- Hon Barbara Edmonds
A united approach to Macawa ni Vosa Vakaviti – Fijian Language Week will ensure Vosa Vakaviti is taught and spoken more across New Zealand, Pacific Peoples Barbara Edmonds has said.
“As a diaspora population, our Pacific languages, culture and identity are more important than ever before,” Barbara Edmonds said.
“For this year’s Language Week, we’re celebrating the theme of ‘Me vakabulabulataki, vakamareqeti, ka vakaqaqacotaki na vosa Vakaviti’ which translates to ‘Nurture, Preserve and Sustain the Fijian language’.
“The approach taken for the week aligns with National Fijian Wellbeing Plan initiatives – the result of work between Fijian community leaders and the Ministry of Social Development.
“Fijian communities from around the country have collaborated to plan activities which will involve learning through music, health, and wellbeing. It will also see resources created to support long term language planning.”
Statistics New Zealand data indicates that over 19,700 people in New Zealand identity as Fijian, with 24 percent speakers of their language.
While 87 percent of Fijians born overseas can speak Vosa Vokaviti, only 11 percent of those born in New Zealand can.
“Each year we’re seeing more regionally based Fijian groups get involved which is hugely empowering to the RSE workers and Fijian families settled in regional communities,” Barbara Edmonds said.
“We know this is particularly important after the impact extreme weather events has had on the wellbeing of our Pacific people in affected areas.
“Our role as a community is to be united in nurturing our language through creating environments where Vosa Vakaviti is used by more people and in more spaces.
“This year’s Fijian Language Week takes place during the school term, so I hope we’ll see lots of students and schools involved, as the future of this language lies with the next generation,” Barbara Edmonds said.
Macawa ni Vosa Vakaviti – Fijian Language Week 2023 runs from 8 – 14 October. Information and resources can be found on the Ministry for Pacific Peoples website.
Vakadeitaki na vakayagataki vakalevu cake ni Vosa Vakaviti ena vanua o Niu Siladi
Na duavata ni cakacaka ena Macawa ni Vosa Vakaviti – Na macawa ni Vosa Vakaviti ena vakadeitaka ni sa vakavulici ka vosataki vakalevu cake na Vosa Vakaviti ena vanua o Niu Siladi, e kaya o Barbara Edmonds main a tabana ni Tamat ani Pasifika.
“Ni da tamata curu vanua mai, sa bibi cake sara na noda vosa, itovo vakavanua kei na ivakatakilakila ena Pasifika mai na veigauna sa oti,” e kaya o Barbara Edmonds.
Ena Macawa ni Vosa ni yabaki oqo, eda marautaka tiko na iulutaga ‘Me vakabulabulataki, vakamareqeti, ka vaqaqacotaki na vosa Vakaviti’ ka vakadewataki ki na ‘Veisusugi, Maroroi ka Tokona na vosa vaka-Viti’.
Na iwalewale ena taurivaki me baleta na 2023 Macawa ni Vosa e salavata kei na vakasama ka laveti mai na National Fijian Wellbeing Plan – na vua ni nodra cakacaka vata na iliuliu ni itikotiko raraba e Viti kei na Matabose ni Veivakatorocaketaki Raraba.
Era sa cakacaka vata na vei itikotiko Vakaviti ena veiyasani vanua me ra tuvanaka na macawa ka na okati kina na vuli ena ivakatagi, bulabula ni yago, kei na tiko vinaka. Ena raica talega na ivurevure me tauyavutaki ka tokona na kena tuvanaki na toso tikoga ni vulici ni vosa .”
E tukuni ena Tabana ni iWiliwili e Niu Siladi ni sivia na 19,700 na tamata e Niu Siladi era kai Viti, ka 24 na pasede era vosataka na nodra vosa.
E 87 na pasede ni kai Viti era sucu mai veimatanitu tani e rawa ni ra vosataka na vosa Vakaviti, e 11 ga na pasede vei ira era sucu mai Niu Siladi era vosataka rawa.
Ena veiyabaki eda raica tiko e levu cake na veitikotiko Vakaviti era vakaitavi ka veivakayaloqaqataki vakalevu sara vei ira na tamata cakacaka ni RSE kei na matavuvale ni Viti era vakaitikotiko ena veiyasana,” e kaya o Barbara Edmonds.
Eda kila ni bibi sara oqo ni oti na kena revurevu ni draki ca levu e yaco ena bula ni noda itikotiko raraba ena Pasifika ena veivanua e vakaleqai tu.
Na noda itavi vakaitikotiko meda duavata ena kena susugi cake na noda vosa ena kena tauyavutaki na vanua era vakayagataka kina vei ira me levu cake na tamata kei na veivanua tale eso na Vosa Vakaviti.
Na Macawa ni Vosa vakaviti ena yabaki oqo ena yaco ena gauna ni vuli, au nuitaka ni da na raici ira e vuqa na gonevuli kei na koronivuli era vakaitavi tiko, me vaka ni sa koto ena veisiga ni mataka ni vosa oqo ki na itabatamata ka tarava,” e kaya o Barbara Edmonds.
Macawa ni Vosa Vakaviti – Fijian Language Week 2023 ena vakayacori mai na 8 – 14 ni Okotova. Na itukutuku kei na ivurevure e rawa ni kunei ena mataveilawa ni Ministry for Pacific Peoples website.
