South Auckland primary school doing its bit to save Vagahau Niue

Songs and dances echoed from the Manurewa school as students, teachers, and their families welcomed a new age of Vagahau Niue learners.

Rowandale Primary School unveiled and blessed their newest Niue immersion unit called Matala Mai - Aoga Ha Rowandale.

School board chair Jane Hakeagatoa-Tauepule says they’re buzzing to see staff and students' hard work come to fruition.

“We’re so excited, it’s a very emotional time. We’re celebrating a unique language within our lives.”

Manurewa School, Rowandale Primary's Niue bilingual unit has the symbol of Niue's national flower, the Fiti Pua. Photo/PMN News

Hekeagatoa-Tauepule says this has been a momentous occasion for the community, families, school staff and Vagahau Niue.

While the bilingual unit was established in 2023, the school decided to postpone a grand opening to ensure students had a firm grasp in their Vagahau and to coincide with Niue's government celebrating 50 years as a self-governing state.

“Some of our students are half Niuean or don’t have any Niuean in them, so we wanted to make sure they were comfortable to take and endorse the language that they’re going to celebrate.

“It was ideal to have it at a year that ties in with our Niue government self-governing at 50 years, it’s an extra milestone.”

Around a hundred people attended the grand opening of Matala Mai - Aoga Ha Rowandale, the school's Niue bilingual unit on Wednesday, 10 April. Photo/PMN News

There are about 40 students enrolled in the Matala Mai unit and it’s the third Primary School Niue bilingual unit in the country. All three are located in Auckland, including at Rosebank and Favona Primary Schools.

While around 1600 people live in Niue, Aotearoa holds a population of just over 30,800. And with about 7000 vagahau speakers across the world, UNESCO has classified Vagahau Niue as “definitely endangered”.

Speaking on PMN Niue, Deputy Principal Mac Ikitule says after taking their Niuean staff on a trip back to the Rock they returned with a sense of a duty to ensure the Vagahau thrived in Aotearoa - by opening the bilingual unit.

“Reigniting the passion in their hearts to speak Vagahau Niue and it was also fuelled by the announcement of UNESCO that it is one of the languages that is on the verge of extinction.”

Watch the full interview with Rowandale School Deputy Principal Mac Ikitule below.