Constitution Day celebrations kick off in Niue today at the site of its new museum, which is opening its doors for the first time.
Sir Toke Talagi Photo: RNZ/ Indira Stewart
But the 44th anniversary comes as Niue's Premier is taking an aggressively independent approach to New Zealand ties.
Celebrations at the new museum in Alofi today are a shift from the usual venue at parliament.
The customary singing of the New Zealand anthem and raising of its flag will also be notably absent.
Rumours have circulated that New Zealand-based celebrations would be asked to make the same deviations.
But no formal request appears to have been made and organisers spoken to say they will raise both flags today.
The changes come amid a stoush between Niue Premier Sir Toke Talagi and New Zealand's Auditor-General.
Responding to concerns over government accounting, Sir Toke has ordered an independent review of the Auditor-General's work in Niue.
