values, language and identity”.
“Ke fakaholo fakamitaki mo e fakalotomatala e tau gahua fakamaopoopo, hakahaka mo e matakaki ke he fakalaulahiaga mo e fakamalolōaga he tau fakavēaga ma e tau tāoga, vagahau mo e tūaga he tagata Niue”
Our Guiding Principles
- We pride ourselves as leaders in the promotion and strengthening of Niue’s cultural heritage.
- We value Vagahau Niue, the very first tāoga in the promotion and transmission of Tāoga Niue and its work policies.
- We value the contribution of all Niue people in sustaining our many tāoga including those who have adopted Niue as their sovereign home.
- We value our identity in our continuing dialogue and consultation with development partners in sustaining Tāoga Niue.
- We value our duty as guardians to the protection of our unique cultural heritage.
- Kua matalahi a mautolu ko e tau takitaki ke he fakalaulahiaga mo e fakamalololōaga he Tāoga Niue.
- Kua mailoga fakalahi e mautolu e Vagahau Niue ko e tāoga
fakamua ke he fakalulahiaga mo e fakapuloaaga he Tāoga Niue mo e tau
fakavēaga gahua. - Kua mailoga e mautolu e tau gahua he tau tagata Niue
oti ke fakatūmau aki e loga he ha tautolu a tau tāoga fakalataha mo
lautolu kua eke a Niue mo motu mooli ha lautolu. - Kua mailoga e mautolu ha mautolu a tau tutūaga ke he tau
fakatūtalaaga mo e tau matakau atihake ke he fakatūmauaga he Tāoga
Niue. - Kua mailoga e mautolu a mautolu ko e tau leveki ke he puipuiaga he ha tautolu a tau tāoga
Tau Manatu Fakaaue
Kua fakaaue atu a mautolu ke he Kautaha Fakapuloa Leo ha Niue ke he tau lagomatai ke liu lagaki mo e atihake e kupega hila nai. Ko e kititaaga foou a nai mo e kua tālaga mai he tau fakamatalaaga ne taute he tau 2005 – 2010 fakalataha mo e tau lagomatai mai ia RockET Systems.
Nakai fai hiki e fakatilaaga ke he tau fakalaulahiaga mo e tau fakamalolō ke he Tāoga Niue kua pūhala mai he tau veveheaga ne fitu kua fakakite ki loto he tauteaga nai. Amanaki lahi ke tūmau e tau fakailoaaga ke he gahua he Faahi Gahua Tāoga Niue mo e kamata e tau fakatūtalaaga ke he tau manatu kua iloa mau ki ai.
Acknowledgement
We are grateful for the support and technical assistance provided by Niue Broadcasting Corporation (BCN) in the re-establishment and development of this website. This is a new presentation and building on from the information developed under the original site from period 2005 – 2010 including assistance provided by RockET Systems.
Our aim to promote and strengthen Tāoga Niue through the 7 strategies as specified under this site has not changed. We intend to update you with happenings in the Department in terms of coordinating, facilitating and monitoring arm of Tāoga Niue and generate discussions on matters of common interest.
Please contact us at info@taoganiue.nu