- Hon Aupito William Sio
The past will be the key to building and sustaining Gagana Tokelau, said Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio.
This year's theme for Vaiaho o te Gagana Tokelau - Tokelau Language Week 2022 focuses on Halahala ki vavau, kae ke mau ki pale o Tokelau or translated to English, 'To plan is to understand the past'.
"To preserve our language, it is important we know and understand our past as this will give our communities in Aotearoa the confidence and ability to plan and work together in harmony for the sustainability of Gagana Tokelau," Aupito William Sio said.
"According to the 2018 Census, of the 8,676 Tokelau population currently residing in Aotearoa New Zealand, 23 percent speak te Gagana Tokelau - a decrease of 14 percent since the 2006 Census
"I want to assure our Pacific communities that we hear you on language . We hear the passion and commitment you have for our languages. We hear the call for better pathways in our education system that draw on our Pacific languages as keys to success.
"That's why this Government invested $20m from Budget 2021 to support Pacific bilingual units.
"The theme for the last Pacific Language Week of 2022 connects to the overall theme for this year's Pacific language weeks of sustainability, and the launch of the UNESCO Decade of Indigenous languages.
"It is up to us to get behind building Gagana Tokelau and developing it for future generations to use, starting with Tokelau Language Week.
"But Tokelauans in Aotearoa won't be alone in this challenge. The Government's recently announced Pacific Language Strategy commits a whole-of-government approach to ensure that Pacific languages flourish, thrive and prosper in Aotearoa New Zealand.
"I would also like to say a massive fakafetai lahi lele to everyone for working together to support the Pacific Language Weeks series, and the revival and survival of Pacific languages, which are key to not only our identity but wellbeing," said Aupito William Sio.
Ko te iloa o te mea na kui mai ai e tāua ma e fehoahoani lahi ki te Gagana Tokelau
E lea mai ia Aupito William Sio te Minihita mo Tagata Pahefika, ko na mea na tutupu i na aho kua teka ko te ki ia mo te fauga ma te taofiga o te Gagana Tokelau.
Ko te kautū o te Vaiaho o te Gagana Tokelau 2022 - e fakamamafa ki te alagākupu tenei Halahala ki vavau, kae ke mau ki pale o Tokelau pe fakaliliu ki te faka Peletania, 'Ko koe e tatau ke malamalama ina mea na tutupu ke mafai ai koe ke fai hau peleni'.
Lea mai ia Aupito William Sio, "e tāua te tatou iloa ma malamalama i na mea na tutupu auā e mafai ai e kitatou na komiuniti i Aotearoa te mafai ma te mautinoa ke galulue ma peleni fakatahi ki te fakaolaolaga o te Gagana Tokelau".
"Fuafua atu ki te Tuhigā Igoa na fai i te 2018, e toka 23 pahene ia tino Tokelau mai te 8,876 te aofaki o na tino Tokelau e nonofo i Aotearoa Niu Hila, e kilatou mafaia oi tautatala i te Gagana Tokelau - e pākū ite 14 pahene talu te tuhigā igoa na fai ite 2006.
"E fia ko fakamautinoa atu ki o tatou komiuniti Pahefika, e kimatou lagona o koutou lagona agai ki na gagana. E kimatou lagona te koutou filigā ma te koutou naunau ki a tatou gagana. E kimatou lagona te manakomia o ni alataki i loto o na akoakoga ke kitea ai te ko a tatou gagana Pahefika ko ni kī mo he manuia.
"Ko te ala ia na tuku mai ai tenei fakatupega $20m e te Mālō I te Pāketi o te tauhaga 2021 ke lagolago na aoga e ako ai na gagana Pahefika.
"Ko te kautū o te Vaiaho o te Gagana mo te 2022 e tau ki te kautū katoa o te tauhaga nei mo fakaolaolaga o na vaiaho o na gagana Pahefika, ma te tatalaga o te UNESCO Decade of Indigenous languages.
"E pākū mai kia te kitatou te faufauga o te Gagana Tokelau mo na tupulaga e fāi mai ke kilatou fakaāogagia, e kamata atu ite Vaiaho o te Gagana Tokelau.
"Kae ko na tino Tokelau i luga i Aotearoa e hē gafa na ko kilatou oioti ki tenei lukitau. Na fakailoa mai e te Mālō mulinei te latou takiala mo na Gagana a te Pahefika (Pacific Language Strategy), ko na matāeke uma a te mālō ka lagolagogia e kilatou tenei takiala ke fakamautinoa ko na Gagana Pahefika e lauolaola, ola mākeke ma ola manuia i luga o Aotearoa Niu Hila.
E lea mai ia Aupito William Sio "E fia momoli atu haku fakafetai lahi ki a te kouotu uma e galulue fakatahi ki te lagolagogia o na Vaiaho o na Gagana Pahefika, ma te toe fakaolaolaga ma te ola o na gagana Pahefika, auā o kī ia mo te tatou ola lelei kae vena o tataou fakahinomaga".
