A young Niuean at his hair-cutting ceremony

A young Niuean at his hair-cutting ceremony

Traditionally, Niuean boys do not cut their hair, which is lovingly cared for by sisters, mothers and aunts. When the boys become teenagers, a ceremony is held where women tend the hair for the last time before it is cut. Members of the extended family plaster the youth with banknotes – all part of a large informal Niuean economy that links families and ensures the community looks after its own.