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Celebrating Samoan Language Week at BestStart Flat Bush
Talofa Lava! We are celebrating Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa (Samoan Language Week) here at BestStart Flat Bush. It's a time to honor the rich culture and traditions of Samoa and the beautiful language that carries them.
We did a week full of fun activities with our tamariki with a focus on learning the Samoan language, this included greetings and phrases.
Our Kaiako supported our tamariki as they did Samoan arts and crafts. We learned more about Samoan patterns and through this explored a few Samoan words such as “Tapa cloth (Siapo)” and “Fale” which means house. Our tamariki also made a fale out of natural materials like leaves.
Our tamariki were so excited to perform a Samoan song called “Le Aute,” which they had been practicing all week. This song incorporated gentle hand movements that are part of the traditional song and dance.
Everyone also tasted a delicious dish from Samoa called Suafa’i made with bananas that our cook helped to prepare for us. We had a lovely discussion at mat time about fruit and vegetable names in the Samoan language.
We all had a wonderful experience this week embracing and learning about the Samoan culture and language.