Samoa Language Celebration 'Like White Sunday'

Tuesday, 3 June 2025, 4:06 pm
Article: RNZ

Grace Tinetali-Fiavaai, RNZ Pacific Journalist

A student-led church service at Auckland's Papatoetoe High School celebrated the beginning of Samoan Language Week in Aotearoa.

High school students have celebrated Samoan Language Week by showcasing their cultural heritage through Bible readings, prayers, singing, and dancing.

Papatoetoe high school Samoan language teacher and dean, Timo Morisa, said the event was "stellar".

"It felt like I was in a white Sunday service," he said.

"If you think about when our Samoan communities celebrate white Sunday - you've got the decorations, you've got the amazing performances, you've got the vibrance; we also had all this food that was prepared."

Morisa said it was "bigger than just the importance of the service and the opening".

"There are so many defining teaching points that we are handing over to the students that are coming," he said.

"One of the other, just kind of side note things, was after the ceremony, kids were in the car park - like Manurewa kids and Papatoe kids and Alfreston kids, and they were just connecting and talking and chatting. And I think that relationship building is so important."

He said one of the chiefs of Samoan language in Aotearoa, Tauanu'u Tapu gave an emotional speech.

"He said: 'In 10 years and 20 years and 50 years, where will our language and our culture be? And it is our responsibility."

Secretary for Fotu o Malamalama Lemoa Henry Fesulua'i said parents shouldn't rely only on education systems.

"Most of the time your children are right in front of you," he said.

"That's the most important thing - that you're normalizing being Samoan in the home, so when they do leave the home, there's other accessibility and support in schools and churches and in various communities."

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