Lynn Lolokini Ikimotu Pavihi (pictured) holds baskets full of knowledge, but most of all loves her Niue culture, its history, the way of life and her family, tupuna, magafaoa, and tau Tagata Niue.
In 2021, Lynn was named in the Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP) Language Champion Honours for Niue, as the Adult Female category recipient.
Introduced last year as part of the nine Pacific Language Weeks, the Language Champion Honours recognise and acknowledge the significant contribution, service and leadership, made by Pacific pioneers, past and present, who have championed languages in Aotearoa.
As a servant of her Niue community in New Zealand and Niue for more than 25 years, Lynn’s selection in the Honours was an obvious choice.
The proud fifine Niuean has a depth of language and culture, which is promising, considering many of her peers struggle to use vagahau Niue, Lynn says.
“I also acknowledge my Samoan heritage through my late father, and make sure I am always absorbing more about Fa’a Samoa and Gagana Samoa,” she adds.
After spending her youth in Niue, Lynn attended Wanganui Girls’ College on a scholarship for Year 13.
She completed a Bachelor of Education Degree at Otago University, and in 2019 received a Graduate Diploma in Educational Leadership and Management from UNITEC.
After teaching at several schools, Lynn has spent the last two years as Associate Principal of Favona Primary School, in Auckland, and at the 2020 SunPix Awards, she was recognised for her contribution to inspiring children in their vagahau Niue language journey as the winner of the Ministry of Education Pacific Education Award.
“My approach to teaching vagahau Niue ensures a safe space is created for other Niue adults and young people who have had challenging experiences when trying to connect with their language and culture,” Lynn says.
“And my hope is vagahau Niue will continue to thrive in contemporary spaces, while also strongly advocating for vagahau Niue to be widely used in schools, churches, homes, and communities.”
As well as working at Favona Primary School and as the Leader of the Niue Bilingual Unit there, she is heavily involved in the community.
Most recently, Lynn led communications for the Niue Mass Vaccination event held late last year and this February.
Under Lynn’s leadership, a group of ten Niue young people created Niue Ki Mua, a social media movement to ensure the importance of vaccinations were communicated clearly to the Niue community in New Zealand.
Her engagement with young Niue people resulted in a Tik Tok platform, which was recognised internationally.
Lynn has facilitated numerous language initiatives and held various roles including on-air Announcer for Pacific Media Network on the PMN Niue radio programme, presenting for the Niue COVID-19 video messages for the Niue Community in conjunction with SunPix, Bright Sunday and Pacific Media Network, and Translator and Tutor at Pasifika Education Centre.
Lynn has been an integral part of Polyfest, Pasifika, launching Niue Language Week, and facilitating Niue ethnic specific fono hosted by MPP.
The list of Lynn’s involvement goes on and on and demonstrates her commitment to all aspects of Niue culture and life.
Lynn intends to continue serving her community and family, and to share knowledge of her culture and language, doing all she can to keep it alive and thriving for Tangata Niue and Pacific Aotearoa.
Congratulations to MPP’s other Niue Language Champions – Dr Jessica Pasisi (Youth Female category), Monty Lakatani (Youth Male), and Ioane Aleke Fa’avae (Adult Male).
Last year, COVID-19 restrictions meant the Niue, Tonga, Tuvalu, Fiji, and Tokelau Pacific Language Weeks shifted online and the Language Champions were not congratulated in person at the closing ceremony.
An online ceremony is scheduled at the beginning of March to recognise the 21 Language Champions who missed out on this acknowledgement, ahead of the 2022 Pacific Language Weeks series getting underway in May.
Visit the MPP website for more information.