Kiribati Language Week: Celebrating Culture Amid Rising Seas Back Home

Scoop

4 days ago

Kam na bane ni mauri, greetings everyone, it's Kiribati Language Week in Aotearoa, marking five years since the celebration began.
This year's theme is: "Living our valued cultural practices through love and respect upholds our dignity and fosters growth for a successful future."
Events are taking place across the country, and on Wednesday in South Auckland, Westfield Manukau Mall came alive with cultural performances and flower-making workshops led by the Te Onikabwebwe Women's Club, offering a hands-on Kiribati experience to the public.
One group member Kauanga Ioera said many people still mispronounce the name of her country, "a lot of people say 'Kiri-bah-tee', but it's 'Kiri-bas'. We pronounce our 't' and 'i' as 'c'," she explained.
Whenever she introduces herself and say where she's from, she also has to explain where Kiribati is.
"Every time we mention, oh, we're from Kiribati, [people say] oh, where's that? So they don't really know where Kiribati is.
"Kiribati is a small island, three hours away from Fiji, we are Micronesians."
Many of the community in Auckland have travelled to Wellington for this year's celebrations.
"We're preparing right now for our Kiribati independence all the way in Wellington, and we're just feeling the Kiribati spirit, like, and we want to share with everyone here our Kiribati spirit and culture," Ioera said.
Performer James Tonganibeia, who danced before hundreds at Westfield Manukau Mall, wore a traditional rope made from ancestral hair.
"So the ropes that we use to tie our mats are the hairs of our elders, and these hair carry us in our dance.
"While we're carrying their hair, we're also carrying them in our dance, it just helps us give us more energy and it's really important for us to carry it with us." Tonganibeia said.
The Centre for Pacific Languages works with the Ministry for Pacific Peoples to support language retention through classes, resources, and community funding.
Centre for Pacific Languages chief executive Fesaitu Solomone said just 50 percent of New Zealand's Kiribati community (over 3000 people) can speak the language, according to past census data.
She highlights the importance of the next generation learning the language of their Pacific heritage.
"I've always encouraged our young people. This message is to if you want to learn the language, don't be shy, be proud of your identity, speak the language, because that's where we're going to retain our language and culture, and the revitalisation of languages starts with you as an individual.
"I believe with the aspirations as a community, they've put it in the action plan that they want more people. They want the language to start from home as well content resources to help them." Solomone said.
Events to celebrate Kiribati Language Week will continue until Saturday, with major celebrations led by I-Kiribati communities in Auckland, Dunedin, and Wellington.