Niue has launched the Niumataola Potaaga Tala Niue project, producing 10 radio and television episodes to preserve its language and culture through digital storytelling.
This initiative is part of the Storytime and Play (STP) programme, an early childhood development effort led by Plan International Australia, supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. STP operates in Niue, Sāmoa, and the Solomon Islands, creating local children’s media to promote inclusive learning.
Glen Jackson, a Niuean artist and the project’s creative lead, initially thought the outreach was too good to be true. He recalled, “I received an email, and I assumed it was spam because it was almost too real or too true to be true that someone was reaching out for my services to create kids’ content.”
The project, meaning ‘new, fresh and beautiful’, involved local youth in production. Jackson noted, “It was just giving them a little bit of upskill on how to do a production, filming with their phones, understanding audio quality.” He added, “They might find interest in it or just an understanding that they’re building content that’s bigger than themselves, that is for the next generation.”
Despite challenges like balancing responsibilities, the community embraced the project. Jackson said, “Our youth here in Niue have to wear so many hats… But when we finally got the buy-in and they saw the bigger picture… it became much more easier for them to participate.”
Community elders appreciated the focus on preserving traditional stories. Jackson shared, “We can have the blessings of our matua, we can have the endorsement, we can have their buy-in, and allowing us to make this content for the next generation.”
While aimed at children up to five years old, Jackson encourages all to use the episodes for language learning, emphasizing the role of youth in preserving culture. He concluded, “One of the greatest compliments that I will take is when you teach young people the skills and when they don’t need you, that means it’s working.”
