Close up of a woman, showing her dress and a belt made of coconut, shell, and palm frond

Rose Namoori-Sinclair is from Tabiteuea Island in Kiribati. She is currently working as UN Coordination Specialist – Kiribati. Her extensive research background, as part of a PhD research with the Pacific Studies Programme within Va‘aomanū Pasifika at Victoria University of Wellington, has focused on the health and wellbeing issues of Pacific women. We asked Rose some questions about the significance of te taetae ni Kiribati (Kiribati language) in Aotearoa New Zealand.Read more

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Red pandanus seed pods joined together and shown in two rows on a white background

So’o se gagana lava e iai ona suiga. O nei suiga e afua mai la tā fa’aaogāina ‘o le gagana. ‘O la tā fa’aaogāina fo’i o le gagana, e afua mai i lo tā fa’asinomaga. Mo le Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa 2020, ua matou vala’auliaina ai le Susūga ia Le’ausālilō Lupematasila Fata ‘Au’afa Dr. Sadat Muaiava e fa’asoa i lana su’esu’ega sa fai mo lana fa’ailoga ‘o le Foma’i ‘o le Tōfā Manino, lea sa ia sa’ili’ili ai ‘i suiga ‘o le gagana Samoa mai le tausaga e 1906 seia o’o i le tausaga e 2014. ‘O Le’ausālilō ‘olo’o faiāoga nei i le Mataupu Tau Samoa i le Iunivesite o Vitoria, Uelegitone, i Niu Sila. Read more

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Red pandanus seed pods joined together and shown in two rows on a white background

Language changes over time, and the way we speak is influenced by who and where we are and how we are putting language to use. For Sāmoan Language week 2020, we have invited Le’ausālilō Lupematasila Fata ‘Au’afa Dr Sadat Muaiava to share some insights from his doctoral research on Sāmoan language change from 1906–2014. Le’ausālilō, is a lecturer in the Sāmoan Studies programme at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.Read more

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Sepia image of 15 people sitting on flax mats under trees

Ka whakanuia tētahi o ngā reo onge rawa o te ao e te Wiki o te Reo Rotuman. Mā Jacki Leota-Mua, arā, ko te Mātanga Hōtaka Iwi Whānui, rātou ko ngā mema o te hapori o Rotuman tātou e kawe atu i te haumarutanga o ngā poihau rāhui ki Rotuma, e 500 manomita ki te raki o Whītī, ki te rapu kōrero anō mō ngā hui whakanui kava a tēnei motu.Read more

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Sepia image of 15 people sitting on flax mats under trees

Kav fak gagaj fak Rotuma

‘Amnäk ne gasav ne fäeag Rotuạm ta, la a‘pumuạ‘ạkia fäegat ne hele‘uen la peak pạu ‘e laloag ne rän te‘. Jacki Leota-Mua ne garue ‘e Te Papa ma kạutạunạ‘iạg Rotuạm ne Niusirạgi (NZRF group), hö‘ạkia ‘os a‘häe se ‘os ‘ạtmot ta Rotuma, ne fu sousou ‘e Fiti la hạila‘oag ma mäel tarạu fol ma saghul (500kms). ‘Oris ‘amnạki la sạkiroa rere ne foh kav fak Rotuma. Read more

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Sepia image of 15 people sitting on flax mats under trees

Rotuman Language Week celebrates one of the rarest languages in the world. Public Programmes Specialist Jacki Leota-Mua and members of the Rotuman community transport us from the safety of our rāhui bubbles to Rotuma, 500 kilometres north of Fiji, to discover more about the island’s kava ceremonies.Read more

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Teenagers laughing on a boat. Palmtrees and the sea can be seen in the background

In November 2017 media producer Kate Whitley joined a Te Papa expedition to Tokelau. Reflecting on her journey, Kate explores the photos of Glenn Jowitt in our collection and talks with Paula Faiva about growing up in Tokelau and the importance of the inati (equal portions) system that underpins island life.Read more

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Hawaiian shirt

New Zealand and Pacific collections intern Sonya Withers and history curator Claire Regnault recently travelled to Hawai‘i where they collected 83 aloha shirts with a focus on indigenous Hawaiian designers. Claire Regnault reflects on the connection these designers have with their natural environment and how this inspires their designs.Read more

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