Malo lava le soifua. Today we celebrate Samoan language week for 2018 and it's neat to see all the different activities that are a part of the celebrations not only in schools but also throughout the various communities.In fact, even at the Wananga, many knowing that I am Samoan acknowledged the celebration with a Samoan greeting and one Maori whaea (respectful name for elder woman) sang a Samoan bilingual song which was really neat too.
I'm also looking forward to seeing my parents this evening as my children are in seeing their grandparents returning from the motherland and to celebrate birthdays as my parents and husband's birthdays are days apart within a span of a week.
I think in learning three languages of Samoan (my first language), English (my educational language) and Maori (tangata whenua o Aotearoa language) it has been interesting to note that there are ideas in each language which don't really translate so well into the to other languages because of attitudes, ideas that are very genuinely unique and specific to a particular culture.
That is what I have learnt in learning to speak three different languages with very different attitudes and perspectives in each language and also as a student and learner in each as culture and language are very powerful vehicles of identity and one without the other makes life very difficult especially for this next generation who might have the gafa, whakapapa or genealogy but are unable to speak the language for the next generation with its implications... Ia manuia...
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