Pacific liaison role capturing the heart of Pacific language weeks

Ākonga at Discovery School smile brightly as they enjoy the results of one of the workshops the school ran during Cook Islands Language Week.

Earlier this year during ‘Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani – Cook Islands Language Week, Education Gazette headed along to Discovery School in Porirua to celebrate with them.

This year’s theme was ‘Ātuitui’ia au ki te au peu o tōku kāinga Ipukarea’ which means, ‘Connect me to the traditions and culture of my homeland’.

A big thumbs up to the Ei Katu workshop Discovery School held during Cook Islands Language Week celebrations.

At the heart of this theme is connecting Cook Island learners, and their friends and families, to the traditions, cultures and diverse dialects of their many islands.

One way Discovery School achieved this was by inviting one of their ākonga, alongside their family, to teach a couple of sessions on basic traditional Kūki ‘Airani drumming and ukelele to the rest of the school. Through these sessions, ākonga also had the opportunity to learn basic Akaaraveianga (like a pepeha in Cook Islands).

Discovery School principal, Kaylene Macnee, tells us this also places students in a leadership position.

“Celebrating Pacific language weeks and being able to make sure we celebrate all of them, not just one or two, raises the profile of all students who are Pacific.”

During Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa – Samoa Language Week, one of the Samoan students did fire dancing (siva afi), to which Kaylene chimes, “To see his peers go up to him afterwards and tell them how amazing he was, really lifted him as an individual.”

Discovery School staff and parents also got involved in the celebrations.

Connect and coordinate

When speaking on the importance of Pacific language weeks, Kaylene says, “Our Pacific students are a small percentage of students in our school but it’s really important they feel that we value their culture and their language and them as individuals, unique individuals.”

This year Discovery School celebrated five Pacific language weeks that connect to the heritage of their Pacific ākonga and don’t have any plans on slowing down.

They are one of the schools that has received funding through the Ministry of Education’s Pacific Education Innovation Fund to have a Pacific liaison.

Fuianina Washburn-Sasagi says her position is to connect and coordinate.

When talking about language weeks, Fuianina shares, “It’s great for confidence in our students. In this day and age, not every Pacific parent feels confident to teach at home.”

Fuianina expands on this by sharing that whānau have confidence that whether they teach at home or not, the school is another place where they’re also getting further exposure to their culture through their education.

The week long fun also extended to the outdoors.

Bringing language to life

The Pacific Education Innovation Fund has enabled Fuianina to bring Pacific language weeks to life at Discovery School. In a school that is predominantly Pākehā, it is important for Pacific learners to feel included and to build cultural capability for their non-Pacific learners and parents.

Ākonga express their excitement in celebrating the Pacific Language weeks and getting to learn more about their peers.

“Having the school exposed to Pacific language weeks and Pacific culture altogether was a big vision of mine.

“I wanted their peers to also embrace the culture as well. The feedback that we’ve got from both has been magnificent. We are able to capture our Pacific learners, and as sort of a default, we’ve got our non-Pacific learners also embracing it.

“I think it’s good for our community and our country to have that exposure to other cultures.”

When Fuianina started in her role, the school had ideas on what they wanted to do but weren’t sure how to make it happen.

Fuianina says, “We started at grassroots; the school wasn’t familiar with how it would all work or how it would all come together.

“Even though I’d advocate in meetings, they had no previous knowledge of what it might look like. So having the fund was so good in supporting me to advocate because it meant that I had money to make things happen. Now that we’ve done these things, we can show that this is what comes of it, this is how great it is.

“It gives our school, in terms of management and the board, more confidence in what we’re putting out. It’s not just doing something little; we’re putting quite a lot of effort into bringing out the best for our children, our parents and our community.”

Intentional interaction

Developing what would be included in their plans, Fuianina wanted it to be as thought out and authentic as possible.

“We’re going to do it the proper way. We’re going to feed our people well, we’re going to try and do authentic crafts or bring our Pacific Island people to be front and centre teaching ukulele, teaching drumming or dancing, with our Poly Club as well.

The Mainaise workshop in action.

“When we’re putting the programmes together, there’s specific things that we want in place. We’re being very intentional about it.”

After talking with some of the ākonga regarding their feelings around Pacific language weeks, they were excited to share how the events make them feel.

“I feel good because I like to learn about different cultures and more about mine,” shares Bella, nine years old.

Bella also told us the celebrations should continue “because people should get to know and learn about different cultures”.

Eight-year-old Scarlett tells us, “I feel good learning about languages, because then I can speak more about it and tell people.”

Patrick, aged 12, told us, “I feel quite good about it just to know that my culture is getting celebrated and getting to learn about my friends’ cultures. I’ve learned a lot about the traditions that different islands have and, how similar some of them are.”

One of the workshops included making a Cook Islands food staple, Mainaise.

Patrick also tells us why he would want the celebrations to continue, saying, “It’s really nice just to learn about all the different cultures and traditions and getting to meet new people.”

Sustaining the efforts

Discovery School have shared with us that they are planning to sustain their efforts for years to come.

Fuianina says she has been impressed with the support around their efforts, and to be able to get the school to see that effort has given them a lot of confidence.

“I speak a lot on the [school] board about what we do, so they gain confidence in what we are doing for the students and ultimately for the school. Our principal has been great at embracing it, as well as all the teachers. I think in the scheme of things, we’ve started off small and with just the basics, so in terms of sustainability it’s only a matter of growing on what we have already set as the blueprint. Every time we do a language week, they’re saying, ‘can’t wait till next year’s one’!

“Everyone is willing, and that’s where my role becomes important – being the person to bring it together.”

Kaylene adds to this, saying, “It’s given us the understanding of the importance for us to budget some of our own money towards these initiatives as well, and making sure that we keep the links with people.”

Embracing Pacific and indigenous values not only strengthens knowledge around cultural understanding but creates a space to form meaningful relationships between education staff and whānau.

One ākonga proudly shows off her Ei Katu (flower garland).

Kaylene explains, “I’m proud of the work that we’ve done when you see the difference between what we used to do, and what we do now. The other thing I’d say is it’s a team effort, there’s no one person that has made it happen.

“For example, the Fono evenings where Fuianina and the team have got people in and made sure that families can come, and it is family friendly. I have relationships with parents that I wouldn’t have had if we didn’t have that.

“Those meetings are not about what the school wants from the parents, but about us building relationships with them. I know that when I pick up the phone, they know who they’re talking to. And that’s vital.”