Vagahau Niue L6: Example 3
Example 3: Living in New Zealand
Monū monū monū tū Tagaloa.
Tau matua taane, tau matua fifine mo e tau kapitiga oti, fakaalofa lahi atu ki a mutolu oti. Ko au nei ne vagahau atu ko Ronnie mai he maaga ko Hakupu Atua. Ko e haaku a fakamatalaaga hagaao ia ke he moui mahuiga he motu palagi. Ko Niu Silani ko e motu ne toka ai e tau monuina loga. Kua tolo mai e tau tagata Niue ke nonofo i Niu Silani ha ko e motu ne tafe ai e huhu mo e meli. Loga ti loga e tau fale koloa fakatau kai he motu nei. Maeke ia koe, ka teva he kaitunu, ke fano ke he puhala tū ke fakatau kai moho. Mitaki lahi e tau fale koloa i Niu Silani he fakatau kai mo e loga foki e tau kai kehekehe.
Mitaki foki e moui i Niu Silani ha ko e tau pūhala fakaakoaga. Fiafia lahi e tau faiaoga ke fakaako e tau tama ke iloilo mo e makaka ke tali e tau hūhū ke lata mo e tau kamatamata. Mitaki lahi foki a Niu Silani he mukamuka ke moua e tau koloa kua manako a koe ki ai. Falu koloa kua nākai tau uka lahi ke tuga he motu tote ne o mai ai e tau mamatua haaku.
Ko e motu Palagi, ka gahua fakamooli to moua taha monuina. Ko e tau kotofaaga mua atu e mitaki mo fakamatalahi aki e magafaoa. Kua lahi ha lautolu a tau fakaalofa ati o mai ai ke he motu nei ke tutuli he penina he talahau mai e lautolu. Ko e tutuliaga nei kua lata ia tautolu ke tapiki mau ki ai.
Kia monuina a tautolu oti. Iehova he vahā loto. Kia tū tagaloa e tau fakaakoaga vagahau Niue. Onoono atu ki mua ke lagaki hake ha talu motu fuluola, ko Niue Fekai.
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Context and text type
Ronnie, a first generation New Zealander from Niue, is giving a formal speech to his peers about living in New Zealand. He discusses the benefits and opportunities in New Zealand for students.
Text type
Speech, formal. Receptive.
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Observations a student might make concerning:
Information, ideas, and opinions communicated in the text
Ronnie begins his speech with extended greetings, greeting others before he introduces himself:
- Monū monū monū tū Tagaloa. Tau matua taane, tau matua fifine mo e tau kapitiga oti, fakaalofa lahi atu ki a mutolu oti.
After formal greetings, Ronnie introduces himself, gives his name and his origin:
- Ko au nei ne vagahau atu ko Ronnie mai he maaga ko Hakupu Atua.
Ronnie makes positive comments:
- Fiafia lahi e tau faiaoga ke fakaako e tau tama.
He makes comparisons:
- Mukamuka ke moua e tau koloa; Falu koloa tau uka lahi.
He uses descriptive expressions to give his opinion, for example:
- fiafia lahi au; mukamuka.
He uses the future tense to express a wish:
How the speaker expresses personal ideas and opinions
Ronnie uses different phrases and structures to express opinions:
- mitaki lahi; uka foki; moui mahuiga he motu palagi.
He expresses an opinion using figurative language:
- motu he huhu mo e meli; tutuli he penina
He responds to the oft-expressed view that people emigrate from Niue to New Zealand in search of the pearl – symbol of wealth and the good life:
- … tutuli he penina he ui mai e lautolu.
How the speaker communicates appropriately in the situation
Ronnie gives extended greetings:
- Monu monu monu tu Tagaloa.
The seriousness and formality of these greetings signal the importance of the speech:
- Tau matua taane, tau matua fifine mo e tau kapitiga oti, fakaalofa lahi atu ki a mutolu oti.
Listeners will expect depth from the speaker.
After formal greetings, Ronnie introduces himself, giving his name and where he is from:
- Ko au nei ne vagahau atu ko Ronnie mai he maaga ko Hakupu Atua.
By doing so, he shows pride in his heritage and acknowledges his forbears.
Ronnie uses particular pronouns to connect to the audience and include them in his views:
He uses inversion and a general statement to conclude his speech:
- kia monuina; kia tu tagaloa e tau fakaakoaga; Iehova he vaha loto.
He uses formulaic expressions to make general statements:
- mukamuka ni ti uka; Ko e tau liogi.
He acknowledges the importance of Christianity when he gives a blessing:
How the language in the text is organised for the writer’s purpose
Ronnie opens his speech with a culturally appropriate salutation:
- Monū monū monū tu Tagaloa.
He greets his audience formally, addressing each group separately:
- Tau matua taane; tau matua fifine; mo e tau kapitiga oti.
He ends the speech with an optimistic message of best wishes for future success:
- Kia tū tagaloa e tau fakaakoaga Vagahau Niue.
He greets ancestral deity Tagaloa, showing 'fakalilifu' (respect) through the use of formal language:
- Monū monū monū tu Tagaloa, and by greeting Tagaloa before he greets his audience.
The use of articles is a feature of formal language:
- Kua tolo mai e tau tagata; Ko e tau kotofaaga mua atu e mitaki; Kia monuina a tautolu oti.
The speech is a well-defined text type in 'aga fakamotu'. Ronnie’s speech illustrates particular features of this text type, including:
- the addressing of each group in turn before including everyone in a general greeting:
- Tau matua taane, tau matua fifine mo e tau kapitiga oti, fakaalofa lahi atu ki a mutolu oti
- the addressing of people in order of importance; for example, the ancestral deity Tagaloa is addressed first
- the use of formulaic expressions, for example:
- Monū monū monū tu Tagaloa
- the use of figurative language:
- making connections with commonly held beliefs or sayings:
- the use of conventional farewells:
- Kia monuina a tautolu oti
- referencing Christianity in the farewell:
- evidence of strong feelings or wishes:
- Onoono atu ki mua ke lagaaki hake ha talu motu fuluola, ko Niue Fekai.
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Opportunities for developing intercultural communicative competence
Students could compare the kinds of language used in speeches in vagahau Niue, English, and te reo Māori (as well as in their own languages and cultures). What similarities and differences do they notice? How could they apply their learning to become better speechmakers in vagahau Niue?
Last updated January 16, 2013
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