Author Choreographer hopes her work inspires others to create more language resources
The theme for this year’s Tuvalu Language Week (29 Sept-5 Oct) is Taofi mau ki tau ‘gana mo tou gaugaleo, me ko tou iloga tena. Which translates to: ‘Uphold your language and dialect, for it is your identity’.
And one person doing her best to do precisely that is Tuvaluan choreographer and community leader Molia Alama-Tulafono.
She has just written and compiled a book called “Kupu o Fatele” which contains Tuvalu lyrics of fatele ( traditional dances), chants and inspirational teaching.
The book was published through Moanaroa Publishing through the Pacifica Arts Centre who approached her to write the book.
“I’m delighted with this book because it contains the important words and teachings from our homeland Tuvalu,” she says.
“Besides that, there are stories from each island in Tuvalu. There are words of encouragement that are in the lyrics of Tuvalu dancing or fatele. The fatele compositions have been passed down from our ancestors.”
After writing the book, Molia wanted to use it to teach young people the language.
She formed a weekly Tuvalu language class for children called Ako Saka. Meeting at the Arts Centre once a week, they learn weaving, songs, and read from the book, Kupu o Fatele.
10 year old Cook Islands-Tuvaluan Taraani Lekasa attends Ako Saka and enjoys reading Kupu o Fatele, “I think it’s very good because it’s got a lot of Tuvalu words that children could learn about.”
Molia hopes the book will be a stepping stone for more Tuvalu books to be written and enjoyed by young people.
“My hopes for the youth and future generations of Tuvalu is to maintain the Tuvalu language, identity and culture,” she says.
“I’m especially keen to write and see more of our stories that can be captured in books.”
