Tokelau National Flag Day

Statement by the Ulu o Tokelau – Aliki Faipule Afega Gaualofa – In Celebration of the Inaugural Tokelau National Flag Day – 22 October 2016

Tokelau National Flag Day is the day we celebrate our national flag. In July this year the General Fono endorsed 22 October as the day for that celebration.

Kupu a te Ulu o Tokelau – Aliki Faipule Afega Gaualofa – Ite Auataga o te Aho Fakapitoa ote Atunuku mo te Fuka a Tokelau – 22 Oketopa 2016

Ko te aho fakapitoa ote atunuku mo te fuka a Tokela ko he aho e auata ma fiafia ai kitatou ki te tatou fuka. Ite fonotaga a te Fono Fakamua ia Iulai ite tauhaga nei na fai ai te tonu a te Fono Fakamua ke auata ma fakamanatu te fuka a Tokelau ite aho 22 Oketopa.

ONE God, ONE Nation, One Flag

E FOKOTAHI te Atua, E FOKOTAHI te Atunuku, E FOKOTAHI te Fuka

The Tokelau Flag was approved by the General Fono in 2008, together with the national symbol for Tokelau, the Tuluma. As is customary for official flags of the Commonwealth, the flag was granted a Royal License by Her Majesty the Queen in August 2009.

The Governor-General of the Realm of New Zealand, Sir Anand Satyanand presented the first Official Tokelau National Flag to the Ulu o Tokelau, then Aliki Faipule Foua Tola, on 7 September 2009. That ceremony was also attended by other members of Tokelau's Council for the Ongoing Government at the time, Aliki Faipule Pio Tuia and Aliki Faipule Kuresa Nasau.

The official launch of the new Flag in Tokelau took place during the General Fono of October 2009 in Fakaofo. The occasion marked a milestone in the history of Tokelau, because as a non-self-governing territory of New Zealand, Tokelau had always used the New Zealand flag for official ceremonies until then.

Tokelau’s flag has the stars of the Southern Cross in the top left-hand corner, with a canoe in full sail in the right-hand corner on a blue background. The canoe symbolizes Tokelau’s journey as a nation and as a people towards a viable and sustainable future. The canoe is yellow, signifying a happy and peaceful community taking the journey together. The Southern Cross symbolizes a navigational aid for the journey.

Ko te fuka a Tokelau na pahia e te Fono Fakamua i te 2008, fakatahi ai ma te fakailoga patino a Tokelau, te Tuluma. Ko he tu mahani mo na fuka a Malo i lalo o te fakamalumaluga a te Kuini o Peletania, na tuku mai ai he laihene fakapitoa mo te fuka a Tokelau e te Kuini ia Aukuho ite 2009.

Ko te Kovana Hili o te Malo o Niu Hila, te Tamana kia Dr Anand Satyanand mo atunuku o Niu Hila ei lalo ote fakamalumaluga a te Kuini na tuku aloakia mai e ia ki te Ulu o Tokelau, ite taimi tena ko te tamana kia Aliki Faipule Foua Toloa, te fuka a Tokelau ite aho 7 o Setema 2009. Ko te fakatahiga fakapitoa tena na kaufakatahi atu foki ki ei ie tahi hui o te Malo Fakaauau i tena taimi, na tamana kia Aliki Faipule Pio Tuia ma Aliki Faipule Kuresa Nasau.

Ko te auataga muamua o te fuka ote atunuku o Tokelau na fakatino ite Fono Fakamua o Oketopa ite 2009 i Fakaofo. Ko te auataga tenei na fakailoga ai ni tulaga kua lakahia e Tokelau ite talafakaholopito o Tokelau, kae maihe ko he atunuku e pulea e te Malo o Niu Hila, aua i mua atu nae fakaaoga lava e Tokelau te fuka a Niu Hila.

Ko te fuka a Tokelau e iei na fetu ie ia takua ko te Southern Cross ite tumutumu ote itu agavale, e iei te vaka atafaga ma te la ite itu taumatau ma ko te lanu falanu e lanu katoa ai te fuka. Ko te vaka atafaga e fakailoga ai te malaga na kui mai ai ia Tokelau kae maihe he atunuku ma ni tino e fia oltia ma tamau ana nofonofoga ite lumanaki. Ko te fuka e lanu hehega, e fakakitea ai te ola fiafia ma te haogalemu o tagata Tokelau ma ite tulaga e tele ai tana malaga. Ko te fetu ko te Southern Cross e tapaha ai te malaga a Tokelau.

The Southern Cross has helped Tokelauan fishermen navigate the ocean for centuries while fishing and sustaining their families and villages with bountiful catches.

The white stars of the Southern Cross represent Christianity, an important part of everyday life in Tokelau. This is why the phrase “Tokelau is founded in God” accompanies Tokelau’s national symbol, the Tuluma.

Ko te fetu teia e takua ko te Southern Cross nae fehoahoani lahi ki tautai o Tokelau ite tapahaga o o latou vaka fagota ite moana mo ni tauhaga e lahi kae maihe ite poupouakiga o kaiga ite lahi ote mafua e maua.

Ko na fetu lanu paepae e fakailoga ai te olaga kelihiano, ko he vaega taua lahi tenei mo Tokelau ite olaga o aho uma. Ko te pogai ia ote fakakupuga teia “ Ko Tokelau e fakavae tumau ite Atua” ma e aofia ai foki te fakailoga patino a Tokelau, te Tuluma.

White also signifies the cooperation and unity among the atolls and a shared aspiration towards a better quality of life for Tokelauans. The blue background signifies the ocean on which Tokelauans depend for their livelihood; it must be protected to ensure sustainability. The blue colour also depicts the sky which holds the stars that guide Tokelau’s people.

Today, we celebrate our National Flag Day because of what it represents. It reminds us of our journey, a journey we are all taking together with God as our foundation - A journey that realizes a future through the respect for our land & ocean and for each other. Only through this journey will we reach the bountiful and sustainable fishing ground.

As we formally introduce this day into our annual programme I would like to encourage us to work together in building ONE Nation under ONE flag. To all Tokelauans, let us all come under this flag and celebrate ONE God, ONE Nation, One Flag.

I acknowledge those who have walked this land before us, I acknowledge those who are persevering today, and I embrace our children and our future generations for the walk they will take tomorrow. Let us all be united under this Flag.

Happy National Flag Day, Tokelau!

Ko te lanu paepae e fakailoa ai foki te faifai mea fakatahi ma te lototahi ona nuku e tolu ma vena ona tutuha te moemitiga ke maua he olaga pito hili atu ona lelei ma taoga mo tagata Tokelau. Ko te lanu falanu e fakailoa ai te tai teia e fakalagolago lahi ki ei ia Tokelau mo tona tamaokaiga, ma e tatau ke puipui ma mautinoa e olatia pea lava. Ko te lanu falanu foki e fakamanatu ai ki Tokelau ko te lagi teia e taofi mau ai na fetu ieia e taki ai te malaga a Tokelau ma ona tagata.

Ite aho la tenei, e auata ma fiafia fakatahi kitatou ki te aho fakapitoa fakamanatu o te fuka a Tokelau aua ko na fakailoga e tuku mai ai ma to latou fakauigaga. Kua toe fakamanatu mai ai kia teki tatou te tatou malaga, ko he malaga ea tatou fakatahi ma te Atua ko te fakavae ia- Ko he malaga e atafia ai te lumanaki ma e fakaaloalo kite fenua ma te tai kae maihe mo kitatou tautokatahi. Ko te malaga fakatahi tenei e maua ai ekitatou he mafua fuaefa ma e fakatumaugia ite kogatai e faihapiga ai kitatou.

Ite tukuatuga o taku kupu e fia toe kavatu ai e au he kupu fakamalohilohi mo kitatou uma, tatou galulue fakatahi ko ite tau atiakega o he Atunuku e fokotahi i lalo ote fuka e fokotahi a Tokelau. Ki tagata Tokelau uma, tatou omai uma fakatahi i lalo ote fuka tenei ma auata ma fiafia ki to tatou Atua E FOKOTAHI, te ATUNUKU E FOKOTAHI, ma te FUKA E FOKOTAHI.

E ko fia fakaamanakiagia foki kilatou na lakahia ma galulue malohi io tatou fenua ienei i mua atu oki tatou, e ko fia fakaamanakiagia foki kilatou e puipui ki o tatou fenua, ma e fakafetai au ma vikiviki e au a tatou fanau ma a tatou fanau e fotu mai ite lumanaki ona ko te latou havaliga ite aho a taeao. Tatou tutu fakatahi i lalo o tatou fuka tenei.

Ke manuia te aho fakapitoa o te fuka a Tokelau.