This year's theme is: "Fa'aāuāu le folauga i le va'a o tautai" translates as continue the voyage with competent Way finders of the ocean.
It's an interesting theme as it follows the United Nations of 17 Sustainable Development goals that includes quality education and sustaining knowledge that brings about positive community outcomes.
I'll be speaking at one of my local schools as a guest speaker to talk about some of the success that I've been blessed with in being bilingual with Samoan as my first language and English as my adopted language in living in New Zealand. Te Reo Maori is my third language that I'm currently learning in the space that I teach in Te Whānanga o Aotearoa.
It will be an exciting week as many Samoans will be celebrating through song and dance, important conversations, watching films, dressing in contemporary Samoan clothing i.e. ie faitaga (male formal wrap), puletasi (two piece of long wrap skirt and top with Pacific print designs) etc.
I thank my parents, and particularly my late father, who taught me about the importance of my Samoan language and encouraged us as children to speak Samoan at home and to learn English at school. It's these memories that I will treasure for ever.
Ia manuia le vaiaso mo le fa'atāuaina o le gagana Samoa i Aotearoa, Niu Sila. May the week go well for demonstrating the importance of the Samoan language in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Ia soifua ma ia manuia. Good bye and may all go well.
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