From four children to 20: Christchurch playgroup helps keep Niue language alive

A Christchurch playgroup created to help children learn Vagahau Niue has grown from just four children to 20 in its first year.

This has given local families hope that the language can survive for future generations.

Tama Tose Niue Playgroup recently celebrated its first anniversary, marking a milestone for a community project that began with a simple goal to help children under five stay connected to their language, culture, and identity.

When the playground first opened its doors, only four children attended. Three were the children of co-lead Phyllicia tukuniu-Nimo.

Today, 20 registered children gather every Tuesday during the school term to learn the Niuean culture.

The playgroup was established by the Niue Community Christchurch (NCC), which approached Tukuniu-Nimo and her mother, Henga Tukuniu, to help bring the idea to life.

Tukuniu, who moved to Christchurch from Niue about 40 years ago, is a fluent speaker of Vagahau Niue and widely respected for her cultural knowledge.

“I said to my mum, this will be a great opportunity, not just for her, but for me myself, especially to learn the language fluently,” Tukuniu-Nimo, who is Tongan-Niuean, tells PMN Niue.

“We run every Tuesday of the school term from 10 am to 12 pm and we are open to everyone. We are specifically based for our Niueans, teaching our native tongue, our culture, but we are open to more cultures and a lot of our other cultures do come.”

Watch Henga Tukuniu and Phyllicia Tukuniu-Nimo's full interview below.

Born and raised in Christchurch, Tukuniu-Nimo says helping her children connect with their Niuean heritage is one of the reasons she became involved.

“It’s very important for me to keep my children grounded,” she says. “When they're so young, that is the time where they soak everything up, they're like little sponges.

“It’s the time to really enroot our culture, our values...so that when they get older, they don't have to figure out their identity.”

The mission has taken on added urgency because Vagahau Niue is recognised by UNESCO as an endangered language.

According to the 2023 Census, 783 Niueans live in Christchurch, and across Canterbury, only 54 people speak Vagahau Niue.

Preserving the vagahau has become the driving force behind the mother-daughter team.

"We know that Niuean is a dying language in the world right now," Tukuniu-Nimo notes. "And if one can learn, we can all learn.

"We may be a small island, but I know that for us, our love and our passion is what is keeping us going. A small step can pave a long walk."

Looking ahead, Tukuniu-Nimo hopes Tama Tose will grow from a weekly playgroup into a five-day-a-week play centre.

While she says it is a big dream, it is one she is ready to tackle alongside her mother to ensure future generations stay connected to their heritage.