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Vaiaso o te Gana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week

Vaiaso o te Gana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week

Celebrated: 29 September – 5 October.

The theme for Tuvalu Language Week 2024, ‘Taofi mau ki tau ‘gana, mo tou gaugaleo, me ko tou iloga tena’ which means ‘Uphold your language and dialect, for it is your identity’ highlights that language is a key part of who we are.

This year’s theme was prepared by Kaiga Tuvalu Otago based in Dunedin and endorsed by national leaders of the Tuvalu Language Week working group.

The community group elaborates on the theme by saying speaking your native language or dialect connects you to your ancestors and culture, creating a strong sense of belonging and pride. This helps maintain community bonds and ensures cultural traditions are passed down. Preserving one’s dialect is unique because it captures the special ways of speaking in a particular community, adding richness and diversity to the cultural tapestry. 

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Calendar of Events 2024

Event 

Time 

Location

Description

Opening Tuvalu Church Congregational 

12pm - 8pm

Online

Opening service live from Tuvalu Auckland Congregations

Opening Church Service 

10am - 4pm

Tuvalu Christian Church Wellington (TCCW) Hall

4 Loongana Steet

Porirua

Church Service with Tuvalu communities in Porirua

Opening of Tuvalu Language Week

11:30am – 4:00pm

Levin Uniting Church

87 Oxford Street, Levin

Service (Tuvalu community)

Lunch

Singing hymns

Opening Church Service

2pm - 4.30pm

Hastings District Council

207 Lyndon Road Hastings

Opening services in Hastings

Event 

Time 

Location

Description

Kids Tuvalu Book reading

8am National

Streaming live on PMN

Flag Raising

8-10am

Porirua Peace Memorial - Flag Raising (Porirua) 

Flag raising for the communities

Flag Raising 

10am-12pm

Kainga Pasifika Services Hastings

4 Tenby Terrace

Flaxmere

Flag raising for the communities

Arts & Crafts– Traditional Music/ Songs 

10am-12pm

Pātaka Art + Museum

Cnr Norrie & Parumoana Streets

Porirua

Traditional arts and crafts 

Arts & Crafts– Traditional Music/ Songs


6pm-10pm

Kainga Pasifika Services Hastings

4 Tenby Terrace

Flaxmere

Communities

Event 

Time 

Location

Description

Taumatua crafts display & entertainment

10am-2pm

Auckland 

Delivered by the Nukulaelae community

Kids Tuvalu Book reading

8am National Streaming live on PMN

Cultural Knowledge / Story / History Independence

10am-2pm

Tuvalu Christian Church Wellington (TCCW) Hall

4 Loongana Street

Porirua

Communities

Arts – Traditional Music/Songs

10am-12pm

Pātaka Art + Museum

Cnr Norrie & Parumoana Streets

Porirua

Communities

Arts & Crafts– Traditional Music/ Songs

10am-2pm

Kainga Pasifika Services Hastings

4 Tenby Terrace

Flaxmere

Communities

Event 

Time 

Location

Description

Kids Tuvalu Book reading

8am National Streaming live on PMN

Arts – Traditional Music/ Songs

10am-2pm

Kainga Pasifika Services Hastings

4 Tenby Terrace

Flaxmere

Communities

Event 

Time 

Location

Description

Kids Tuvalu Book readings

8am National Stream live on PMN

Display of Arts

9am-4pm

Pātaka Art + Museum

Cnr Norrie & Parumoana Streets

Contemporary jewellery. Home décor. Fou making. Children's programme.

Arts – Traditional Music/ Songs

10am-2pm

Kainga Pasifika Services Hastings

4 Tenby Terrace

Flaxmere

Communities

Event 

Time 

Location

Description

Tuvalu language programme

3pm-4.30pm

Pacific Health Plus 
Porirua

 

Tuvalu Indoor Activities

4pm-8pm

Auckland Communities

Health Workshop

7pm-9pm

Tuvalu Christian Church Wellington (TCCW) Hall

Health workshop delivered in the Tuvaluan language

Event 

Time 

Location

Description

Celebration of Tuvalu Independence Anniversary in Hastings

8:30am – 5:00pm

Te Aranga Marae

18 Boston Cres

Hastings

  • together with our Tuvalu community in Hastings
  • Tuvalu language programmes
  • fatele competition

Closing of Tuvalu Language Week

9am-4pm

YMCA Massey, 545 Don Buck Rd, Massey, Auckland 

Tuvalu community celebrations of Independence and closing of TLW

Closing of Tuvalu Language Week

9am – 3pm

Te Aranga Marae

18 Boston Crescent

Flaxmere

Combined with Levin Tuvalu Community 

Event 

Time 

Location

Description

Closing of Tuvalu Language Week in Hastings

11:00 am – 3:00 pm

Te Aranga Marae

18 Boston Cres

Hastings

  • Service
  • Lunch
  • Hymn competition

Tuvalu Language Week Funding Recipients

Below are recipients of funding for community contributions towards Tuvalu Language Week preparations in 2023:

Organisation/Group Name

Location

 Approved Amount

Language

Initiative focus

Tuvalu Community Hawkes Bay Association Hawkes Bay $3,000 Te Gana Tuvalu Language learning through digital/online learning, traditional dance, arts and crafts, and music
Tagata Tuvalu Otautahi Community Incorporated Canterbury $7,700 Te Gana Tuvalu Language learning through dance and music
Tuvalu Auckland Community Trust Auckland $23,550 Te Gana Tuvalu Language learning through traditional dance, community awareness events, oratory, and music
Manawatu Tuvalu Community Trust Manawatu $3,765 Te Gana Tuvalu Language learning through music, digital/online learning, traditional dance, arts and crafts, oratory, and community awareness events
Tuvalu For All Trust Wellington $6,700 Te Gana Tuvalu Language learning through digital/online learning, traditional dance, arts and crafts, oratory, community awareness events, and music
Tagata Tuvalu Trust Manawatu-Whanganui $4,400 Te Gana Tuvalu Language learning through oratory, and traditional dance

 

Below are recipients of funding for community contributions towards Tuvalu Language Week preparations in 2022:

Organisation/Group Name

Location

 Approved Amount

Language

Initiative focus

Tuvalu Auckland Community Trust 

Auckland

20,300.00

Te Gana Tuvalu

Language learning through digital/online learning, arts and crafts, dance, music, oratory and community awareness events

Tagata Tuvalu Otautahi

Christchurch

8,000.00

Te Gana Tuvalu

Language learning through traditional dance, oratory, music, arts and crafts and community awareness events

Tuvalu For All Trust 

Wellington 

4,200.00

Te Gana Tuvalu

Language learning through digital/online learning and arts and crafts

Tuvalu Dunedin Community 

Dunedin

3,987.00

Te Gana Tuvalu

Language learning through traditional dance, arts and crafts, oratory and sports

Tuvalu Community Hawkes Bay 

Hawkes Bay

3,200.00

Te Gana Tuvalu

Language learning through arts and crafts, music, oratory, dance, digital/online learning; and community awareness events

Manawatu Tuvalu Community Trust 

Manawatu-Whanganui

3,000.00

Te Gana Tuvalu

Language learning through music, dance, oratory and community awareness events

Tuvalu Hamilton Community Association 

Hamilton

1,800.00

Te Gana Tuvalu

Language learning through traditional dance, arts and crafts, music, and oratory

 

Below are recipients of funding for community contributions towards Tuvalu Language Week preparations in 2021:

Organisation/Group Name

Location

 Approved Amount

Language

Initiative focus

Manawatu Tuvalu Community Trust

Palmerston North

5,000.00

Te Gana Tuvalu

Language learning through cultural practices, oratory, and storytelling

Tagata Tuvalu Otautahi

Christchurch

15,000.00

Te Gana Tuvalu

Language learning through cultural practices, oratory, storytelling, cooking, dance, and music

Tagata Tuvalu Trust

Otaki

8,800.00

Te Gana Tuvalu

Language learning through cultural practices, oratory, and storytelling

Taulanga Malie Reformed Christian Church Trust in Tauranga

Tauranga

5,000.00

Te Gana Tuvalu

Language learning through cultural practices, oratory, storytelling, arts and craft

Tuvalu Auckland Community Trust

Auckland

20,850.00

Te Gana Tuvalu

Language learning through cultural practices, oratory, storytelling, arts and craft, dance and music

Tuvalu Community Hawkes Bay

Napier

3,500.00

Te Gana Tuvalu

Language learning through cultural practices, oratory, storytelling and intergenerational passing of knowledge from Elders to Youth

Tuvalu Community Tauranga

Tauranga

5,100.00

Te Gana Tuvalu

Language learning through cultural practices, oratory, storytelling, arts and craft, dance and music

Tuvalu Dunedin Community

Dunedin

3,925.00

Te Gana Tuvalu

Language learning classes for beginners

Tuvalu For All Trust

Wellington

6,350.00

Te Gana Tuvalu

Language learning through cultural practices, oratory, storytelling, cooking, weaving, arts and craft, dance, music and developed language learning online resources

Tuvalu Whangarei Community

Whangarei

4,500.00

Te Gana Tuvalu

Language learning through cultural practices, oratory, storytelling, poems, arts and craft, dance and music

Victoria University Pasifika Student Council

Wellington

1,030

Te Gana Tuvalu

Language learning through cultural practices, oratory, storytelling, poems, arts and craft, dance and music