Fijian Language Week 2024
The 2024 theme for Fijian Language Week is ‘Vakamareqeta na Vosa Vakaviti - Nurture and sustain the Fijian language.’
Bachelor of Communication Studies graduate, Bai Buliruarua, shares his language learning journey for Macawa ni Vosa Vakaviti - Fijian Language Week, in the seventh instalment of the University’s Pacific language video series for 2024.
Bai says, “With the language, you understand social customs, gain a deeper understanding of our history, and our relation to one another. It’s a beautiful thing and the reason it’s so important to learn. All the different parts of our culture and identity inform one another.
“Learning the language as an adult can be quite daunting. We are told by family members to just speak it, but the fear of embarrassment gets the better of us sometimes. But if we get it wrong, we correct ourselves, learn and keep going.
“They say once you have the language, you have access to everything else. Learning about all these things helps with retaining the language.”
The theme for the Pacific Language Weeks 2024 is sustainability, and AUT’s videos are a celebration of the power of language and culture featuring our Pacific staff, students and alumni who are sharing their experiences and journey with sustaining their Pacific heritage language.
The videos feature Pacific stories of the significance of heritage languages, from the perspectives of business leaders to educators, community leaders and more, who are all passionate about sustaining languages for future generations.
Through their stories, it will be evident the many ways in which language is a vital component of cultural identity and the ways our alumni have implemented it into their daily lives.
Fijian greetings and other resources for Macawa ni Vosa Vakaviti – Fijian Language Week, including email signatures and printable posters, are available on the website of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples.
Release dates
To watch each video in the 2024 AUT Pacific language video series as they are launched, follow the Pacific at AUT Facebook page or watch on YouTube.
- Niue Language Week: 13 - 19 October 2024
- Tokelau Language Week: 27 October – 2 November 2024
- Papua New Guinea Pidgin Language Week: 10 - 16 November 2024
- Solomon Islands Pidgin Language Week: 24 - 30 November 2024