Pacific Arts Association "How Can We Weave in a Strange Land?" Niuean Weavers in Auckland Author(s): Hilke Thode-Arora Source: Pacific Arts, New Series, Vol. 3/5, HYBRID TEXTILES: PRAGMATIC CREATIVITY AND AUTHENTIC INNOVATIONS IN PACIFIC CLOTH (2007), pp. 46-59 Published by: Pacific Arts Association Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23412049 Accessed: 06-03-2018 00:16 UTC JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://about.jstor.org/terms Pacific Arts Association is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Pacific Arts This content downloaded from 130.182.24.113 on Tue, 06 Mar 2018 00:16:01 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 46 NS .ois. 3-5,2007 "How"How CanCan We We Weave Weave in ina Strangea Strange Land?" Niuean Weavers in Auckland Hilke Thode'Arora, Eth.nologisch.es Museum, Berlin Do you know that song 'Rivers of Babylon' by Boney M..? That while line the other inhabitants are Palagi or Pacific Islanders of dif 'How can we sing the Lord's song in a strange landV This is exactly ferent origin. how we felt in New Zealand: how can we weave in a strange land? Relatively little is known about pre-European Niuean society. (Matafetu Smith) The early European discoverers were not allowed to, or did not dare to land. The Niuean dislike of letting strangers in even Background: Niue and Niueans extended to those Niueans who had been abducted and sent back The island of Niue, formed by one of the highest coral reefs to the of island by Europeans. In addition to repeated raids by the world, covers an area of 161 square miles. There are noTongans, natu the fear of the introduction of diseases seems to have ral rivers or wells so that drinking water used to be scarce beenin the one of the well-founded reasons for this attitude. However, olden days, and could only be collected from rain or the underSamoan LMS (London Missionary Society) missionaries were ground water table at caves. Consequently, droughts have sentbeen and a managed to establish themselves on the island. Their frequent phenomenon. The thin layer of fertile soil is periodically rigorous religious regime resulted in a large-scale change of in danger of being swept away by cyclones or spoilt by the Niuean salty society before the first European long-term settlers - mis sprays caused by them. Severe cyclones occur on average everysionaries and traders - came in and acted as chroniclers (Ryan nine years (Fairbairn 1997:8, 73, 74, 77). 1993). A careful reconstruction based on the few written sources In 1901, New Zealand annexed the island and made it her and on oral traditions has been undertaken by Ryan (1977) and a colony. Since 1974, Niue has been a self-governing state -number one of of Niuean writers (Hekaua 1992). the smallest democracies of the world - in free self-association In striking contrast to other Polynesian societies, Niue never with New Zealand. All Niueans automatically possess New seems to have possessed a system of hereditary rank or something Zealand citizenship. Probably due to the difficult natural setting comparable to the Samoan matai-system. With the exception of on the island, there has been a tradition of work migration an to elected king who had ritual, but absolutely no political power New Zealand among Niueans since at least the 1880s. Earlier - and could be legitimately disposed of by murder if he failed to migrants usually returned from abroad (e.g., Samoa or Hawai'i) succeed in his spiritual tasks - power and prestige fell to the wor after a couple of years. This changed after World War II.1 An thy men who had gained others' respect by assertiveness and cer increasing number of Niueans stayed in New Zealand for taingood deeds, mainly as strong toa (warriors). and made her - by circumstances or deliberation - their new This seems to still be reflected in what I would call the matua home for life. Especially since the 1970s, emigration from Niuesystem of present-day Niuean society. Matua, meaning 'parent', is has become more and more rapid (Walsh and Trlin 1973:48). not only used to politely address elder people, but seems to be a According to the New Zealand Census of 1999, only 2,000 term of respect for those confident, assertive persons who have Niueans lived in Niue while about 18,000 were in New Zealand used their influence and knowledge for the good of other (Cook et al. 1999). In the last couple of years the actual number Niueans. There are three or four persons who are even consid of Niueans on the island has further declined to about 1,300, ered matua for the whole island of Niue by many Auckland-based This content downloaded from 130.182.24.113 on Tue, 06 Mar 2018 00:16:01 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms NS vols. 3-5,2007 47 Niueans, and there are a number of matua on lower levels in groups. Others have been established because many of the mem many different spheres of life, e.g., politics, community life, edu bers found it too burdensome to travel to a far-away group any cation, health or church. Matua would also be an appropriate longer. term for many leaders of weaving groups.2 Auckland's Pacific Islanders Church in Newton is a central A number of aspects of today's consciously shared 'Niueanness' organizational point for many older and middle-aged Niueans - actually seem to stem from missionary times. A striking example even more so than some of the other Niuean language congrega is the pronounced village loyalty which is an integral part of tions. It hosts the Niuean-language service of the Ekalesia Niue, Niuean life. There are thirteen villages' on the island which form the largest denomination among the Niueans.9 People sit and one of the most important structural principles of Niuean society sing according to which village they are from. There is a certain, - even in Auckland.4 Although there is archaeological evidence tacit competition among these Niuean village-groups to be con for settlement centers in these districts, this seemed to have been sidered the best singers, or the collectors of the largest cash dona forgotten at times of European contact, and the villages have tions.'"Visiting sports teams, church, youth or weaving groups only been established under missionary rule (Ryan from Niue are likely to come to the service to speak and pray 1977:136,137). The same is true for other indicators of from the altar steps or pulpit, as is the Niuean Premier on his Niueanness. I interviewed Niueans in New Zealand about what stopovers when heading overseas. Like most elderly Niueans on they consider typical for Niuean culture in contrast to Maori, the island who attend two church services on Sunday, many other Pacific Islanders' or Palagi culture, along with the Niuean women weavers in Auckland spend most of the day on Sunday at language and Niuean food.5 Informants mentioned European-style church, joining the English-language service for all Pacific clothes, woven hats and baskets, a prayer starting every activity,6 Islanders in the morning and having lunch together and attend and hymns and rituals in church. ing the Niuean service in the afternoon. During the services, a vivid exchange of news, comments, photos, and information Niuean Organizational Points and Information leaflets between the old women can be observed; when appropri Channels in Auckland ate in the liturgy, they get up to greet others and perhaps sit for a According to the New Zealand Census of 1999, 90% of all while with women from different villages seated elsewhere in the Niueans live in New Zealand today, 70% of whom are in room. Auckland (Cook et al. 1999). Although there is a certain con Information is furthermore spread and provided through net centration of Niueans in some southern suburbs, they live scatworks of relatives, the telephone, and the Niuean language radio tered over the whole city. As weavers tend to be in their fifties programs or which are broadcast three days a week. Run by dedicat sixties - with the eldest being in their nineties - decreasing ed unpaid volunteers, they provide not only news and informa mobility is a factor for a significant number of them. There tionare a from Auckland and Niue, but a broad forum for Niueans to number of Christian denominations among which the Auckland announce forthcoming events or give one's opinion on current Niueans split, many with Niuean-language services. Fellowship topics of the community. While middle-aged men regularly meet cuts through core and extended families7 although informants for inter-Niuean-village cricket during the summer in Auckland, told me of some parents' tendency to join the same church andas young people of both sexes for huge sports events like the their grown-up children. Although religious conviction may Annual play Niuean Athletics Championship in January or a Niuean a role in choosing a denomination, interviewees instead men Touch Tournament on Waitangi Day, weaving groups are, like tioned other preferences such as certain types of singing,8 fights churches and life cycle events, important organizational and which led some people to join or open a new church, and - meetingin points for older women.