A skirt made of strips of painted Hibiscus fibre; and pandanus

Tuvalu

Tuvalu is made up of six atolls Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, Nukulaelae, and three reef islands, Nanumaga, Niutao, and Niulakita, making up a total land area of 26 square kilometres. The Indigenous people were invaded by Polynesians from Sāmoa 16th century, and in 1915, it became part of Britain's Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony. Then in 1974, Tuvalu, along with Kiribati, separated from the Gilbert and Ellice Islands and it became fully independent as a sovereign state within the Commonwealth in 1978.

There are over 10,500 people living in Tuvalu and the Tuvaluan people are known for their strong cultural traditions, including dance, music, and communal living.

Explore some of the Collections in Te Papa and read about the lives and history of the people of Tuvalu.

Tuvalu language activity book

Primary, Secondary

Explore the language, islands, and culture of the Pacific fenua (islands) of Tuvalu through crosswords, colouring-in pages, word searches, and even a game to get you and your friends outside!

Activity book

Tuvalu Clothes – Tales from Te Papa

European missionaries had an impact on the Pacific Islands in more ways than one. Their conservative clothes intrigued the near naked locals.

A sepia photo of a Pacific island with a small house or church in the background.

Through the lens: Daily life in Tuvalu 1886

Curator Pacific Rachel Yates look at daily life in Tuvalu through five photographs taken by New Zealand photographer Thomas Andrew (1855–1939), who spent a significant amount of time in the Pacific region.

A red and natural dye coloured dress made with plant fibre, dye, and cotton

Tuvalu: Woman’s dress

Before Christian missionaries from Europe arrived in the Pacific Islands, Pacific Islanders usually wore loin cloths, short skirts, or went without clothing. This Mother Hubbard dress, thought to be from Tuvalu, is an example of Pacific Island adoption and assimilation of European tradition.

A ball that is woven from Pandanus leaves

A cross between volleyball and murderball: Te ano, the national game of Tuvalu

Te ano – a little like volleyball, a little like murderball – is the national game of Tuvalu, played by people of all ages and genders.

A brightly coloured short skirt or trim to wear over a skirt of strips of tapa and other materials.

Wearable art: Tuvalu style

In 2013, the theme for Tuvalu Language week was “Tuvalu tau gana ko tou lagaifakalaga Tuvalu, your language keeps your culture and identity afloat” and curators from the Pacific Cultures team highlighted key Tuvalu artefacts and stories from Te Papa’s collections.

A small model house with open walls made with plant fibre, Pandanus (textile), wood, cane, plastic, nylon, and coir.

Eight things you should know about Tuvalu

A major of focus of Te Papa’s work is on documenting aspects of intangible cultural heritage including oral histories and traditions, performances, knowledge around crafts, social practices, rituals and customs. To introduce you to Tuvalu, here are valu (eight) things you should know.

Man vs atoll: what if Bear Grylls was marooned on Tuvalu?

If British ex-special forces soldier and survival expert Bear Grylls was marooned on a coral atoll, how would he survive? What resources would be available to him? The people of Tuvalu have spent generations perfecting the art of survival on the low-lying coral atolls and reef islands they call home. Curator Sean Mallon takes us through some of the Tuvaluan tools.