Talofa lava.

In Week 5 of this term, we celebrated Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa - Samoan Language Week. The theme this year was Fa’aāuāu le Folauga i le Va’a o Tautai - Continue the Voyage with Competent Wayfinders of the Ocean. The Samoan community chose a theme that would reflect the journey of language revitalisation and maintenance as well as recognising the importance of having the right tools, good leadership skills, relationships and the correct medium (va’a) that is adaptable to faring the ocean and its elements.

Throughout the week, our Pasifika staff and student leaders delivered a program to suit the needs and learning of our Pasifika students. On Monday, we held a Pasifika students assembly with prayer, singing, word of the day, and then we played Samoan music during morning tea and lunch.

On Wednesday, we celebrated Gagana Samoa with some of our Pasifika parents, staff, and students. We were joined by Simo Faitaua, one of our ex-students who is now a Pasifika staff member at Ara, and Albany and Mercy from Tamai group, who tutors our Year 7 and 8 Pasifika students. After our Year 7 and 8 Pasifika students’ performance, our Pasifika leaders also got to showcase their Samoan Tausala before everyone enjoyed some island food.

To finish the week off, on Friday some of our senior students versed the staff in a fun game of volleyball in our new school gym. It was a fun-filled week, and an absolute blessing to have so many Te Aratai College Pasifika students being active and participating in the program.

Looking forward to many more events like this so we can all reconnect again.

Fa'afetai lava.