Week 6 Term 2 - Samoan Language Week 2023 (May 29 - June 02)

Malo le soifua maua ma ma le lagi e māmā. O lo'u igoa o Vaiao Taulealeausumai Alby Tu'uga Stevenson. O lo'u Tamā o Tofa Safune Tu'uga Solomona Tu'uga Stevenson, sau mai nu'u o Fatuvalu Safune Savaiia ma Saipipi Savaii ma Tufiopa Laulii Apia. O lo'u Tinā o Taulealeausumai Violet Tu'uga STevenson sau mai nu'u o Faletagaloa Safune Savaii ma Vailima Apia. 

The theme for Samoan Language Week 2023 is 'Mitamita i laugagana, maua'a lou fa'asinomaga' which means 'Be proud of your language and grounded in your identity'. The autu (theme) carries a meaning that I resonate with on a professional level as a faiaoga (teacher). I want to reflect on this theme, unpack it and connect it to what I do in a'oa'oga (education).

MITAMITA I LAUGAGANA: Be proud of your language

Gagana Samoa has always been something that I have been around, but not something that I have always fully immersed myself in. It was not until I was in secondary school that I started to pursue and find ways to connect myself to my culture and the language. More recently, my language journey in Gagana Samoa has been nurtured and empowered in my personal spaces - marriage, family, church - these spaces where I have started to use the language. Also in the space in which I work in, I have found ways to incorporate and integrate what I know in Gagana Samoa. It is a journey and one where I am constantly trying to find ways to connect and immerse myself in the language.

As a faiaoga, I have used Polyfest as the platform to explore Gagana Samoa and to use this as a catalyst to highlight the complexities and beauty in the language. As a teenager, I discovered and learnt to appreciate the language in this space. I have the privilege of sharing what I know of Gagana Samoa and learning from other Gagana Samoa experts in the team in this context.

Tamaki College Samoan Group 2023

In preparation for this year's competition, we had trials for the role of the Fuataimi (conductor - time keeper). The role was given to Year 12 student, Mathew Tukuafu (of Tongan and Samoan descent). Like many other students who were in the group this year, Gagana Samoa is something that is not often shared at home (with many of them coming from English speaking homes). Polyfest is an opportunity for our students to discover, explore, learn and be proud of the language. For our Fuataimi, Gagana Samoa is a new space for him and with this being his third year competing in the competition (first year as Fuataimi) we knew and he knew the challenges that lay ahead for him. He had a supportive network in his family and his Fuaitaimi mentor and tutor who unpacked the speaking parts he had and explained what it meant in English in order for him to express it well in Samoan. We integrated both his Tongan language and Gagana Samoa for his opening and closing comments in his role as Fuataimi. Mitamita i laugagana in this space is a result of time (putting in the time to learn and listen to the language) and using what you know and building on it.

MAUA'A LOU FA'ASINOMAGA: Grounded in your identity

You learn a lot about yourself and your culture when you immerse yourself in another culture. Since 2021, the Samoan Staff have used Samoan Language Week as a platform to engage with all students across the school. We started the House Siva Competition in 2021 which sees all students across the four Houses (Kowhai, Puriri, Rata and Totara) create and perform their own Samoan Siva. It is a competition so we encourage the whanau leaders to get as many students involved. Every year, the students are excited to participate and learn something new. It is an opportunity for our Samoan students to lead and teach and for our non Samoan students, it is an opportunity for them to learn about another culture. over the years we have used it as a way to promote the culture and language. Next year we would like to incorporate the language more when we celebrate Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa - whether that be through the learning and execution of the Ava Ceremony (the teaching around this is complex and beautiful and one that we would like to journey through with our students). 

Totara House Samoan Group 2023

I asked some of the students in Totara House what they have learnt through the Siva Samoa. 

• "I mostly enjoyed everything, like learning about a new culture and how they perform. It was good how heaps of Samoans were cheering for us who were not Samoan. It was good to see people who are not Samoan who are actually doing it. In Tongan Group (Polyfest) and this siva Samoa, the style is the same. The hand movements are similar but the music is different" (Sifa V)
• "I liked that we won the house competition. That shows our hard work and practices paid off. I learnt that when you commit yourself something and keen to learn about a new culture and respect the culture, it works out really good" (Milika V)
• "I liked getting to know different people I didn't know, like our leaders and learning the Samoan culture" (Joshua V)
• "I like to learn about different things about a culture and getting to know everyone else because I am Year 9" (Ofa P)
• "I liked learning the dance and getting to know new people and participating and being involved in the culture and learn about the culture" (Motekiai T) 
• "I learnt heaps of moves and how to dance the Samoan way. I had heaps of fun. I really liked the song that we danced too. I liked dancing together with the girls" (Puna F)
• "I liked that I got learn new moves and learn more about the culture. It felt really good to do something new" (Papiloti Pita) 

Totara House SLW 2023

The Polyfest Samoan Group 2023 also performed for the community in celebration of Samoan Language Week. They performed at Panmure Library (SLW Celebrations) and also held a special assembly performance at Glen Taylor School. The students were proud to perform for their community. 

Samoan Group '23 @ Panmure Library

Samoan Group '23 @ Glen Taylor School

Samoan Group '23 + Glen Taylor School group shot

O le Gagana, o le malaga o le tagata. The language is a journey, a journey to self and a journey in exploring one's identity. I am looking forward to exploring this journey more with our students and to see how we can use it in a meaningful way in their own learning and understanding of themselves.