Tokelau: Holidays and Events
Public holidays
There are a number of public holidays that do not have a fixed date, but are based on the location of Easter. Easter takes place on the first Sunday that follows the first full moon after the beginning of spring. Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, which ends on Holy Saturday, is 46 days before Holy Saturday. The date for Pentecost is then 50 days after Easter. Corpus Christi is celebrated on the second Thursday after Pentecost. All Saints’ Day is celebrated for Orthodox Christians on the first Sunday after Pentecost, but for Catholic Christians the date is fixed on November 1st. On October 31, Protestants celebrate Reformation Day. The Halloween festival also takes place on this day.
Date | Holiday |
January 1 | New Year |
February 6 | Waitangi Day, the day commemorates the signing of the Waitangi Treaty in New Zealand. The contract was signed between the whites and the indigenous people (Maoris) and forms the foundation of the New Zealand state. |
March April | Good Friday, Easter Monday |
April 25 | ANZAC Day, Anzac Day commemorates the fallen soldiers of the Australian-New Zealand Army in World War II |
6th of June | Queen’s Birthday |
October | Labor Day |
November | Tokehega day |
25 December | Christmas |
December 26 | Boxing Day, Christmas Day |
Source: Countryaah – Tokelau Holidays
Regular sporting events
Island competitions (inter-island competitions), various sports competitions are held like at European championships.
Tokelau: climate table
Month | Average number of rainy days | Mean maximum temperatures in (°C) | Mean minimum temperatures |
January | 14-16 | 28-30 | 22-24 |
February | 14-16 | 28-30 | 22-24 |
March | 15-17 | 27-29 | 22-24 |
April | 10-12 | 26-28 | 21-23 |
May | 08-09 | 25-27 | 20-22 |
June | 08-09 | 24-26 | 18-20 |
July | 08-09 | 24-26 | 17-19 |
August | 09-11 | 24-26 | 17-19 |
September | 07-09 | 24-26 | 17-19 |
October | 09-11 | 25-27 | 19-21 |
November | 10-12 | 26-28 | 20-22 |
December | 11-13 | 27-29 | 21-23 |
Tokelau: national customs
Kilikiti
is a ball game on Tokelau, also known as the cricket of the islands. Sometimes the whole village is involved in the game.
The ball is made of rubber, the stick is made of a three-sided piece of wood.
Fatele
a dance form that is usually performed at larger village events. It is believed that the dance originated in Tuvalu. It is a group dance.
Tokelau: Sightseeing
General
Tokelau is extremely difficult to get to. The connection between Tokelau and Samoa is made possible by a ship every fortnight.
There are practically no public buildings here. But there is a church and a meeting house. Most of the residents are self-sufficient through fishing and the coconut trees.
Tokelau became known to Internet users by awarding the top-level domain.tk.
The islands were devastated by hurricanes and almost all traditional buildings were destroyed. In the event of a new cyclone, the church, meeting house, and school provide some security. It cannot be ruled out that the Tokelau Atolls, which are a maximum of 5 m above sea level, will sink into the sea in the course of the 21st century.
Attractions
The only really impressive sight is the beauty of the islands with their plants – especially the coconut palms – in an “infinite” ocean.