Aussie Niueans work on establishing a Vagahau Trust

Niueans residing in Australia are working on establishing a Vagahau Trust. Reverend Dr Matagi Jessop Vilitama of the Uniting church of Carlton Ramsgate in Sydney is a key figure in the Niuean community there. An estimated 6000 Niueans live in Australia. He spoke to BCN News about establishing a Vagahau Niue trust in Sydney. “At the moment we are in the process of formally establishing a vagahau Niue trust in Australia. We’ve taught vagahau niue but I think now it’s time for us to come together and see what we can offer as far as Niuean Australians are concerned and our vagahau is concerned. Building the bridge between Australia and Niue , perhaps that’s probably the better way of doing that is to establish a trust which we can communicate and share resources and of course New Zealand as well with the development in New Zealand. I think they are a few years ahead, there’s so much to learn , there isn’t any worth in rediscovering the will, it’s a matter of where are they, where are we in Niue, how well are we doing in our vagahau developments and what resources can we share across the globe where Niueans area at the moment.” said Reverand Dr Vilitama He said the trust will help to develop resources and help Niueans in Australia come together and focus on the language and culture. There are plans to also develop an app for Vagahau Niue. “The trust will also have a project , at the moment it is to put vagahau up online, to develop the vagahau app to use, so we have some indication that there are funds available already and  we will be developing the app in the next few months in collaboration with other vagahau language communities in Australia who already have those apps available.” He said