Samoan teacher pens children's book on cultural values
"Alagaupu Faasamoa ma uiga mo tamaiti" - is a new children's book in both Samoan and English by Samoan language expert and teacher Tauanu'u Perenise Tapu Sitagata, with illustrations by Maori artist Ani Huia Ligaliga.
To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following:
See terms of use.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
41 minutes ago
- RNZ News
A chief's children's book weaves fa'amatai and proverbs
Tusitala (Author) Tauanu'u smiling in joy as he holds his newly published book - Samoan Proverbs for Children. Photo: Coco Lance While many childrens books are written in Samoan, [title] may be the first to bring fa'amatai (the chiefly system) and traditional proverbs into a story made for young readers. Authored by a renowned teacher and language and cultural expert in Aotearoa, Tauanu'u Perenise Tapu Sitagata, the book is written in Gagana Samoa (Samoan language) and English. The launch was led by his children and grandchildren with support from Auckland Council and Auckland Library. "I didn't want the children to miss out on the richness of the values," Tauanu'u said. Tauanu'u with his Āiga (Wife, Children, and children at the launch of his new book) Photo: RNZ Pacific / Grace Fiavaai "Values about church, about family relationships, about brother and sister, about existing together, about helping each other. "There's one that goes e lele lava le toloa ae maau i le vai - the bird flies, but will always go back to water because it's sustenance and it helps them in everyday life. "Wherever we go, we always come back to our families. It is our home, and it is where we learned at an early age, and it is where we learned all the values that we have in life. So that's why those are the cornerstones of Samoan language and culture - the family, the church, the parents, relationship between people, respect. Try to capture in these sayings and these proverbs." The book is brought to life by vibrant illustrations that mirror village life. "I was familiar with the words - the pictures really enhanced what the words were saying," the author explained. "The skill of the artist is they asked me, 'What do you want to show in the pictures?' and I think the artist created something even more. "We go back to the visuals of our path; the visuals of the family sitting around; the visuals of the parents talking to the children; the visuals of the church in the background where everyone goes." Initially, the author said he viewed the project as "just another book," but soon realised there was little available for younger generations. "Now it comes to me - my calling is to write for young people, from five to 18 or five to 20 or wherever. It's got to be in both languages, just to expose the richness of our language to our young people." Tauanu'u stressed that while many Samoan youth are growing up in Aotearoa New Zealand, they still see traditional values. "They still see the care and love of the parents. They still see the strictness that goes with, 'You are important. You're going to go to church and keep an upright life. You're going to go to school and you're going to learn, nothing else'. "Sometimes young people don't go to church and they question the relevance. But somewhere along life, there's an experience will bring you back to the anchoring of your life - the support network of family, the support network of faith. "Maybe we put too much emphasis on a nice house, a nice car. But some of the greatest people live in very simple houses. And everyone goes there because they get a laugh, they get food." Oratia Publishing representative Peter Dowling said while this was a project that communicates Samoan values and the traditions, "the morals, the values that are communicated are universal, and that's one of the beautiful things about this book". "It's a long-cherished dream of ours to have more books and creating more books in different languages that represent the communities of Aotearoa, especially Gagana Samoa and other Pasifika languages where there has been a dearth of resources." Project lead from the Auckland Libraries Veronica Ligaliga said the first person that came to mind for this book was Tauanu'u. "This project was an opportunity for us to give back to the community," she told the launch attendees. "I wanted to create content that will not only honour Tauanu'u's contribution to the success of the debate, but a book that will become part of the local history of Tāmaki Mkaurau. "It's about creating connected communities from inside out. Auckland Council libraries is committed to increasing the representation of Pasifika languages and cultures in their collections, and this project is just another one of them." Students were also present to support Tauanu'u, where they performed traditional siva Samoa.. One student they were grateful that they got to experience this alongside him, while another said they were happy to see him finally acknowledged and on a big stage too. Samoa Language Week finishes on Saturday.
Otago Daily Times
5 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Duo on caravan tour
From left, Charles, Olive, 4, Emily and Teaumarino Looker, 1. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Award-winning husband-and-wife duo Aro rock into Glenorchy and Queenstown for concerts next week on a caravan tour of the country with their two young tamariki. Aro comprises Charles Looker, whose first language is te reo Maori, and his wife Emily, who's learnt the language. Having formed Aro in 2017, the couple have released two albums, two EPs and numerous singles, and last year won the Waiata Maori Music Award for Best Pop Album. Their 'An Evening with Aro' gigs at Glenorchy's The Headwaters Eco Lodge next Thursday, at 6.30pm, and at Te Atamira next Friday, 7pm, promise to be "an intimate evening of original waiata blending jazz and folk", including their newest single, Te Karanga. Emily: "It's going to be a musical experience of harmonies, storytelling and our bicultural lifestyle. "Hopefully a whole lot of love and enjoyment can be had and felt by the listeners when they come along to the show." The Lookers, who travel with Olive, 4, and one-year-old Teaumarino, decided to rent out their Pukekohe home after the latter arrived and take to the road. Along with performing and writing songs inspired by Aotearoa's stories and nature, they take songwriting workshops. They'll take one at Wakatipu High — about the 20th since they designed them specifically for schools last year — and a public one at Te Atamira next Friday at 1pm.
RNZ News
16 hours ago
- RNZ News
NRL: NZ Warriors young gun Demitric Vaimauga ready to shine in Barnett's absence
Demitric Vaimauga is signed with the Warriors through 2028. Photo: David Neilson/Photosport About half-an-hour after losing co-captain and kingpin Mitch Barnett for the season, NZ Warriors fans got a glimpse of how their team might fill that void this year and into the future. Barnett hobbled off with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee after 20 minutes against South Sydney Rabbitohs, and - although nobody knew it then - his 2025 NRL campaign was over . Soon after halftime, hooker Wayde Egan ran from dummy half inside Souths territory and found young second-rower Demitric Vaimauga on the 30-metre line. He fended off one tackler and rolled away from another, before offloading back to Egan from his knees. Fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad sliced towards the posts and passed back to Egan - his third touch of the ball in the same movement - before teenager Leka Halasima propped off his right foot and found a yawning path to the tryline. The NRL proclaimed the sequence 'Try of the Week' and it was certainly reminiscent of the entertaining Warriors of yesteryear, when Stacey Jones and Ali Lauiti'iti were in full flight. His contribution only lasted a couple of seconds and gained about five metres, but this cameo by Vaimauga suggested he had far more to offer his team in their moment of need. "I think they gave Leka the try," he deflected. "I don't really like to look into it, but it is good to see us on the Instagram page, I guess." A common thread through the Warriors 9-3 start to their season has been 'next man up'. Another has been harnessing a fresh wave of talented young forwards to provide the nucleus of the roster moving forward. While Halasima, 19, has captured the headlines and - along with Jacob Laban - earned a contract extension through the 2029 , Vaimauga, 21, has quietly come off the bench for every game this season and is starting to pick up momentum. In 29 minutes against Souths, he ran nine times for 83 metres, offloaded three times and made 17 tackles - good for 43 fantasy points, if you're that way inclined. Last month against St George Illawarra Dragons, he was even better, logging 39 minutes, running nine times for 108 metres and making 29 tackles. That's 45 fantasy points and, at this point in the season, he may be worth a quick pick-up while his price is still right. Coach Andrew Webster has been at pains to stress no one player can make up for Barnett's loss and it will take a collective effort . Still, the skipper's absence leaves a gaping hole in the rotation and Vaimauga seems best placed to take advantage of the opportunity, as Halasima did when NZ Kiwis captain James Fisher-Harris went down earlier in the season. "I feel like I'm going well, but there's a lot more to come," he reflected. "I've just scratched the surface. "I'm still adapting to game speed, still a bit raw and new to it. I'm trying to build my minutes and my engine for NRL. "I feel like my understanding of the game is there and my physicality, but adapting to the game speed... "I'm just happy to be on the field. The coach has put trust in some of the young boys and I'm glad to be one of them, so I want to put my best foot forward whenever I can." Vaimauga played the first seven games of his Warriors career as Demitric Sifakula, but adopted his mother's surname during this past off-season, when he re-signed through 2028, so he has at least three more seasons alongside Halasima and Laban. "It's good to have a crop of boys that I grew up playing with and to be on the big stage with them," he said. "It's a lot for our up-and-comers, especially at grassroots footy as well… giving them someone to look up to." This is the perfect time for the young guns to learn from hardened veterans like Barnett, Egan, Fisher-Harris and Origin veteran Kurt Capewell. "I think their footy brains… to be so young, but mature in footy sense," lock Erin Clark enthused. "I'm pretty blown away - when I was that age, I had no idea. "With Leka, you see his footwork and strength, but we see out on the field how smart he is and Demitric as well. Good to see them doing well, and Demi and Leka played good games on the weekend, "They're going in the right direction, and hopefully, they'll just get better and better as games go on." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
