Samoan academics at the University of Auckland has called on all Samoans living in New Zealand to speak their mother tongue and use it at home.

This week, New Zealand marks Samoa Language Week. The theme for this year is ‘Tautua I le alofa, manuia le lumana’i (serve in love for a blessed future) focuses on the practice of ‘tautua’  (service) and aptly fits in with the Pacific Language Weeks’ overarching theme of 'Sustainability.'

University of Auckland Pro Vice Chancellor (Pacific) Professor Jemaima Tiatia-Siau is proudly on her gagana Samoa journey. While making her way to Antigua & Barbuda for a UN panel discussion on Pacific health crisis on 27 – 30 May, she spoke about the realities of maintaining gagana Samoa.

“I’m on the gagana Samoa journey, and it comes down to - practise, practise, practise. Family and friends have been amazing. I’ll always stuff up, so yes, it does take some courage. But it is such a beautiful language.”

Undergrad student Cyrus Meredith Melhuish, majoring in Politics and Asian studies, is proud of his Samoan heritage but acknowledges that living in Aotearoa has brought inherent challenges when it comes to gagana Samoa.

"It’s such a beautiful language, and it’s practise really, we use a lot of Samoan terms at home every day. Mum uses it a lot when she’s telling me off, especially when I’m supposed to be doing my essay and I’m playing a game."

The University’s Samoa Language Lecturer Lemoa Henry Fesuluai has spoken widely about the importance of gagana Samoa. Recently he featured in the media providing analysis and insights on the Samoan language, entering the controversial debate around anti-blackness.

He said an individual’s level of gagana Samoa will determine how terms and words are translated, as well as taking into account differing worldviews. The history, behind the Samoan word and the English word can be entirely different.

From an indigenous viewpoint, words depend heavily on context and how the va (the space between, the betweenness, not empty space, not space that separates but space that relates) is upheld.

"It's about which lens a person is interpreting words from.”

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Gagana Samoa is the third most spoken language in Niu Sila (Aotearoa New Zealand) following te reo Maori and English.  According to the 2018 Census, just over 101,000 people have identified themselves as Samoan speakers and are able to hold a conversation in Samoan.

Samoan is the second most spoken language in Tamaki Makaurau Auckland and Porirua.

The Leo Moana o Aotearoa Survey Report published by the Ministry of Pacific Peoples two years ago shows that Pacific languages are valued highly by Pacific people. Pacific languages are an important part of New Zealand’s national identity and there was a strong call for official recognition of Pacific languages.