Transcript
The cyclone destroyed the old museum and many of its artefacts back in 2004. Niue Tourism Chief Executive Felicity Bollen says the items that survived have been scattered - some stored in a makeshift museum in a prefab block, others put on display in the visitors centre or village halls, or returned to their owners. She says among them are some significant and unique artefacts - such as a belt made from human hair.
"It's over a hundred years old, it's exquisite and quite unusual. I've never seen anything like that before in the Pacific. And it's just been kept very carefully amongst layers of tissue paper in somebody's drawer which is not the ideal way to conserve it. And certainly it's something that people would be very interested in viewing."
The project director for the new Cultural and Heritage Centre, Vilnus Talagi, says its still in the design stages but will include a museum, an auditorium and stage for cultural performances, a library, archives and a cafe. He says there is a need to provide a real home for Niue's treasures, including items they hope to bring back from overseas museums.
"There is a more deep need for it other than to display items. You could argue that the taoga in Niue has been not neglected but just been sitting on the wayside waiting to be properly housed."
New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade says it's allocated two million US dollars ($NZ3 million) for the centre, which will help build Niue as a tourist destination as well as preserving its taoga. Felicity Bollen says it will be an important attraction for Niue's visitors, many of whom are elderly and seeking a cultural experience.
"They are coming here for different reasons, they're obviously not coming here to go shopping or to lie on a beach sipping mimosas, although they can do that if they want to, but it's more of a self-directed experiential visit."
It's also hoped the new museum and archives will give Niueans abroad a place to come to learn about their culture and genealogy. The High Commissioner to New Zealand O'Love Jacobsen says that's been lacking since Niue lost its old museum, and is especially important with more Niueans living in New Zealand than on Niue.
"Many of the children that are born here in New Zealand will have a total disconnect on upbringing in the islands and at least a place like this would be somewhere they could go to and are able to make that connection on island, and actually be able to feel a part of it."
O'Love Jacobsen says while she's thankful for New Zealand's generosity, its disappointing its taken so long to find the funding for a new facility.
"But it's something that probably is beyond our control because we can't get the means to put together a new place. But I think now that resources have been identified it's got to be probably one of the nicest things that's going to happen to Niue."
Work is expected to get underway on the new centre by April next year and be completed in about a year.
