New Zealanders are being encouraged to observe Samoan Language Week, which takes place from May 30 to June 5.
Samoan is the third most spoken language in New Zealand. For the first time, Australia will join in the celebrations, with the support of the Australian and New Zealand Human Rights Commissions.
Australia's National Rugby League is supporting the week. The country's Race Discrimination Commissioner, Graeme Innes, said, "One of the things that the National Rugby League has done is to provide some support for people of Pacific Island background to recognize their culture and language, and they've been pleased to support us."
This year, the week takes place under the banner "O la Tatou Gagana Samoa i Niu Sil," which translates as "Our Samoan Language in New Zealand."
The programme of special events includes TV and radio broadcasts, quizzes, speaking and poetry competitions, concerts and storytelling.
"The Samoan community has made a significant contribution to the Pacification of New Zealand and will continue to do so," said Georgina te Heuheu, New Zealand's Minister of Pacific Island Affairs. "Samoan Language Week is something for us all to enjoy."
However, the celebrations come amid reports that the Samoan language is declining in New Zealand. Salainalaoloa Wilson, an MA student of Pacific Studies at Victoria University, in Wellington, carried out research that found fewer Samoan young people were learning their language at home, due to increased work pressure on parents.
Ms. Wilson cited a fall in the percentage of Samoans able to speak the language fluently, from 46 to 44 percent from 1996 to 2006.
In New Zealand, there are about 85,000 Samoan speakers, with almost 60,000 of those in and around Auckland. An estimated 40,000 people in Australia speak Samoan.
30 May 2010
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