Motorists and revelers flouted road rules despite the reminders from the Niue Police last week. In all the excitement there were people standing on car bonnets and on top of the cars, passengers sitting on open car windows, and motorbike riders not wearing helmets.
BCN News contacted the Niue Police earlier this week but have yet to hear back as to whether there will be penalties for those people flouting the rules.
The takai time is a revelry of decorated vehicles with passengers dancing and singing, loud music blaring, and the incessant beeping of horns. Flags are a big thing on takai with the Niue flag flying proudly with village flags the latest rave. This is also the time when other nations’ flags like the Tongan, Samoan, Fijian, NZ, and Australian flags fly high and strange enough or perhaps not even a couple of the American confederate flags appear on takai as well.
It is also the time when the spectators waiting and watching receive treats from the takai, mainly lollies and sweets, packets of crisps.
This year, the takai treats included tins of corned beef, sardines and crackers, but the strangest item given from a takai was a bottle of toilet cleaner.
Every year there is always something new. This year the takai included discharging of fireworks, yes in bright daylight and then there was the takai which took four hours, they started in the afternoon and finished at 8 pm.
Takai is about making the most noise and a chainsaw certainly makes a great deal of noise. So, it was no surprise that chainsaws with the blade removed were seen on the takai and with the spectators trying to outdo the loud takai sounds.
The last of the takai will be this weekend, after which the old bombs will be parked up again under tarpaulins waiting to come out for the next round of takai next year.