Samoan language

Educator Muliagatele Vavaō Fetui, who has devoted his life to teaching the Samoan language and culture, can now add another impressive string to his bow.

At 78, he has graduated with his PhD in Pacific Studies from the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Arts in the autumn ceremonies, after completing only the second PhD thesis ever written entirely in Samoan.

Edmonds is a first-generation New Zealand-born Samoan, who spoke Samoan until she was five years old, but she admits over the years, being brought up in New Zealand has led to her losing her ability to speak fluently.

​She says Samoan Language Week is her reminder to work on speaking Samoan fluently when she can.

​"Living away from my immediate Samoan family, I don’t get the opportunity to use the language often and as a result, over the years, my fluency in the language has definitely diminished. Still understand it fully because it was my first language.

Keepitrealonline​ has had millions of views, making parents and caregivers more aware of children's safety when using the internet. 

New Zealand’s Internal Affairs Manager for the Department of Digital Safety Group, Trina Lowry said she was pleased the adverts about bullying, pornography, online grooming and inappropriate content reached so many people. 

“We’ve had over 30 million views of the advert themselves and on the websites.

"What we really want people to do is go the extra mile to get the information. 

The Talanoa Project is a pilot project that uses IBM's artificial intelligence virtual agent solution, Watson, to interact in real time in Samoan for public consultation and community engagement.

Developed and designed by Beca, business director Matthew Ensor said it was about consulting with 'the silent majority' in the public on projects and community facilities.

"We don't hear so much from the people where language is a barrier, where culturally there's no tradition of responding to public consultation.

This year's theme for Samoan Language Week - A call to show kindness and compassion today to bear fruits for tomorrow.

Samoan Language Week was officially launched at Fale o Samoa in Auckland this week.  

Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio says it's vital the Samoan language continues to be used by New Zealand-born Samoans and that it's passed on to the next generation. 

At the 2013 census, 60 percent of Samoans were able to hold an everyday conversation in the language.

Like many Disney movies, Moana has the opportunity for viewers to watch the karaoke version of the film and sing along as lyrics show on screen.

However despite Moana's Pacific theme and the use of Pacific language in the film, the karaoke version does not contain any subtitles other than English.

Three's The Project co-host Kanoa Lloyd says this isn't good enough.

Sima based the film on her own experiences, and the family tragedy is told from the perspective of children.

RNZ reports the short, black and white, Samoan language film challenged many Pacific Island stereotypes.

Now, Nga Taonga Sound and Vision is marking the film's 21st anniversary with a screening, discussion and party as part of the Siapo Cinema 2017 - An Oceania Film Festival in Wellington.

The film tells of a story of a young boy who is overwhelmed by the responsibilities of looking after so many siblings in a home where parents are often off working..

"I was born in Samoa and I came over here when I was two. And from the beginning my parents always elevated education. So I grew up here in Te Atatu North Auckland and once I started to show promise in the school system, my parents stopped me speaking in Samoan and so I completely lost the language and the culture," he said.

"To my shame I was actually ashamed to be brown, wanting to scrub the brown off my skin. Back then when I was forced to confront my Samoaness there was very little about me except for my brown skin, which is why I wanted to get rid of it. "

From today, Samoan words and phrases will be among more than 100 languages from around the world that can be translated into English on the website and app.

The feature allows anyone to type, text or hand write a word or phrase in a particular language and have it immediately translated into English or vice versa.