Mutalau
Encyclopedia
Niue
Niue , is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is commonly known as the "Rock of Polynesia", and inhabitants of the island call it "the Rock" for short. Niue is northeast of New Zealand in a triangle between Tonga to the southwest, the Samoas to the northwest, and the Cook Islands to...
, with a population of 133 as of the 2001 census. It was previously known as Ululauta and Matahefonua. Ululauta and Matahefonua both mean "head of the land". Mutalau is the most northern village on Niue. The name "Mutalau Ululauta Matahefonua" is adopted by the Mutalau people in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
as the name for their trust called the Mutalau Ululauta Matahefonua Trust MUMT. Mutalau have a community hall call Salim Hall, named after the head of the UN Decolonisation Committee that came to Niue in the early 70s to meet with Niueans and discuss the road map toward self-government. Mutalau have two major events held each year, one is the Mutalau Marine Day held every Queen's Birthday where fishing competition and selling food held at the Uluvehi park. The Mutalau Show Day is held in the final Saturday of October to commemorate and celebrate and landing of the gospel in Niue, which happen in Uluvehi on 26 October 1846 brought in Peniamina with the help of Toimata Fakafitifonua.
People
Mutalau have also produce some prominent Niuean, who have also become prominent New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
citizens. Pauly Fuemana
Pauly Fuemana
Pauly Lawrence Fuemana was a New Zealand singer, songwriter and musician. Fuemana was the lead singer of the music duo, OMC , which was best known internationally for the 1995 hit, "How Bizarre"...
the man behind the "How bizzare" song, the first hit from New Zealand to top the music charts in many countries. His father full blooded Niuean is from Mutalau. Che Fu
Che Fu
Che Fu MNZM is a New Zealand Hip hop/R&B and Reggae recording artist and producer. Originally one part of the band Supergroove, as a solo artist he has gone on to sell thousands of albums both in New Zealand and internationally, including in Australia and the UK.-History:Fu is one of New Zealand's...
is also another New Zealand popular artist of Niuean descent, his father Tigilau Ness
Tigilau Ness
Tigilau Ness is a Niuean New Zealand activist and reggae artist, and performs as Unity Pacific.Ness is a political activist and first generation Pacific Island New Zealander.-Lifetime achievement award:...
is full blooded Niuean
Niuean
Niuean may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to Niue, an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean** A person from Niue, or of Niuean descent. For information about the Niuean people, see Demographics of Niue and Culture of Niue. For specific persons, see List of Niueans.** The...
from Mutalau.
Mutalau Land Committee
Chairperson: Frank SioneholoDeputy Chair: Maka Ioane
Members: Bill Vakaafi Motufoou MP, Sifa Ioane, Toni Kalauni Snr, Sam Tutogia Makatogia, vacant
Secretary: vacant
The Mutalau Village Council (MVC) is very active in promoting and implementing community development projects. In 1996 a workshop was hosted by the Mutalau Village Council focusing on Designing and Developing Community Projects, consultants for the worskhop was funded by NZAID. The outcome of this worskhop where various projects was formulated, the projects includes:
- Kofekofe Sports Ground;
- Eco-tourism;
- Uluvehi Sea Track;
At the moment MVC is implementing two projects with funding support from the European Union. The Eco-tourism project focuses developing a reacreation building, walking tracks and access to caves and reefs around the Uluvehi coastal areas. The Mutalau Coconut Oil focuses on producing coconut oil for skincare and later on for bio-fuel.
International Relations
Mutalau have an online virtual group Cyber Muta used for sharing and exchanging information (news, views, reports, images, family notices) to Mutalau people living in different places in the World, Niue, New Zealand, Australia, USA and so forth. There is a Mutalau group in Auckland call Mutalau Ululauta Matahefonua Trust MUMT and Sons and Daughters of Mutalau in Australia SADOMIA based in Sydney, and another group in Brisbane. These groups are actively involved in raising funds, contributing items and offering sponsorships, especially for the Cyclone Heta recovery, Marine Days and Show Days.The countries and international agencies that have assisted Mutalau with development projects are listed below. The people of Mutalau acknowledges their kind assistance and further seek their assistance for more development projects and contribute towards our social and economic development:
- European UnionEuropean UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
- Coconut Oil Project, Uluvehi Recreation Facility - AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
- Bathroom Facilities at Salim Hall - New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
- Re-construction of road and ramp to the sea at Uluvehi, Plaque for Uluvehi Park, Vanilla Project (national project) - UNCCD - Sustainable Land Management Project, Mutalau Farm