Pacific languages article

[Jennifer Teeter]

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>    http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/opinion/7730575/Speaking-up-for-our-many-languages
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> Speaking up for our many languages   by Colin King MP 26/9/2012
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> Every now and then we have the opportunity to interact with other
> cultures living in New Zealand and realise what a rich and inspiring
> society we have become.
> I was recently part of an education and science select committee trip
> to Auckland to hear submissions on bilingualism in early childhood
> education centres (ECEs).
> We listened to presentations from people representing Kiribati, Niue,
> the Cook Islands, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Tokelau.
> These presentations were done with passion and a powerful sense of
> purpose, emphasising the responsibility of the Government to preserve
> their native languages.
> What many people may not realise is that one language dies every 14
> days. In the July 2012 edition of National Geographic magazine, it was
> stated that by the next century nearly half of the roughly 7000
> languages spoken on earth will likely disappear as communities abandon
> native tongues in favour of English, Chinese or Spanish.
> The presentations were inspiring and included among them were
> interesting speeches delivered by Doctors of Education from Auckland
> University. These people supported bilingualism, because research has
> shown it aids scholastic potential in young people.
> The presenters, many of whom were children, spoke for up to half an
> hour and their submissions included customary singing, prayers and
> cultural protocols. Each submission was followed by five minutes
> question time.
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> The young chairperson, Nikki Kaye, wrapped up the presentations
> beautifully with a song and prayer for all the people gathered and all
> those cultures represented during the day's submissions.
> Being typical palagi (pronounced palangi and meaning "white person" or
> "foreigner"), we had a rather structured programme of our own, which
> included catching a plane home, and this became more logistically
> challenging as the day progressed and things became further and
> further behind schedule. I think the saving grace was reducing the
> lunchbreak to 15 minutes, which allowed some catch-up time.
> We were still running an hour behind schedule, but the quality and
> passion of the presentations meant time simply sped past.
> You may ask why I have chosen to talk about this particular select
> committee sitting. It was so vibrant and alive, compared with what I
> usually have to sit through: peer-reviewed research, facts, figures
> and arguments - although they are all valid and important, they can be
> very dry.
> Instead, at this bilingualism submission day, we were presented with a
> motivated, well-orchestrated multicultural spectacle that couldn't but
> help sway our thinking. It was full of humanity in all its diversity.
> 
> The underlying theme was that bilingualism is all about children and
> in order to educate them well, they need to feel confident of their
> place in New Zealand.
> This palagi caught his plane and left Auckland with a huge amount of
> respect for these people who want to save their languages and do their
> fair share.
> We face an enormous challenge when we consider the 1400 people who
> live on Niue, because there are more Niueans living in New Zealand. A
> fact like this gives us a true feeling for the micro-nature of
> language.
> Teachers who speak Polynesian languages fluently are essential to the
> success of ECE centres. They will give children the upbringing that
> will allow them to get ahead.
> The inquiry into bilingualism in ECEs continues. The death of a
> language represents the death of a culture and makes the world a
> poorer place.
> - ? Fairfax NZ
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