Niue

Culture & Religion

If possible, try to co-ordinate your visit with one of the many annual village festivals, each a memorable experience of dance, food, sport, traditional arts & fun.

Niuean women are renowned for their artistry & skill with weaving and you will find some exquisite bags and hats for a bargain price at the local show days or at the twice weekly market. The traditional Vaka or canoe is still used to source food from the ocean. Visit a local Vaka shed to experience traditional canoe making and carving and maybe even try it out yourself.

The church plays a large part in the community and there are many denominations catered for.  Attending a mass is recommended no matter what your beliefs may be just to experience the beautiful singing.

Niuean culture and craft are key components of our “Taoga Niue”and mean everything to a Niuean.

Wearing swimwear in villages and the town is not advised. A paleu (sarong) should be worn around swimwear in public so as not to offend locals.  Sunday is a respected and quiet day in Niue. Most people attend church in the morning and again in the afternoon. Throughout the country, Sunday is considered to be a day of rest and worship and visitors are asked to be considerate of the local Sunday observances. Many people play golf, go sightseeing and swimming on Sunday, but certain activities such as boating and fishing are not allowed. Anyone not sure of Sunday protocols are welcome to check at the Visitor’s Information Centre for guidance.

Village Show Days

If possible, try to coordinate your visit with one of the 14 annual village show-day festivals. Scheduling cannot be precise, but it’s a memorable experience of dance, food, handcrafts & fun.

Niuean women are modest artists whose incredible weaving is renowned for its artistry & skill. You don’t have to buy anything to form wonderful friendships, but if you’re going to relent & purchase something, do it fast. These rare works are not mass-produced for souvenir shops & frequently vanish quickly.

Generally a large ‘umu’ or earth oven is prepared by villagers, and pigs and chicken are cooked alongside root vegetables and other local delicacies of game, fish and fruit – it’s the ideal place to sample a wide variety of fabulous traditional food.
For the latest confirmed dates, check the Events Calendar or contact the Visitors Information Centre.

Traditional Niuean Commemorations

This gives a powerful insight into just how incredibly welcoming and safe Niue is to visitors.

Niueans openly embrace the presence of ‘strangers’  even during these most traditional events. Both are of immense importance to Niueans, as they mark a child’s ‘coming of age’ – spiritually if not literally, since it can happen at any point of a child’s life. These ceremonies are private in meaning but open to all, and Niueans generally welcome tourists even as on-lookers if they wish to observe.

The traditional ceremony for a teenage boy is his ‘Haircutting’ ceremony, when the long tail of hair that he has kept since childhood is removed. Guests invited to the concurrent feast each contribute money to a fund that goes to the boy after the celebration costs are paid.

For girls there is a similar ‘Ear Piercing’ ceremony. These gatherings are usually held on a Saturday in private homes.

For details on what may be taking place while you’re in Niue, do check the Events Calendar or contact the Visitors Information Centre.