The first strategic goal of the Tokelau Education Strategic Plan 2020-2025 is for a thriving Tokelau language and culture. The Gagana Tokelau website is a key initiative designed to advance Tokelau language development through making available to a worldwide audience gagana Tokelau resources published by the Government of Tokelau’s Department of Education.
The Gagana Tokelau resources and website were funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) via an Arrangement on Delegated Cooperation for the Tokelau Development Assistance Programme between DFAT and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).
Why it matters
“The Tokelau Term ‘tūtia’ from the saying ‘Tūtia te po ke ao’ (let me persevere the night til daylight) is in a prayer chanted by fishermen during open sea fishing expeditions asking for the strength, patience, steadfast and perseverance in order to make it til daylight.
Tūtia, or resilience in this Tokelau context embodies perseverance, patience, strength and steadfastness, the qualities relevant when offering services to family or others.” (Kalolo, 2019).
Language is intricately connected to building children and young people’s resilience. It is through their language and lived experiences that their values, arts and literature, belief systems, ways of thinking, and more are laid down and passed on from generation to generation. It builds their sense of who they are as a people. Having a strong sense of their identity would greatly enhance their potential to become resilient citizens anywhere in the world.
The Tokelau language and culture strategy gives value to the importance of the language, and culture as enablers in building students’ resilience.
Privacy
This privacy notice is to let users of Gagana Tokelau (the ‘site’) know when we collect personal information and what we do with it.
We do not use or share personal information in connection with the site except as set out in this notice.
Use of personal information
We will collect your personal information in order to:
- administer, evaluate and improve the site
- respond to your feedback.
Storage and deletion of information
If you provide personal information, including your name and contact information, it is held securely by Tokelau Department of Education and will not be kept once it is no longer needed.
It may be shared with third-party contractors, if needed by them, to administer or work on the site.
Email addresses are not made available to the public. Unless required by law, we will not disclose the names or email addresses of individuals without their consent.
Copyright
© 2022 Government of Tokelau, Department of Education. All rights reserved.
The copyright on all material on this website is owned by The Government of Tokelau, Department of Education (unless the content is identified as being the property of another party).