West Auckland school honours ‘tautua’ during Samoan Language Week

A deputy principal in West Auckland is praising this year's theme for Samoan Language Week, as a value that is employed by the school.

The theme for Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa is Tautua i le alofa, manuia le lumana’i which means serve in love for a blessed future.

Kelston Boys High School Deputy Principal Daniel Samuela says the theme of Samoan Language Week is celebrated by the school.

“The whole tautua le alofa, serving with love in our communities, whether you’re a nurse or janitor. We want to breed within our young people a real heart of service and again (as the theme says) the blessings will come.

“Everyday that we get to breathe is a blessing, being able to tautua like in the theme, is a real privilege in regards to not only our language but our culture.

For student representative Frazer has embraced the theme for Samoan Language Week, saying without the service, there is no blessed future.

“It’s straight forward, without the service there is no blessed future. So it’s our goal to serve so we can have a blessed future.

“The values we learn at home, we bring it into school to show that we are Samoan. It just shows other students that they’re showing these values, they can learn off us and we can be role models.”

Frazer adds that celebrations like Pacific language weeks are something students look forward to.

“Because our school is predominantly PI students, it’s always something our school looks forward to. Just like other Pacific language weeks, it’s something we look forward to because it’s the only week we can celebrate our culture fully.”

A report by the education review office shows that 60 percent of students at Kelston Boys are of Pacific heritage. Samuela says embracing culture at the school is something that extends beyond Samoan Language Week.

“I think it’s an everyday journey, every week. Beyond the 685 hype, it’s an everyday thing just like every day serving our families.

“Every day coming to school and loving the learning, things like that. This week is special but we want it to extend beyond.”

Deputy Principal Daniel Samuela reflects on the many Samoan leaders that have come to the school who are adding positively to the community.

“We’ve been fortunate to have amazing All Blacks, Kiwis, Church leaders, and again every child is special - we want to add to the values the families give us, we want to look after them and (continue) adding to our communities.”

“ For us, we want to continue to raise up the next generation to be amazing people.”