Culture

Pacific Region •

Cook Islands

Cook Islands: Historic bill could reshape how Ariki titles passed on

The bill recognises customary succession for the Ngamaru Ariki title, marking the first time a tribe can enshrine its traditional leadership rules in law.

Losirene Lacanivalu, Cook Islands NewsTue, 16 Jun

Pacific Region •

Fiji

Fiji expands protected ocean zones as it targets illegal fishing and declining stocks

The government plans to place 15 per cent of its vast ocean territory under marine protection by the end of 2026.

Christine RovoiMon, 15 Jun

Community •

Tonga •

Aotearoa New Zealand

Fane Ketu’u: A 40-year mission to keep the Tongan language alive earns national honour

The Auckland educator says receiving a Member of the NZ Order of Merit is a shared achievement after teaching Lea Faka-Tonga and inspiring students through language, culture and performance.

Aui'a Vaimaila Leatinu'uThu, 04 Jun

Community •

Niue

King’s honour for Niue matriarch Vai Kumitau who spent decades helping Pacific families

The Dunedin community leader receives a King’s Service Medal for a lifetime of service to Pacific people, language and culture in NZ’s South Island.

Susana GuttenbeilThu, 04 Jun

Community •

Niue

‘Don’t forget language’: 79-year-old Niuean educator honoured for her lifelong service

Tina O’Halloran still hears the voices of her elders telling her to “teach the children”. Now, after six decades of doing exactly that, the Vagahau Niue champion has been awarded a King's Honour.

Susana GuttenbeilWed, 03 Jun

Community •

Languages

Pacific language champions, sporting greats and community leaders honoured

Twelve Pasifika have been recognised in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours List for decades of service in sports, education, language, public service, and communities across Aotearoa and the wider Pacific.

Christine RovoiMon, 01 Jun

Language & Culture •

Rotuma, Fiji

Rotuma identity lives on as Language Week highlights decades of preservation work

As Gasav Ne Fäeag Rotuạm Ta is marked in Aotearoa and beyond, long-term research and lived experience show how identity is being carried across generations, from the island to a global diaspora.

Renate RiversFri, 15 May