In 2004 Cyclone Heta destroyed most of the collection at the only museum in Niue. A new museum building was opened on 19 October 2018. These are some of the tāoga that had been collected to preserve Niue’s history and heritage.
Issue information
These stamps were issued to commemorate the opening of the new Fale Tau Tāoga Niue museum building on 19 October 2018, where many treasures and artefacts had been collected to help preserve Niue's history and heritage.
Each of the four stamps in this issue represented a treasure housed in the new museum – an ulupuku (close-combat spear), an uka (arrowroot grater), a tokotoko (walking stick) and a tulei sia (woven tray). These items were photographed by Huga Toke Talagi.
Product Listing for Fale Tau Tāoga Niue
| Image | Title | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 30c 'Tulei Sia | Woven tray' gummed stamp. This tray is made from dried pandanus plant leaves. Using natural sunlight, the drying process takes one or two weeks. Once dry, the leaves were stripped thinly and woven to make this beautiful crafted traditional Niuean woven tray. This artform is becoming rare, so capturing these images helps to ensure this knowledge is passed from generation to generation. The weaver that made this beautiful artifact in 2008 is Rosalina Jackson from Hakupu Village, Niue. She is 83 years old. |
$0.30 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $1.40 'Tokotoko | Walking stick' gummed stamp. Made from toi wood, this hand-carved tokotoko, or walking stick, took four or five months to make. The design comes from the late Joseph Jackson, and this particular tokotoko was crafted by Jackson's grandson about 10 years ago. |
$1.40 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $2.00 'Ulupuku | Close-combat spear' gummed stamp. This ulupuku belongs to Premier of Niue Sir Toke Tufukia Talagi. Ulupuku are small hand clubs. Traditional kanava-akau (weapons) also include katoua (cleaving clubs), tao (barbed spears) and maka (polished stones). The size and shape of the ulupuku indicates that it would have been used for close combat. |
$2.00 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $4.00 'Uka | Arrowroot grater' gummed stamp. Arrowroot is a potato-like tuber that has been cultivated in Polynesia for thousands of years. This grater would have been used to make this starchy root into flour. After being grated, the arrowroot is soaked in water to remove bitterness, and left to dry. It’s often used as a base to make puddings, mixed with ingredients like taro, pandanus fruit and coconut cream. |
$4.00 |
 |
Miniature Sheet | Mint, used or cancelled gummed miniature sheet. | $7.70 |
 |
First Day Cover | First day cover with four gummed stamps affixed. Cancelled on the first day of issue. | $8.20 |
 |
Miniature Sheet First Day Cover | First day cover with gummed miniature sheet affixed. Cancelled on the first day of issue. | $8.20 |
|
Tokotoko | Walking Stick |
Technical information
| Date of issue: | 19 October 2018 |
|---|---|
| Number of stamps: | Four gummed |
| Denominations: | $0.30, $1.40, $2.00 and $4.00 |
| Stamps, miniature sheet and first day covers designed by: | Saint Andrew Matautia, New Zealand Post, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Printer: | Collectables and Solutions Centre, New Zealand Post, Whanganui, New Zealand |
| Number of colours: | Four process colours |
| Stamp size and format: | 30mm x 40mm (vertical) |
| Paper type: | Tullis Russell 104gsm red phosphor gummed stamp paper |
| Number of stamps per sheet: | 16 |
| Perforation gauge: | 13.33 |
| Special blocks: | Plate and value blocks could be obtained by purchasing at least six stamps from a sheet. |
| Period of sale: | These stamps remained on sale until 18 October 2019. |