Avatele, formerly known as Oneonepata Matavaihala, is one of the fourteen

villages A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...

Niue Niue (, ; niu, Niuē) is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, northeast of New Zealand. Niue's land area is about and its population, predominantly Polynesian, was about 1,600 in 2016. Niue is located in a triangle between Tong ...

, located on the southwest coast, with a population of 143 residents as of 2017.

Geography

Avatele Beach, the village's main sea track, stretches along the coast of Avatele Bay and is the largest and most well-known beach on the island. Although the sand is mostly of the coarse kind it is an important swimming and picnic site for both tourists and residents. Prior to the construction of the Sir Robert Rex Wharf and Hannan International Airport in Alofi, Avatele Beach was the principal landing place for many visitors to the island.

History

Avatele, along with the villages Mutalau, Tuapa, Alofi and Hakupu, were the first major village settlements of Niue following settlement by

Polynesia Polynesia () "many" and νῆσος () "island"), to, Polinisia; mi, Porinihia; haw, Polenekia; fj, Polinisia; sm, Polenisia; rar, Porinetia; ty, Pōrīnetia; tvl, Polenisia; tkl, Polenihia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, made up of ...

n voyagers from

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono Island, Manono an ...

Tonga Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in ...

and

Pukapuka Pukapuka, formerly Danger Island, is a coral atoll in the northern group of the Cook Islands in the Pacific Ocean. It is one of most remote islands of the Cook Islands, situated about northwest of Rarotonga. On this small island, an ancient ...

before the year 1300. The beach was also the site of Captain James Cook's third and final landing attempt on the island before naming Niue "Savage Island" in 1774, since then it has been the landing and official welcoming site of many prominent figures from across the Pacific and the world such as missionaries Rev. George Lawes, his brother Dr. Frank Lawes and former Governor-Generals of Niue and New Zealand such as Sir Paul Reeves. The village was first Christianized in early 1854 when a resident, Muatoga, asked Paulo, the Samoan missionary residing in Mutalau, to bring the gospel to his village in the far-south and Paulo agreed. The village received its first pastor that same year, a Rev. Samuela from

who was sent by Paulo to care for the young church at Avatele, a village of over 1,000 residents at the time. Since 1854, 14 Pastors have been entrusted with the care of the Church in the village both from around Niue and overseas, including the current Rev Petesa Sionetuato. The village has also birthed its own share of missionaries over the years such as the respected ancestor or ''tupuna'' Rev. Sionepaea Kinimotu who played a major role in the Christianization of

Tuvalu Tuvalu ( or ; formerly known as the Ellice Islands) is an island country and microstate in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean. Its islands are situated about midway between Hawaii and Australia. They lie east-northea ...

. In 1888 the village was one of the main harbours of Niue and was the location of the mission training school. In 1889 the village church was destroyed by a tropical cyclone.

People

Avatele has also produced its fair share of prominent Niueans past and present, including Niue's late inaugural Premier Sir

Robert Rex Sir Robert Richmond Rex (25 January 190912 December 1992) was the first Premier of the Pacific island state of Niue. Early life and family Rex was born to parents Leslie Lucas Richmond Rex, a European trader on Niue, and Fisimonomono Tufai ...

, his late brother and long-serving Senior Advisor to Government Leslie Rex

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

, the late Rev. Ikiua Lupo, first President of the Ekalesia Kerisiano Niue, the late Takelesi Lagaluga, first Niuean Head of a Government Department, and his son Hon. Himalea Takelesi, Niue's first High Commissioner to

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...

and former Member of Parliament. Renowned

All Black The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 1987 ...

Frank Bunce is also descended from the village and is the nephew of both Sir Robert Rex and Rev. Ikiua Lupo. Current prominent and Avateleans of interest include: *Hon. Billy Talagi - Avatele Representative MP (1999–2020) *Rev. Matagi Jessop Vilitama - Ekalesia Avatele Pastor (1996 - 2007) *Rev. Petesa Pokopokotau Sionetuato - Ekalesia Avatele Pastor (2008–present)

References

{{Villages of Niue Populated places in Niue