Avatele, formerly known as Oneonepata Matavaihala, is one of the fourteen villages of Niue, 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 Avatele Bay is a large bay in the southwest coast of Niue. It stretches from Tepa Point in the island's extreme southwest northwards to Halagigie Point, the island's westernmost extremity. Two small settlements, Tamakautoga and Avatele Avatele, ...

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 Polynesian voyagers from Samoa, Tonga and Pukapuka before the year 1300. The beach was also the site of Captain

James Cook James Cook (7 November 1728 Old Style date: 27 October – 14 February 1779) was a British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the British Royal Navy, famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 in the Pacific Ocean an ...

'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 Samoa 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. 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 Tufaina ...

, 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 Takelesi (Douglas) Lagaluga. JP. (10 June 1924 – 30 March 2009) was a Niuean administrator, politician, and respected elder from the village of Avatele. Lagaluga served the Government of Niue for 40 years, first as a Clerk to the Resident Comm ...

, first Niuean Head of a Government Department, and his son Hon. Himalea Takelesi, Niue's first High Commissioner to New Zealand 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 Frank Eneri Bunce (born 4 February 1962) is a retired New Zealand rugby union player and coach. He played international rugby for both Western Samoa and New Zealand in the 1990s, appearing in the 1991 and 1995 World Cups. He played in four int ...

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 Billy Graham Talagi is a Niuean politician and former Member of the Niue Assembly. Career Talagi was first elected to the Niue Assembly in a 1997 by-election. He has represented the village of Avatele in the Niue Assembly continuously since 1999 ...

- Avatele Representative MP (1999–2020) *Rev.

Matagi Jessop Vilitama The are traditional winter hunters of the Tōhoku region of northern Japan, most famously today in the Ani area in Akita Prefecture, which is known for the Akita dogs. Afterwards, it spread to the Shirakami-Sanchi forest between Akita and Aom ...

- Ekalesia Avatele Pastor (1996 - 2007) *Rev. Petesa Pokopokotau Sionetuato - Ekalesia Avatele Pastor (2008–present)

References

{{Villages of Niue Populated places in Niue