Papua New Guinea Pidgin Language Week, celebrated from 10 to 16 November 2024, brings together the Papua New Guinea community in New Zealand to celebrate the richness of their language and culture.
This year’s theme ‘Lukautim strongim na kirapim tokples na pasin blo tubuna’ meaning to ‘preserve, revitalise, and promote our language and culture’, emphasises the importance of safeguarding linguistic and cultural heritage for future generations.
The Secretary for Pacific Peoples, Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone, expresses her pride in supporting this vital cultural event: "While this is the first official Papua New Guinea Pidgin Language week supported by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples, the community has been working towards this for some time. This week provides a wonderful opportunity for all of us in New Zealand to recognise and celebrate the diversity of our Pacific neighbours, especially through the lens of language preservation and cultural enrichment."
The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is collaborating with the Papua New Guinea Language Week Working Group, which includes members from Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Christchurch and Dunedin. Together, they have planned a series of events, both in-person and online, aimed at promoting language learning and cultural connection. With around 840 living languages, Papua New Guinea is the most linguistically diverse country in the Pacific region providing many layers to the celebrations.
In New Zealand, 1,131 Papua New Guineans call this country home, with 52% identifying as multi-ethnic. However, only 15% of those under 15 years speak two or more languages, a stark reminder of the need for focused efforts on language revitalisation.
"We encourage all New Zealanders to engage in the celebrations, whether by learning a few words in Papua New Guinea Pidgin or participating in one of the many events being organised across the country," says Gerardine.
Visit the Papua New Guinea Pidgin Language week page and the official Facebook page for more information about events, resources and language guides available during Papua New Guinea Pidgin Language Week.
Media contact: Ministry for Pacific Peoples, Principal Advisor Communications – Divya Unnikrishnan at [email protected] or 022 509 1907