Niue and Tokelau

For over a decade, NZ Post has created stamp issues on behalf of the Pacific nations Niue and Tokelau. These contracts have now ended, and this programme of work has come to a close.

The first stamp issue created by NZ Post for Niue was issued in 2009.

Through 11 photographic images, the 2009 Niue Definitives stamp collection highlighted the reasons to visit Niue - its stunning landscapes, seascapes and marine life. Carrying the Niue Tourism logo and set against an image of traditional woven pandanus leaf, the stamps were proof indeed that Niue was undiscovered, unspoiled and simply unbelievable.

Through the years NZ Post commemorated various aspects of Niue including nature, traditions, milestones and its connection to the Commonwealth.

The most recent stamp issue commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Niue Boys’ Brigade. Founded in Glasgow in 1883, the Boys’ Brigade is an interdenominational Christian youth organisation that has more than 700,000 members in 60 countries. The Boys’ Brigade was introduced to the young men of Niue in 1946.

One of the world’s largest coral islands, Niue was originally settled by migrating Tongans, Samoans and Cook Islanders. Through the centuries it has evolved to have its own culture and language, similar to, but quite separate from, those of its neighbours. Niue’s name, which translates as ‘Behold! The coconut!’, reflects the island’s ability to sustain the coconut palm - and therefore be a land worth inhabiting. Niue offers an abundance of natural riches both on the land and in its surrounding seas.

Almost a quarter of the island is virgin rainforest, filled with native birds and plant life, while avenues of fragrant frangipani provide tantalising glimpses of the ocean beyond. You can also explore Niue’s spectacular and extensive cave system - or venture into its offshore waters, rated as among the clearest in the world.

Don a diving suit and you’ll see amazing underwater caverns and cathedrals, as well as a mind-boggling array of marine life including turtles, dolphins, snakes, hard corals and all manner of fish. And with the island’s shelf dropping sharply within 100 metres of dry land in places, you don’t have to travel far to be in very, very deep water. Between June and October each year, you can often see whales a mere 50 metres from the water’s edge!

Niue also has a strong connection with New Zealand. One of the world’s smallest self-governing states, it operates in ‘free association’ with New Zealand, and most Niueans now live here (about 30,000 are Niuean born or of direct Niuean descent). In contrast, the population of Niue is around 1,650. It’s a bond that has endured in various forms for more than 100 years – and one that continues to unite the two nations today. Tokelau Christmas 2011 was the first stamp issue produced by NZ Post under an exclusive agreement to design, produce and distribute stamps for the Pacific nation.

Christmas is celebrated throughout the Pacific, and the small but stunning coral atolls of Tokelau are no exception. Meaning ‘The North Wind’, Tokelau is home to around 1,500 people, who celebrate Christmas by spending time with friends and loved ones.

Christmas in Tokelau is a busy time, with many locals hosting friends and family from overseas. Typically Christmas Day is spent attending church services as well as sharing food with neighbours and extended family. Cricket or ‘kilikiti’ is often played during the day with great competitiveness, and the evenings are spent participating in cultural dancing or ‘fatele’.

Christmas remained a strong theme throughout the years of NZ Post’s Tokelau stamp programme, as did the atolls’ flora and fauna, unique environmental infrastructure and Commonwealth connection. Fittingly, the final stamp issue produced by NZ Post on behalf of Tokelau was once again a Christmas commemoration. Combining traditional motifs, the green and blue hues of the Pacific ocean and the beauty of Tokelau’s natural surroundings, the elements of the beautiful Tokelau Kilihimahi 2020 stamps told the Christmas story while capturing the vibrant environment and traditions of Tokelau.

Tokelau is situated in the central Pacific, and lies halfway between Hawaii and Auckland, roughly 500 kilometres north of Samoa. It is made up of three main coral atolls - Fakaofo, Nukunonu and Atafu - which are spread over almost 200 kilometres. Tokelauan life is based on sharing, co-operation and inclusiveness within the family group (kaiga) and village community. The church is an important part of village life, with Catholic and Protestant missionaries arriving from Samoa in the mid-1800s.

Tokelauans have become very skilled at living sustainably. The men commonly fish, farm and build, while the women have the responsibility of caring for the welfare of the villages.

New Zealand and Tokelau have a strong bond, with a shared currency (New Zealand dollar) and around 6,800 Tokelauans living in New Zealand. Tokelau is a non-self-governing territory of New Zealand, and this five-year partnership has strengthened the long-standing ties between the two nations.

To see the full range of Niue and Tokelau stamps previously produced by NZ Post, visit collectables.nzpost.co.nz