Tokelau Language Week 2017
Fakafeiloaki (Greetings). Mālo ni (Hello). Vaiaho o te Gagana Tokelau (Tokelau Language Week) celebrates Faka-Tokelau (the Tokelauan way of life) from October 23-29.
There are around 2,500 speakers of Tokelauan, which represents 40 percent of the Tokelauan population, here in New Zealand.
This year, the Office of Pacific Advancement at AUT has created a series of videos that pair each Pacific language week with one of 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
We are honouring Tokelau Language Week with an issue of great importance in the Pacific region – SDG#13 Climate Action – ‘take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts’.
There is no country in the world that does not feel the effects of climate change.
Greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise and are more than 50% higher than in 1990.
“Severe weather and rising sea levels are affecting our people, and the islands of Tokelau,” says AUT Certificate of Sport and Recreation student, Nigel Sio.
“We have developed a new keyhole gardening concept to adapt to droughts, a hot climate and limited amount of soil.”
AUT Bachelor of Design student, Kailelei Tepou says: “Tokelau has become the first nation to be powered only by solar power.”
Join in on our conversation on Facebook, Twitter and visit the Pacific at AUT website for all you need to know about Tokelauan Language Week 2017.
Tōfā ni (Good bye).