Church services across Aotearoa marked the start of Le Vaiaso O le Gagana Samoa, or Samoan Language Week, on Sunday, 31 May. The annual event will run in 2026 from Sunday, 31 May, to Sunday, 6 June. This year’s theme is based on a Samoan proverb: “From the high mountains are the blessings of the village.”
Fa’alogo Vaai said the theme has both physical and spiritual meaning. The “high mountains” can be seen as symbols of strength, guidance and support for the Samoan community. The theme encourages people to think about where their blessings, culture and identity come from.
In the 2023 New Zealand Census, 213,069 people identified as Samoan. However, only 48.4 percent of them could hold a conversation in Gagana Samoa. Vaai said one challenge is the closure of Aoga Amata, which are early education Samoan language nests. These centres once helped young children grow up learning both Gagana Samoa and Fa’asamoa, the Samoan way of life.
Although some language foundations have weakened, there is growing interest among secondary and tertiary students in learning Gagana Samoa. The Ministry for Pacific Peoples’ Leo Moana o Aotearoa project is gathering information about Pacific languages to help protect and strengthen them.
Its survey found that 94 percent of respondents said using their heritage language is important to their wellbeing. It also found that 97 percent believe children and future generations should speak Pacific languages.
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