Promoting Papua New Guinea languages through social media

Like many Pacific people, young Papua New Guinean Ukau'u Kathryn Omae carries multiple hats.

Omae is a law student at Waikato University, a legal clerk at Stace Hammond Lawyers, and the President of the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Waikato Students Association.

In previous weeks, Omae and some members of the PNG Waikato Students Association performed at the Melanesian Festival held in Henderson.

Pacific Media Network (PMN) senior reporter Ruci Farrell spoke with Omae at the festival.

She told Farrell: “We're a pretty small community, but a tight community.

“We want to create our community one so that that's more implemented into that but as for now, it's like really baby steps because we're pulling ourselves together after COVID.”

Last year, New Zealand Member of Parliament Barbara Edmonds announced two more languages to join the Pacific Language Week series for 2024 which included Solomon Islands Pidgin and PNG Tok Pisin languages.

Kathryn Omae says one of the challenges around language preservation is the fact that PNG has 800 different languages. Photo/Ukau'ú Kathryn Omae

For the first time, Aotearoa is celebrating PNG languages and culture this week as part of the New Zealand Pacific Languages Week.

This includes the new addition of the Tok Pisin language.

Omae said one of the challenges around language preservation is the fact that PNG has 800 different languages.

She also emphasised the challenges in preserving the Tok Pisin language among younger generations are due to varied dialects, limited resources, and differing learning styles.

Omae says TikTok is an effective tool for promoting language learning and cultural events, especially through short, engaging videos.

“Nowadays, you know how they do the TikTok videos and stuff? When you do one minute, informative, clear, straight to the point, they [young generation] get that … because I do a bit of social media as well … I think the kids pick on quickly, especially when they sit down and adults are having a conversation, they pick up from that.

“We try to speak it around them all the time.

While events and community efforts are central, Omae says cultural education should begin at home, with parents reinforcing language and traditions.

“I also think it's like the parent's responsibility to make sure they're learning that at home and like for us as like aunties that don't have kids … we try to help as much as we can but it would definitely be something that the parents would teach their children at home first before they come out.”

As the President of the PNG Waikato Students Association, Omae said they are also hoping to promote more of the Tok Pisin language through various activities such as formal lessons and social gatherings.

The Papua New Guinea Language Week began on Sunday 10 November and ends on Saturday 16 November.

Members of the PNG community held a formal flag raising ceremony this morning in Wellington.

The formal closing ceremony will take place this Saturday in Palmerston North.

For more details of the programme, go to: https://www.mpp.govt.nz/programmes/pacific-language-weeks/papua-new-guinea-language-week/