Little ones lead celebration of Samoan Language Week

Jorja Ahio (front) leads a Samoan action song at Born and Raised Pasifika to celebrate Samoan Language Week. Photo / Stuart Munro

Born and Raised Pasifika preschoolers Julie Samoa and Jorja Ahio have been leading their group in song to celebrate Samoan Language Week.

The two little girls and 11 other Samoan students at the Whanganui early learning centre are preparing for a celebration of language and culture today."We will host our families and people from the community and there will be singing, dancing and delicious Samoan food," said centre manager Hellen Puhipuhi.

Born and Raised Pasifika has a main centre in Aramoho and opened a second satellite centre at Tawhero School in 2016.

The Aramoho centre was the first of its kind in New Zealand - a multilingual preschool employing teachers with fluency in Samoan, Rarotongan and Fijian languages.

This week, the Samoan groups have been making tapa prints, baking fa'apapa bread and teaching songs to other children at the centre.

Samoan Language Week (Vaiaso o le Gagana Sāmoa) is being held until June 2.

The theme for 2018 is "Alofa atu nei. Alofa mai taeao – Kindness given. Kindness gained".

Use of Gagana Sāmoa (Sāmoan Language) is being encouraged in classrooms and workplaces around the country this week.

In the 2013 Census almost 145,000 New Zealanders identified themselves as being of Samoan ethnicity, making them one of the largest ethnic groups in the country.