Talofa lava: Samoan language in spotlight

Michael Tualasea dances with Apu Auapaau as part of traditional Samoan song and dance at Leataata o Tupulaga o le Pasefika Preschool in Massey. Photo / Greg Bowker

Talofa lava - hello - will be the key greeting for many this week, as Samoan Language Week starts.

Celebrations officially begin today, the 49th anniversary of Samoa's independence day.

Samoan is one of the most widely spoken languages in New Zealand, and the second most commonly spoken language in Auckland.

At Manurewa's Roscommon School, up to 120 students are enrolled in the unit's three bilingual classes.

Associate principal Christina Patea said parents were seeing the benefits of teaching their children to be fluent in English and Samoan.

"We've only just opened the bilingual unit and we've got kids on a waiting list," she said.

The Leataata o Tupulaga o le Pasefika Preschool in Massey began activities on Monday. Youngsters at the preschool - a full-immersion Samoan education centre - took part in siva (dance) and pese (song) yesterday.

Today they will go to the library to hear a Samoan legend in a story-telling session set up for all libraries in the region.

Head teacher Leata Tipi said it was valuable for children.

"It's very important to the children's identity, to provide them with the knowledge of knowing how to speak their mother tongue," Mrs Tipi said.

More than 130,000 Samoans live in New Zealand, making up the fourth largest ethnic community in the country.

In 2006, Statistics New Zealand figures showed that up to 63 per cent of Samoans could hold an everyday conversation in Samoan.