Language focus for Niue Festival
Media release
14 December
2016
Language focus for Niue Festival
Niue Island’s fifth Arts and Cultural Festival next April will be a major showcase for Vagahau Niue – the island’s language.
Niue Tourism Chief Executive Felicity Bollen says fostering language is key to maintaining a vibrant and rich culture in any nation – and Niue is no different. “If anything, because of our size and isolation – and the fact that the Niuean people are spread over a number of different countries – it’s even more important that that we celebrate the Niuean language.”
The Festival will run from 14-21 April 2017, showcasing a rich tapestry of activities including music, dance, theatre, art, poetry, song-writing, sculpture, textiles (including wearable arts), printing, film, writing, carving and weaving. A number of activities will run in the week preceding the Festival, beginning with a performance by cultural groups from Niue High School on 6 April.
Well known Niuean artists including musicians Che Fu and Malcolm Lakatani, renowned artist John Pule and writer Zora Feilo will take part in the Festival, which will feature workshops, performances, exhibitions and competitions at venues across the whole island.
Most events are free to the public but a number are ticketed. Bookings for many of the events can be made at Niue Tourism’s offices. A full programme is available at www.niuefestival.com
(And watch out for the Air New Zealand’s Pacific airfares in January for great deals to Niue).
Ends
Niue snapshot
Niue is a large upraised coral atoll 2400km and a 3.5-hour flight north-east of NZ, in the centre of a triangle formed by Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands. Located east of the international dateline, the island is serviced by Air NZ with two flights in and out a week and has a host of natural attractions including some of the clearest ocean water in the world, providing spectacular snorkelling, diving and fishing, forest and scenic walks and many small coves providing safe swimming. The island has a resident Niuean population of around 1200 people and is a self-governing nation aligned closely with NZ, with its own Parliament and Premier. To find out more about Niue please visithttp://www.niueisland.com