[lg policy] New Zealand: Niueans called on to preserve their mother tongue

Fri Apr 14 14:29:31 UTC 2017

Niueans called on to preserve their mother tongue
11:54 am on 14 April 2017
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[image: Indira Stewart]
Indira Stewart <http://www.radionz.co.nz/authors/indira-stewart>, RNZI
Journalist
@Indira_on_tweet <https://twitter.com/Indira_on_tweet>
indira.stewart at radionz.co.nz
<indira.stewart at radionz.co.nz?subject=Niueans%20called%20on%20to%20preserve%20their%20mother%20tongue>

Niuean leaders are calling for locals and Niueans living abroad to fight
for the preservation of the Niuean language.
[image: Delegates at Vagahau Niue Conference April 2017.]

Delegates at Vagahau Niue Conference April 2017. Photo: RNZI / Indira
Stewart

They have gathered at the Vagahau Niue Conference held in the village of
Mutalau this week.

The 2 day conference has brought together speakers from corporate,
government and NGO sectors from across the South Pacific with the united
aim of helping Niueans sustain and use their language to strengthen their
culture and maintain ties with Niue nationals living abroad.

Tifaole Ioane, who is the Chairperson of the Niue Language Commission, said
that while colonisation has had its benefits, it also led to the
suppression of Vagahau Niue.
[image: Tifaole Ioane is the chairperson of the Niuean Language commission.]

Tifaole Ioane is the chairperson of the Niuean Language commission.
Photo: RNZI/Indira
Stewart

She went to primary school in Niue in the 1960's and recalled how children
were forbidden to speak Vagahau Niue in school.

"In my own time, you know, having gone to school here, I can remember
having to be punished for speaking Niuean and having to write lines "I must
not speak Niuean. I must not speak Niuean..."

Back then, she said, locals were taught that their culture and language
were inferior to that of the west and the English language. Now, elders are
trying to turn that mentality around.
[image: Vagahau Niue Conference April 2017]

Vagahau Niue Conference April 2017 Photo: RNZI / Indira Stewart

"The problems that colonisers had left behind you know, they've taught us
well to look down on our culture, to look down on our language" she said.

"You know, at this late stage, we're trying to grip onto it and trying to
think otherwise. Now we're learning that there is a lot of value in our own
culture."
[image: A ukulele band performing at the knighting ceremony of Sir Toke
Talagi on Niue March 2017]

A ukulele band performing at the knighting ceremony of Sir Toke Talagi on
Niue March 2017 Photo: RNZI/Sally Round

Guest speaker, Ina Vakaafi, moved back to Niue from New Zealand with her
family when she was seven years old.

She arrived in 1990, just two years after all the outer schools were
amalgamated into one primary school in Niue's capital, Alofi.
[image: Niue from the air]

Niue from the air Photo: RNZI/Sally Round

She said she was placed in a mono-lingual classroom with other children of
expatriates living in Niue, until she could merge into the bilingual
classrooms where Vagahau Niue was used in the curriculum.

"I only knew English, I was in a monolingual class and I noticed that I was
the only brown kid in there and I asked the teacher 'Ok, how do I get to
*that* class?' and she said 'You need to learn your Vagahu Niue'" she
explained

"I found it so hard just trying to get my lunch off my cousin. She spoke
vagahau Niue, I only spoke English. So those are some of the things that
motivated me to learn quickly."
[image: There are more Niueans in New Zealand then in Niue.]

There are more Niueans in New Zealand then in Niue. Photo: Niue Youth
Network

While 1600 Niueans live on island, about 30,000 Niueans live overseas.

Dr Robert Early, who is the Head of the Department of Languages at the
University of the South Pacific and also spoke at the conference, said that
makes it even more challenging to sustain Vagahau Niue.

He had high praises for the locals who he thought were doing a great job in
making sure the language is preserved.

"I think the people here have made some absolutely amazing progress in some
of the resources that they've developed, in their education programmes,
their commitment, their language policy environment that they've created
through the National Language Commission and so on," he said.
[image: The Niue Youth Network says retaining Vagahau Niue is important.]

The Niue Youth Network says retaining Vagahau Niue is important. Photo: Niue
Youth Network

"So there are a lot of really good signs in place for continuing to support
the maintenance and even the development and expansion of the Niuean
language in Niue itself."

Ms Vakaafi said Niue youth, both local and abroad, often lack confidence to
speak Vagahau Niue because they're embarrassed they might say something
wrong.

She added that it was crucial that Vagahau Niue is passed on and more youth
should be encouraged and supported to sustain it.

"We are the custodians of a language that very few people speak, and we
should be proud of that. But we need to be sure that we pass it on the best
that we can to the next generation."
[image: Niuean youth are seen as the key to retention and development of
Vagahau Niue.]

Niuean youth are seen as the key to retention and development of Vagahau
Niue. Photo: Niue Youth Network
http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/328816/niueans-called-on-to-preserve-their-mother-tongue

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