Launch of Moui Olaola, National Niue Strategic Wellbeing Plan 2023-2025

The launch of the wellbeing plan is timed as part of celebrations around Niue Constitution Day and Niue language week (15 to 21 October).The 2023 theme for Faahi Tapu he Vagahau Niue – Niue Language Week is Fakatūleva e Vagahau Niue mo e Tau Aga Fakamotu ma e Tau Atuhau, which means - Sustain Niue Language and Culture for Future Generations and echo’s sentiments with Moui Olaola.  

The national wellbeing plan, Moui Olaola, describes the Niue people in New Zealand as healthy, vibrant, and thriving vigorously and abundantly. 

Two years ago, a series of regional workshops, led by Niue leaders, started. They included 10 meetings across the country, consisting of a specific youth-only fono, a community fakatutala with more than 120 Tagata Niue and a wellbeing open day. 

The outcome of this was to define, in a holistic way, what wellbeing meant to the Niue people. 

A good job, good education, housing, economic success, social connectedness and good environment were all considered to be part of having wellbeing. 

Happiness and health were two issues that regularly came up as especially important, particularly mental health, which was described as having a happy home, family, culture, and language.

“Maintaining our collaborative spirit is of utmost significance to us, the Niue community, as we strive to collectively nurture and fortify resilient Niue families within the Aotearoa landscape. Our collective efforts aim to ensure that Tagata Niue experiences peace, prosperity, and comprehensive health and wellbeing.” – Maliaga Erick MNZM

Other important factors were a connectedness to Niue, especially from NZ-born Tagata Niue, inclusion in the community and seeing Niue in any form in their lives were also important factors for people. 

Moui Olaola said the importance of cultural identity to Tagata Niue cannot be overstated, as it not only anchors the present, but also lays a foundation for the future. This is crucial as, based on the 2018 New Zealand Census, there are around 31,000 people who identify as Tagata Niue, with the median age being just 21, and more than two-thirds of them were born in Aotearoa. 

The deep-rooted identity, cultivated from a young age, is a way of passing heritage on to the next generations, their mokopuna. Older generations take pride in preserving their cultural roots, taking part in Niue customs, songs, and dances. The effort appears to be working, as one of the youth fono participants said; “I want to speak my language and know my culture to pass it on to my kids.”  

To assess the effectiveness of the plan an annual review is expected to take place for the first three years. The evaluation is expected to revolve around questions such as; 

• Has Moui Olaola made the intended impact 
• Is it making a positive contribution to the Niue community 

• Have the goals outlined been accomplished 

If these aims are met, then the development of Moui Olaola, and its vision of making the Tau Tagata Niue “healthy, vibrant and thriving in Aotearoa’’, should succeed. 

CLICK HERE to view the Gallery from the launch