| Group: | Tokelauans |
| Total: | 10,000 |
| Regions: |  Tokelau
|
| Languages: | Tokelauan, English |
| Religions: | Congregationalism, Roman Catholic |
| Related Groups: | Other Polynesians |
Tokelauans or Tokelauan people are a Polynesian ethnic group native to Tokelau, a Polynesian archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, who share the Tokelauan Polynesian culture, history and language.
The group's home islands are a dependent territory of New Zealand. 77% of Tokelau's population of 1,650 claims Tokelauan ancestry,[1] while 8,676 Tokelauans live in New Zealand.[2] A small number also live in Samoa.
The Tokelauan language is part of the Polynesian language family. Most Tokelauans are fluent in both English and Tokelauan.[3] There are approximately 4,000 speakers, the majority of whom live in New Zealand.[4]
The majority of Tokelauans live in New Zealand, concentrated in the Hutt Valley and Porirua,[5] as well as Auckland.[2] They are the sixth largest Pacific Islander ethnic group in New Zealand, and one of the most socio-economically deprived.[5] Migration to New Zealand began in the 1950s and increased in the 1960s under a government resettlement scheme driven by fears of overpopulation and a tropical cyclone striking the islands.[6] The New Zealand-based population exceeded that of Tokelau in 1976, and immigration declined after that point.[6]
As of 2019, 50.4% of Tokelauan people belong to the Congregational Christian Church while 38.7% belong to the Catholic Church. The rest of the population adheres to various Christian denominations, such as Presbyterianism.[1] Roman Catholicism is mostly practiced in Nukunonu, whereas inhabitants of the islands of Atafu and Fakaofo adhere to Congregationalism. Prior to the arrival of Christianity, Tokelauans worshiped a god named Tui Tokelau.
Netball, rugby, football and cricket are popular in Tokelau. Tokelau Games are held yearly.
New Zealand