(Picture caption: Welcome to Te Vaiaho o te Gagana Tokelau - Tokelau Language Week 2023! Let’s make it a huge finale to our Pacific Language Weeks series. Visit the MPP website for more information and resources to use throughout the week.)
While the Tokelauan community in Aotearoa may be small in numbers, it is notably big in heart and the importance of preserving the Tokelau language and culture is being highlighted this Te Vaiaho o te Gagana Tokelau – Tokelau Language Week 2023, from October 22-28.
It is the final event in the 2023 Pacific Language Weeks series, which Secretary for Pacific Peoples Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone says has been extremely effective in highlighting the role language plays in providing wellbeing and confidence in identity to New Zealand’s Pacific communities.
The series also coincides with UNESCO’s International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022–2032, which is aimed at highlighting and supporting indigenous peoples’ right to preserve, revitalise, and promote their languages.
“Our final language week of 2023 is focused on the theme, Ke Olatia ko ia Tokelau i tana Fakavae, or in English, Tokelau to Prosper Within its Foundation,” Gerardine says.
“It continues to delve into the premise that understanding the past is crucial for the future for Gagana Tokelau, which is recognised within the community.
“Acknowledging historical roots is considered essential for future progression, especially in cherishing and upholding the culture and language.
“There is a collective responsibility to ensure the Tokelauan Fakavae - the community's spiritual and cultural values and practices - continue to prosper for generations yet unborn, and more and more the mantle of cultural preservation and growth is increasingly passed to the younger generation.
“A notable portion of this younger demographic are emergent Tokelauan language learners, and through the likes of Tokelau Language Week, we aim to inspire and provide robust support to these learners.”
The 2018 Census found 85 percent (or 8,676 people) of the Tokelau population live in Aotearoa, and 23 percent of those residing in New Zealand could speak Gagana Tokelau.
Thirteen percent of those under the age of 15 were able to speak the language.
Gerardine adds having seen the need to support the preservation of the language, it is wonderful to see our Tokelau communities from around the country getting behind language week organising a feast of online and in-person activities to embrace the language and culture of Tokelau.
“This year’s events include language learning through traditional dancing – fatele, songs, cooking, online videos, teachings, church services, youth and children’s specific activities and more.
“You are all invited and encouraged to join in this celebration of Gagana Tokelau and the last of our Pacific language weeks this year, to ensure the language and culture is not only preserved, but continues to thrive and flourish in Aotearoa,” she says.
Visit the MPP website and the NZ Tokelau Language Week Facebook page for more information.
Kua iloga ia taumafaiga a Tokelau ki te poupouakiga ma te fakaleleiga o tana gagana
E ui ona taigole te komiuniti a tagata Tokelau i luga o Aotearoa, kae kua iloga a latou galuega tāua ki te fakaolaolaga o te gagana ma te aganuku, ma ka fakamamafagia i te Vaiaho o te Gagana Tokelau 2023, mai te aho 22-28 o Oketopa.
Ko te fakaikuga mulimuli tenei i te fakagahologa o na Vaiaho o na Gagana a te Pahefika mo te tauhaga 2023, na tākua mai e Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone, ko ia ko te Failautuhi mo Tagata Pahefika, ko na vaiaho o na gagana Pahefika kua matuai aogā lahi mo te fakamamafaga o te tāua o te gagana ke maua ai te ola mālōlō lelei ma te mautinoa o te hokotaga ki na komiuniti takitahi a Tagata Pahefika i luga o Niu Hila.
E fetaui lelei foki ma te fakahologa o na Gagana a Tagata Atunuku o te Lalolagi i te vā o na tauhaga 2022- 2023 i lalo o te UNESCO, e fakatatau ki te fakamaninoga ma te lagolagogia o na aiā tatau a tagata atunuku ke puipui, fakaolaola, ma fakalauiloa a latou gagana.
E lea mai ia Geraldine, “Ko te tatou toe vaiaho o na gagana mo te tauhaga 2023 e kikila ki te kautū tēnei, Ke Olatia ko ia Tokelau i tana Fakavae, pe ko te faka Peletania, Tokelau to prosper within its foundation.”
“E faka auau te kikila loloto ki te vaega tēnei, ma he vaega foki kua hāfia e te komiuniti, ko te nofo malamalama ki te tala aga ma na mea na tutupu i na aho kua teka, e tāua mo te lumanaki o te Gagana Tokelau.
“E tāua te fakailoa ma amanakia na tala tuku fakaholopito mo te fano fano lelei ki mua, kae maihe ki te fakapelepele ma taofi ke mau o te aganuku ma te gagana.
“Ko he tiute fakatahi e o ki tatou ke fakamautinoa ko te Fakavae o tagata Tokelau – te ola fakatuatua o tagata ma tana tū ma tana aganuku – e faka auau mo na autupulaga e fāi mai, ke fakaolaola ma ke olatia pea ke fakapuku ma puaki atu ki te tupulaga talavou.
“Ko he mātauga ki te tupulaga Tokelau kua fanake nei ni tamaiti e fiafia ke akoako te gagana, ma ko te Vaiaho o te Gagana Tokelau, ka kikila ke fai ma auala e fakamalohia ma lagolago ai iēnei fanau ke ako e ki latou te gagana.”
Ko te Tuhigā Ioga o te tauhaga 2018 na iloa mai ai i kinā ko te 85 pahene (pe ko te 8,676 tino) o tagata Tokelau e nonofo i Aotearoa, ma te 23 pahene o ki latou e nonofo i luga o Niu Hila e mafai ke tautatala i te Gagana Tokelau.
Ko te hefulu tolu pahene o ki latou i lalo o te taki 15 tauhaga e ki latou mafaia oi tautatala i te gagana.
E tākua mai e Geraldine he tulaga manaia te kikila atu ki na gaoioiga a na komiuniti a Tokelau mai na koga kehekehe o te motu, ma a latou tapenapenaga mo na polokalame e tuku mai i luga o te neti kae vēnā ai foki ma na mafutaga e fai ke fakatāua ma fakamanatu te gagana ma te aganuku a Tokelau.
“Ko na polokalame o te tauhaga nei e aofia ai te ako o te gagana e auala mai i na hiva faka te atunuku – fatele, pehe, kuka, na vitiō e maua i luga o te neti, akoakoaga, na hāonigā lotu, ma na fakatinoga e patino mo tamaiti ma te kau talavou.
E lea mai, “E valakaulia ma fakamālohia atu koutou uma lele ke kau fakatahi ki te fakamanatuga o te Gagana Tokelau ma ko te toe vaiaho foki ia o na vaiaho o na gagana a te Pahefika mo te tauhaga nei, ke fakamautinoa ko te gagana ma te aganuku e fakaolaola ma e olatia pea i luga o Aotearoa.”
FAKAMATALAGA: Kikila ifo ki te vaega tēnei MPP website ma te laupepa a te NZ Tokelau Language Week i luga o te Facebook mo ni iētahi fakamatalaga.