Transcript
Children learning traditional Tuvaluan songs in west Auckland as a way to pick up the language.
Molia Alama Tulafono is part of the Tuvalu Language Committee planning events around Auckland.
Ms Tulafono says aspects of Tuvaluan culture such as the traditional dance,fatele, are examples of how the language can be learnt.
She says the fatele dance emcompasses the language completely.
"I see it as a educational platform and you can learn so much so much from it. It's the way our people have used to pass down knowledge. That's the way I look at fatele. It's a way of passing on that knowledge from daily life lessons to educational messages to biblical messages, so it's a really empowering tool for our youth and that's what I want to hold on to."
Ms Tulafono also is part of the 'We Love Tuvalu' group in New Zealand that works on ways to promote the culture here.
She says the youth are vital to the perservation of the language.
"A great number of young Tuvaluans here in Auckland and New Zealand in general engage in their language especially during the white Sunday celebrations, fatele celebrations for independence. It's really impressive and, you know, fantastic to see the young ones step up and take leadership."
Fala Haulangi is the Tuvalu programme producer at Pacific Media Network and sees her line of work as a way of giving back to her community.
She says the theme reflects not only what she does for a living, but the progress towards keeping the Tuvalu culture alive in New Zealand especially as the culture itself is diverse.
"I can only speak for myself and the islands of where I'm from. That's Nanumea. We are quite unique even within Tuvalu in the way we celebrate the first born, the wedding celebration. There are very unique things that I can proudly say that we take ownership of those things because sometimes even our own people in Tuvalu are like, oh my gosh you people are so different in a way."
Ministry of Pacific Peoples Chief Executive Laulu Mac Leauanae says the Tuvaluan community is growing rapidly in New Zealand and this is why it's vital to embrace the culture in the country.
"I've just been reflecting on the stats. There's 2,800 Tuvaluans out west Auckland alone, 3,500 in New Zealand and we heard from the high commissioner that we nearly have half of the total population of Tuvalu is here in New Zealand."
Tuvalu language week is be celebrated across New Zealand through to next Sunday.
This is Sela Jane Hopgood.
