Kiribati Language Week

TE MAURI TE RAOI AO TE TABOMOA

“HEALTH, PEACE AND PROSPERITY” 2020

By Teretia Baraniko

Kam na bane ni Mauri - hello to you all. 2020 was a special year for the Kiribati students because we got the school and country to hear us, for us to stand proud of who are, to not forget our culture, identity, manners and to know the feeling of how important it is to be different from everyone else. It was the first ever Kiribati Language Week in New Zealand!

The theme for Kiribati language week was ‘Ribanan te Taetae ni Kiribati e Kateimatoa ara Katei ao Kinakira;’ which means ‘Nurturing Kiribati language promotes our Cultural Identity and Heritage’. Although Kiribati Independence Day always falls in July during the school holidays, we got to celebrate it a week later in school. Meralisi, Wiiri, Lizzie and I made videos teaching the school about our Kiribati islands and some language phrases, which were shown in whaanau roopuu time and assemblies. On the Friday, our group gave a lunchtime performance in the hall and we thank all the students and staff who came to watch us. We were going to be performing at Polyfest again this year and we chose three songs that were related to the Polyfest theme, “Healing the body, mind, spirit and soul with the strength of culture”. Unfortunately, Polyfest was cancelled due to Covid19. So, instead we performed it in school during the Fiafia night. I will never forget the moment we entered the stage and I began to introduce my group. The look on the audience’s faces gave me chills. Clearly, they enjoyed our performance. However, the proud looks on our parents’ faces especially brought tears to my proud Kiribati eyes and goosebumps on my skin.

During the Pasifika Fono evenings, we Kiribati have been well represented this year. One evening, Lizzie and Akineti danced and, another evening, several visitors from the Kiribati Aotearoa Diaspora Directive joined our staff, parents and students too.

To me, this has been the best year. Everyone now knows we are not Samoan, Tongan nor Niuean; we are Kiribati.