NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Budget 2025
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Talanoa

Kiribati Language Week: Encouraging young I-Kiribati to keep their language alive

Vaimoana Mase
By Vaimoana Mase
Pasifika Editor·NZ Herald·
10 Jul, 2023 02:35 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Minister for Pacific Peoples Barbara Edmonds with young performers celebrating the start of Kiribati Language Week. Photo / Barbara Edmonds
Minister for Pacific Peoples Barbara Edmonds with young performers celebrating the start of Kiribati Language Week. Photo / Barbara Edmonds

Minister for Pacific Peoples Barbara Edmonds with young performers celebrating the start of Kiribati Language Week. Photo / Barbara Edmonds

A colourful display of cultural dance, song and speech has helped to kick off a special week for members of the Kiribati community living in New Zealand.

This year’s Kiribati Language Week is officially underway and will see various events around the country; including cultural skills workshops, performances and activities in Porirua and Invercargill.

One of the first events was held at the Pātaka Art + Museum in Porirua this morning, hosted by the Maneaban te I-Tungaru Society.

Minister for Pacific Peoples, Barbara Edmonds, shared a number of photos of the celebrations; showing off hundreds of people - both young and old - who had come together in honour of their motherland and heritage.

“Celebrating the Kiribati Language Week, Wikin te Taetae ni Kiribati, with our Porirua and wider Wellington Kiribati community!”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ministry for Pacific Peoples (@ministryforpacificpeoples_)

This week’s theme is: Nurture, enhance and sustain the Tungaru language and culture.

“Tungaru is the name given to the people of Kiribati by their ancestors, with the Tungaru culture and language and playing a pivotal role in identity and well-being,” Edmonds said.

“There is a real push by Kiribati groups around the country to keep increasing these statistics and continue highlighting the importance of sustaining language and culture for [the] next generation.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

How many people in NZ can speak Tungaru?

Figures from the 2018 Census shows a total of 3,225 people identified as being of Kiribati descent. They are known as I-Kiribati.

The majority of that group (1710) were female and the median age was 20.4 years old.

Edmonds said 50 per cent of those people said they could speak Tungaru.

I-Kiribati children show off their cultural pride at today's Kiribati Language Week celebrations in Porirua. Photo / Barbara Edmonds
I-Kiribati children show off their cultural pride at today's Kiribati Language Week celebrations in Porirua. Photo / Barbara Edmonds

Up to 20 per cent of I-Kiribati people born in New Zealand said they could also speak the language, while 24 per cent of people under the age of 15 years old said they could speak it also.

Among this week’s celebrations is the 44th anniversary of the Micronesian country becoming an independent nation.

In 1979, Kiribati gained independence from the United Kingdom.

There are three official events commemorating Kiribati Independence Day this week - including the first being held tonight at the Pātaka Art + Museum, hosted by the Wellington Kiribati Community Club Inc.

Tarawa atoll (pictured) is an atoll and is the capital of the Republic of Kiribati. Photo / AP
Tarawa atoll (pictured) is an atoll and is the capital of the Republic of Kiribati. Photo / AP

The second is taking place on Saturday at the Maraeroa Hall in Waitangirua, Porirua.

While the final independence event will be at the ILT Stadium Surrey Park Rd in Glengarry, Invercargill, hosted by the NZ National Kiribati Council and Southland Kiribati Community and Youth.

The importance of keeping Pasefika languages alive

Edmonds acknowledged the importance of keeping our Pasifika languages alive and the Government’s commitment to helping communities achieve this - as shown in the Pacific Languages Strategy announced last year.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

This year’s Budget announcement saw the allocation of $13.3 million going to the Pacific Languages Strategy - $9.2m of which was set aside for Pacific media entities to deliver Pasifika language programming.

The remaining $4.1m of that funding is to go to the establishment of an online hub and public information campaign to create a new platform for Pacific language learners and speakers.

Edmonds said such projects were an investment and that growing Pacific bilingual and multilingual speakers would ultimately benefit New Zealand.

Read More

  • Kiribati refugee claims climate change crisis prevents ...
  • Vaccination programme aims to lower child mortality ...
  • Budget 2023: Pacific’s $51m package includes focus ...
  • Churches urged to help preserve Pacific languages - ...
  • Rotuman Language Week: A young woman’s journey to keep ...
  • Samoan Language Week: Barbara Edmonds on navigating ...

“It will help lift educational outcomes, enhance employment and earning opportunities, create cultural connections that improve well-being and build the confidence and identity of our Pacific peoples.”

The strategy was one of the last big announcements made by former Minister for Pacific Peoples Minister Aupito William Sio; who pinpointed how fundamental Pacific languages were to the survival of Pacific communities in New Zealand during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Much of the vital information being distributed at the time - including that on vaccinations, isolation rules and where people could seek help or get food parcels - was translated into Pacific languages.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“Evidence tells us that when our people are strong in their languages - as well as English - they are more likely to be strong mentally, culturally, academically and economically,” Aupito said at the time.

For more information on events this week, visit the Ministry for Pacific Peoples website

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Talanoa

Talanoa

'My heart is broken': Family mourn 'hero' surgeon at public memorial

25 May 08:00 PM
Premium
Travel

'Scared to death': Former Auck teacher running Cook Islands tour accused of risking lives

17 May 05:00 PM
Talanoa

Why 'Tina from Turners' is leaving NZ for life in Samoa

12 May 06:30 AM

The Hire A Hubby hero turning handyman stereotypes on their head

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
'My heart is broken': Family mourn 'hero' surgeon at public memorial
Talanoa

'My heart is broken': Family mourn 'hero' surgeon at public memorial

25 May 08:00 PM
NZ Herald comments: The stories open for discussion today
New Zealand

NZ Herald comments: The stories open for discussion today

25 May 07:32 PM
Man accused of killing cyclist: 'We never intended for him to die'
New Zealand

Man accused of killing cyclist: 'We never intended for him to die'

25 May 07:00 PM
Heavy rain moves north as wet weather system crosses New Zealand
New Zealand

Heavy rain moves north as wet weather system crosses New Zealand

25 May 07:00 PM
St John vehicle crashes in Auckland, investigation under way
New Zealand

St John vehicle crashes in Auckland, investigation under way

25 May 06:50 PM

Latest from Talanoa

'My heart is broken': Family mourn 'hero' surgeon at public memorial

'My heart is broken': Family mourn 'hero' surgeon at public memorial

25 May 08:00 PM

Dr Parma Nand rose from 'extreme poverty' to become a top surgeon.

Premium
'Scared to death': Former Auck teacher running Cook Islands tour accused of risking lives

'Scared to death': Former Auck teacher running Cook Islands tour accused of risking lives

17 May 05:00 PM
Why 'Tina from Turners' is leaving NZ for life in Samoa

Why 'Tina from Turners' is leaving NZ for life in Samoa

12 May 06:30 AM
'We're just doing our best': Cultural backlash hits Auckland kava business

'We're just doing our best': Cultural backlash hits Auckland kava business

12 May 04:04 AM
Gold demand soars amid global turmoil
sponsored

Gold demand soars amid global turmoil

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search