Samoa Language Week 2022 by PNBHS

Samoa Language Week

This week is Samoa Language Week.  This year's theme is Fa’aāuāu le Folauga i le Va’a o Tautai - Continue the Voyage with Competent Wayfinders of the Ocean.

Samoa has a unique historical relationship with New Zealand. It is the only nation that New Zealand has a Treaty of Friendship. The Treaty of Friendship between Samoa and New Zealand is about a commitment to partnership, friendship and a mutual endeavour to obtain for Tagata Samoa fuller opportunities for social progress. Language is critical in achieving this.

Following on from the impressive external results gained by many of our Samoan Language students in 2021, there are five Year 11, four Year 12 and two Year 13 students taking Samoan Language (Gagana Sāmoa) through the Correspondence School, Te Kura, at PNBHS in 2022.

Gagana Sāmoa is spoken by nearly half a million people worldwide, including 85 thousand people in New Zealand, making it the third most widely spoken language in New Zealand. Students learn Samoan to strengthen their identity as Samoan and to communicate with family members. This subject provides them with an opportunity to build on prior learning and to develop problem-solving and communication skills. Students work through modules on-line that help them prepare spoken and written presentations in Samoan. The relationship between the student and the Te Kura tutor is very important and students have a meeting with their tutor once a fortnight to keep them focused on their studies and to help them with any difficulties they might be having.

Get connected with Samoan language week 2022 - the 60th anniversary of Samoa Independence.  Challenge yourself to use some Samoan language this week!

Samoa Language Week 2022
Samoa Language Week 2022 — Image by: PNBHS