TOKELAU

Comprised of three coral atolls, Tokelau is a dependency of New Zealand, with its capital at Nukunon. The name of the country means “North Wind”. Tokelau, whose official leader is the Queen of Great Britain, became a British protectorate in 1877 and then part of New Zealand in 1949. The people of Tokelau accept a way of life they call “maopopo” and believe in “the unity of a common purpose that encompasses both body and spirit”. Poetry, music, and dance have special roles in the communal culture of this country. In 2013, Tokelau became the first 100% solar powered nation in the world. Here, it is a tradition for elderly women to perform comic sketches to make people laugh.