Rotuman Language Week: Practice Your Rotuman

Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono is leading by example and trying something new for Rotuman Language Week.

He says he's been watching some videos online to learn new words and phrases such as Noa’ia, which means hello and ‘Äe taptapen? Which means how are you?

He's encouraging the Pacific community and the wider public to start learning some Rotuman this week.

“The languages they carry the story of our home island and helps strengthen the identity of our tamariki, our children and our communities as well.”

Now into it's third day, this year’s Rotuman Language week theme sustaining the Rotuman language and culture - or Vetḁkia ‘os Fäega ma Ag fak hanua.

New Zealand Rotuman Fellowship Incorporated lead Joshua Tafilagi says Rotumans wanting to keep their culture, language and heritage must embed themselves into the culture.

“We grew up going to a Rotuman church. So in that Rotuman church the only language, everything, was done in Rotuman, so you had no choice, you had to know the language. I grew up exposed to the Rotuman culture more than the Uvean side.”​

Tafilagi was born in Fiji before moving to New Zealand over 10 years ago, and credits his mother and grandmother for making sure he was exposed to the Rotuman language and culture when he was little.

He says it was easy to attend events and community gatherings in Rotuma, but it’s a different story over here.

“In Fiji you’re around Pacific people and community and in here it's less, much much less. So you really have to, if you want to be part of your culture, you have to ensure you go to the groups.”

He hopes his two sons will absorb the language and culture like he did by going to community meetings in New Zealand, practices and speaking the Rotuman language at home. His boys are the only Rotuman-speaking students at their school.

Alfie Prasad, a member of the Rotuman-cultural committee ‘HATA Collective’ says out of the 981 people who identify as Rotuman in Aotearoa, only 20 percent can speak the language, and there are just 2000 speakers remaining on the island.

“Language can’t live or survive in silo, it needs to be practiced and it needs to live.”

Rotuma Language week is one of nine languages that will be celebrated in New Zealand over the coming weeks.

Click here to access Rotuman Language Resources on Pacific Learners Website.