Niuean bilingual class opens in West Auckland

Te Kura o Pātiki Rosebank School has launched their vagahau Niue bilingual learning unit, the first of its kind in West Auckland.

Teacher Violet Ukutaula is eager to get started, admitting she couldn’t sleep in the lead up to the blessing ceremony.

“It’s like having my culture come full circle. I get to connect to my roots again, but it’s not only for me, now I can bring them along on the journey together."

The mixed-level class already has fifteen students enrolled, including students from other areas.

Ukutaula has a lot planned, including a performance at the end of term.

“They’ll be learning liogi, prayers in Niuean, singing hymns, so that’s just to start them off in getting to know each other and where they come from, to learn their fakamatala, their mihi.

“Hopefully they go home and they practice at home, and then that will encourage their parents too.”

Census 2018 figures show 30,867 Niueans living in New Zealand, and 1,620 in Niue itself.

The Niue language is described by UNESCO as "definitely endangered", and Ukutaula is very aware of the dwindling number of fluent speakers.

“Our language is dying. Our matuas are passing away and the language is going with them. So being able to do something about it, to slow that trajectory and to sustain our language is such an honour for me.”

Parent Johnean Stowers has Māori and Samoan heritage, but says it’s an opportunity for her six year old Charlie-Jayne to learn about Dad’s side of the family.

“This is really special to carry on their lineage, their culture, their customs, even though my partner is New Zealand-born Niuean, little things like this made a big difference in the long run.

“Niuean was my daughter’s first language, however when she started kura, we had to switch to English as her languages were getting muddled up, so her coming into the Niuean unit will bring both those worlds together in such a beautiful way.”

Charlie-Jayne (6) with her mum, Johnean Stowers. Photo/PMN News/Khalia Strong

Community collaboration

Ukutaula is in her sixth year of teaching at Rosebank School, and says the unit has taken years of effort between the school, the Vagahau Niue Trust and the Ministry of Education, after it was prompted by a conversation.

“A parent wanted it and came in and asked if we would run a unit in our area. So we went to my Principal, had a chat with them, and from there our board supported it, they could see that our language needed to be revived.”

Rosebank School already has a dedicated Māori and Samoan unit, and Ukutaula hopes the Niue classroom will become a central hub for the local community, along with opportunities with Auckland's two other Niue bilingual units.
“Rowandale, Favona, they’re pioneering too and we’ve all come together to try and help each other, which I love the most.”

Vagahau Niue Trust chair Carissa Posimani-McCay says it's exciting to see a bilingual unit opening at her old school. Photo/PMN News/Khalia Strong

Vagahau Niue Trust chair Carissa Posimani-McCay says the West Auckland unit recognises the longstanding Niuean community in Avondale.

“We’ve had a lot of our main Niue people settle in West Auckland, and especially around this vicinity and they’ve been here for a very long time.

“This was actually my first primary school that I attended in 1979 and a lot of my cousins went through this school, and the footprint for our tagata Niue is actually long and very old, so coming back today to open this unit with our people is super exciting.”

In true teacher style, Ukutaula ends with a positive message to the next generation of Vagahau-Niue learners.

“Speak whatever you know, whatever little language that you have, use that and use it in whatever sphere you exist in. So be encouraged, we’re all learners and it’s a journey.”

Watch Rosebank School teacher Violet Ukutaula's interview on Pacific Mornings: