Samoan language week: 24 - 30 May

"Tautua nei mo sou manuia a taeao" Serve now for a better tomorrow. It has been a neat reminder, this week, to treasure my heritage language. The Samoan language is the second most spoken language in Auckland/Manukau (after English) and the third most spoken language in New Zealand (after English and Maori).

I was pre-schooled by my mother with Samoan as my first language but upon starting school, I was taught to write, read and think in English. Those were the days of cultural assimilation and everyone was taught to think that English culture and language was superior than any other. Things have definitely changed since the 20th century and before meaning that since 2000 there has been more recognition of other languages and cultures as being all important.

So now I have a child in a Samoan Aoga Fa'ata'ita'i (pre-school). There are schools that teach Samoan bilingual classes from Year 1 all the way through to taking NCEA (National Certificate in Educational Achievement) from Years 9 - 13. In University you can also complete degrees with Samoan as a major.

Wow! things have certainly changed in just my lifetime. Check out your local libraries, schools, churches and community organisations. There's lots happening...