Our Mission is to maintain, collect, conserve and preserve archival records as historical assets for the use of future generations. Tāoga Niue’s role is to promote and strengthen the mission statement and ensure all assets are properly stored and maintained. These include items such as microfilm records to avoid further deterioration or loss. The Collection of Archival Materials currently under the care of Tāoga Niue Department are records from the period of New Zealand Resident Commissioners to Niue (early 1900s to 1969), Reports and Publications (1970s to 2002), Hurricane Housing Agreements (1959 -1961), Niue and European Staff Files (early 1900s to 1980s). Part of the collection is currently housed together with the National Museum assets in the new facility, Fale Tāoga Niue. The rest in shipping containers and inside former classrooms of Niue Primary School after the relocation of Tāoga Niue Department to Halamahaga in 2018. The need to house them together with the Collection outlined above have on-going challenges as current facility (Fale Tāoga Niue) do not have sufficient space for the Archives.
Archival materials are also located at the following facilities:
- Fono (Cabinet and Parlimentary Services)
- Department of Justice, Land and Survey
- Various Government Departments including Government Statutory Bodies and Central Agencies departments
- Churches
Past development to the present time
- 1990 – The Archives and post Librarian/Archivist were established, with the specific task of maintaining records stored at Fale Fono.
- 1992 – An Assistant Archivist post was created, and Parliament passed the Archives Act.
- 1993 – The Archives/Library shifted to a government residence.
- 2004 – Cyclone Heta damaged the Archives and Library, salvaged collection transferred to Halamahaga. Team of Conservators from the New Zealand Preservation Office visited and provided assistance to the salvaging of items as well providing an assessment on their condition and system for future preservation and conservation. Representative from PAMBU visited and provided assistance to the microfilming of Justice Department land records.
- 2006 – National Archives and National Museum became part of the newly established Tāoga Niue Department.
- 2007 – First visit of the New Zealand Archives Team to analyze the salvaged collection and commenced listing and boxing.
- 2008 – Second visit of New Zealand Archives Team to provide record keeping advice, cataloguing of the Niue Broadcasting Corporation media materials.
- 2009 – Both the Archives and Museum Collection relocated to a nearby storage area and the rest inside shipping containers and Tāoga Niue Department Office space at Paliati.
- 2010 – Cabinet approved the Record keeping Code of Best Practice and General Retention and Disposal Schedule as working Policies for all government agencies to follow.
- 2018 – Both the National Archives and National Museum relocated back to Halamahaga.The collection has undergone transformation since its early beginnings of being regarded as insignificant in terms of priorities, poor handling, survived make shift storage spaces and the effects after Cyclone Heta, 2004. Archives New Zealand with the financial support provided by NZ Aid, came to the rescue in 2007 with the listing and boxing of the collection with follow up visits in 2008. The initial assessment was made by the NZ National Preservation Office in February 2004. The whole exercise provided a database of what we have in the collection and training of staff to continue with the work. We have introduced the same system to Administrative Services Department for Personnel Records, Health Department with Deceased Patient Files and the Niue Legislative Assembly Hansards and Reports. Staff were able retrieve information more effectively with less time spent on searching through the Register and endless boxes. However and unless we have a sufficient space for public access and restoration work, the whole collection will be shelved away in spaces we are able to identify. The Sector is now faced with another challenge to fully embrace digital archiving and address the many shortfalls we are going through. This can only be achieved with changes as to how we view record keeping as an effective tool in the decision making fora and how we recognize ourselves, ko e tau Tagata Niue.
Overview & Objectives
General Overview
This sector administers the Niue Archives Act 1992 and is responsible for ensuring all Departments and government agencies follow Government Record keeping Code of Best Practice and Retention’s Schedule in the safekeeping and maintenance of all official records.
Objectives
- Effectively maintain a pest free archives collection for the use of researchers, students and general public.
- Establish and develop a collection of Niue resources for the use of the general public.
- Provide custody, preservation, conservation and storage of all archival materials held in the National Archives.
- Provide thorough budgetary requirements for the running and maintenance of the National Archives.
Depository Form (to complete when depositing an artefact or any other matter/ item of Niue National Museum and National Archives interest)