Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
More than 400 members of the Solomon Islands community gathered in Auckland over the weekend to celebrate the 45th Independence Celebrations which also marked the closing of the PMN Solomon Islands Language Week.
President of the Solomon Islands Auckland Wantok Association (SIAWA) Florie Takalo Dausabea said the occasion made her feel immense pride. “To see the confidence and pride the young people have in learning their culture and language was significant”.
Young people from across the country from Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton, Tauranga and as far as Whangarei who took part in the celebrations had been practising their dances since April. Florie was proud of their commitment and is pleased to see those who took part in the independence celebrations continue to practise for the upcoming Melanesian Festival in Auckland in October.
According to Florie there are approximately 2000 Solomon Islands people living in NZ, with an extra 1000 who are part of the RSE programme. She says one of their biggest challenges they face is representation.
“It’s so important for our community to see all the Melanesian faces represented like Solomons, Vanuatu, PNG. Though we are different languages we have an identifying language of Pidgin English. Between the three countries we can understand each other.”
SIAWA hold weekly language classes. Florie acknowledges the commitment of the mothers in SIAWA who attend with their children and speak their indigenous languages at home.
Next year the Solomon Islands will be officially added to the Ministry of Pacific Peoples calendar of Pacific Languages. “We’ve been lobbying MPP to have it included since 2021”
Community member and PMN Solomon Producer Trixy Ibnul says next year’s inclusion is a huge milestone.
“For us, we feel now we are seen, and recognised as the community here. We are generally a very reserved community, you know us Solomon Islands wantok, we only come to the table when we’re invited. But for the 45th celebrations, on the weekend, for the NZ Solomon Islands community especially us SIAWA in Auckland it was a special time to come together,” says Trixy.
Trixy adds, “uniting the language is Solomon Islands pidgin, but to speak our own languages to our own kids. The participation of our kids is so proud to come each week and do their rehearsal, learn their actions.”
In 2022, to encourage the Solomon Islands community to learn and celebrate their language, SIAWA began to hold weekly classes to teach Pidgin. The classes proved popular with youth and the wider community from across the country taking part.
Trixy is proud of what the Solomon Islands community has achieved. “For me, it’s really significant. To see our youth participate on PMN Solomons to be seen through NZ and the Pacific.
In the diaspora around the world, Canada, States, Europe and in Australia. Social media projected our youth to the world stage, inspired many in the diaspora to be proud of their culture and who they are,” says Trixy.
