Women sustain the art and culture of weaving.

Empowering the women of Niue with sufficient provision of resources and income opportunities to enjoy an enriching livelihood is a fundamental mission of the Niue National Council of Women (NNCW).

Bringing this mission into reality was premeditated. Their steps to complete this mission succesfully are clearly mapped.

But at first, the NNCW needed funds. They needed commitment. They needed to benefit from it and to sustain it for younger generations of women.

In 2020, the NNCW was one successful recipient of a USD 20000 grant from the UNDP GEF-SGP Operational Phase 6.

With great ideas and passion, the NNCW planned and delivered an activity of great interest and lifelong benefits to the women.

This is the weaving and promotion of Niuean handicrafts. It involves a lot of work, but this was more than just weaving. This was about sustaining the language, the art and culture, and the heritage of Niue.

The supply of weaving materials will never be a challenge as the NNCW has planted a shared pandanus garden.

“We all work together to plant, clean, and maintain our pandanus garden,” according to Mine Pulu of the NCCW.

‘When the weaving materials are produced, women from the 14 villages of Niue are invited to the weekly weaving classes,’ according to Mine Pulu.

Their ‘laufa (pandanus) hand-woven products are then sold at the Makini Shop or on the market day they have every Wednesday.

The NNCW is committed to ensuring that they support over ninety women. They will ensure that these women learn and share the knowledge and skills of weaving, planting pandanus, and preparation of weaving materials (laufa).

Most importantly, the NNCW wants to esnure that women enjoy weaving and creating hand-woven crafts, earn a few dollars and be proud of their Niuean heritage.