We will be celebrating Samoa Language Week at the Timaru Campus library from Monday 31st May to Saturday 5th June.
Unfortunately, due to the Timaru campus closure, today’s events (Mon 31st May) will not take place.
Please feel free to come along and take part in our celebrations.
Talofa lava! Beginning Sunday 28 May is Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa, Samoan language week. The theme for this year is “Ma’au i lou ofaga. Maua’a lou fa’asinomaga” – “Keep your identity alive to thrive.”
Samoan culture is huge here in New Zealand – in fact, Samoan is the third most spoken language in New Zealand after English and Te reo Māori.
Ministry for Pacific Peoples has some great proverbs for all of us including:
E iloa ‘oe i lau gagana – Your language speaks volumes of you
A malu i fale, e malu i fafo – Respect yourself and others will too
At Ara, we are celebrating Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa with a number of events:
· Monday 29 May
§ Official opening in the City Atrium, including Samoan food and performances, 12:10pm
§ Quiz night in the City C Block Lounge, 6-8pm (5.30pm doors)
· Tuesday 30 May
§ Cultural Craft making Ula Lole in the Madras library, 12-1pm
§ Cultural Craft making Ula Lole in the Woolston library, 12-1pm
· Wednesday 31 May
§ Cultural Craft making Ula Lole in the Timaru library, all day event
§ Social Volleyball, Sports Court W133, 12-1pm
§ Movie Night watching Three Wise Cousins, C Block Lounge, 6pm
A big thank you to our Samoan students who are leading these events.
We are looking forward to seeing you there!
“Ia soifua ma ia manuia.”
Fafaga fanau i upu ma tala. Tautala i lau gagana − Feed the children with words and stories. Speak your language is the 2013 theme for Samoan Language Week. The Samoan language is the third most commonly spoken language in New Zealand. CMPA have organised a week of awesome Samoan activities to help us all celebrate.
On Monday 27th enjoy the opening ceremony between 10 and 10.45 am with Samoan performances by various groups and a few words from our CEO Kay Giles.
On Tuesday 28th look out for the Ula lole, a necklace made of lollies. Speak to someone in Samoan who is wearing this and the Ula Lole will be passed on to you. At the end of the day the person with the Ula Lole gets to collect a prize from the CMPA.
Here are some simple greetings you can use to get the Ula lole :
Talofa lava Hello (formal)
Talofa Hello
Malo Hello
Or you can visit the Manuatele website for handy phrases with audio clips for correct pronunciation.
To learn some more Samoan words and phrases you can visit Te Puna Wānaka from 12 to 12.45 on Wednesday 29th for a lunchtime language learning session.
Alternatively you can read some simple titles in our Pasifika Collection. (Hint: Look for the Palm tree symbol on the ground floor)
Some simple Samoan titles include:
Muller, K (2012) How do you say thank you – a bilingual reader in Samoan and English.
and
Kahukura, A (2010) In the kitchen in Samoan and English
On Thursday 30th from 12-1pm you can experience traditional Samoan cooking of taro, pork, chicken and palusami on heated rocks in an umu – Find this opposite the front entrance to the Food and Hospitality department.
On Friday 31st from 6.30- 8pm is a night of fun and Samoan singing in the Pese Mai Choir competition featuring a first prize of $500. This event will be held in Te Puna Wānaka.
Enjoy your week everyone.
Ia soifua ma ia manuia (Be well and prosper)
Samoan Language Week is an opportunity to celebrate the Samoan language in New Zealand, to recognise the language and culture of Samoan New Zealanders, to build bridges between cultures and to ensure that the language continues to be used widely in New Zealand in the future.
http://www.princesstui.ws/html/pictures.html
There are over 130,000 Samoan New Zealanders. The Samoan community is the fourth largest ethnic community after NZ Europeans (2,381,000), Māori (565,000), and Chinese (147,000). The Samoan language is the third most commonly spoken language in New Zealand after English and Māori.
If you see someone wearing a garland of lollies – an Ula lolly …greet them in Samoan and pass it on!
Check out the new Pasifika Collection in the Library for great resources.
Ara Library Blog 