Niue welcomes fruitful season of mangoes after 10 years stagnant

For many years people have been talking about the lack of a good mango harvest on the island, and for those praying for a good harvest have had their prayers answered. 

Mangoes first started to ripen in October around the east coast from Mutalau, Lakepa and Liku. Since last month the villages on the southern side of the island have also started to enjoy the harvest. 

The last big harvest of the local mangoes was 10 years ago in 2012. 

BCN News reached out to some local Mango tree owners who have been sharing their mangoes galore on social media. 

Keane Kaukasi from Lakepa said “the last couple of years during mango season have not been good for our mango trees at the back of our house in Lakepa, but this year’s season of mangoes have been plentiful and (we are) grateful.”

“It’s (been) hard work since the beginning of this month. Every morning and afternoon my family and I go check the mango trees and collect all the mangoes.”

“Too much to eat now so we have already started cleaning them and packing them frozen for the dry seasons next year,” said Keane.

Christyl Vilitama Smith, who has also had an abundance of mangoes in the past few weeks, shared with BCN News the historical significance of their mango trees behind their home in Mutalau. 

“My great grandma was the last one who lived in this house we’re in. But she was hardly in the house, she’s always kaitunu (cooking) and tause laufa he ulu mago (weaving under the mango tree) and shift to different mangos.”

Christyl also shared that for many generations, the mango trees behind their home have always been a place where the majority of the time the family would get together. 

Mangoes carry both a traditional and historical meaning for the people of Niue. 

Traditional ways of thinking suggest that the fruiting of the mangoes are a sign of a coming cyclone, while today in our modern day, people are just grateful that the mangoes are a fruitful blessing this year round.