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Govt must step up efforts to save Cook Islands language
Su’a William SIO
Pacific Island Affairs Spokesperson
MP for
Mangere
4
August
2013
MEDIA
STATEMENT
Govt must step up efforts to save
Cook Islands language
The Cook Islands Language
Week from 4 – 10 August should serve as a reminder to
the Minister of Pacific Islands Affairs, that simply saying
it is up to the community to maintain their language is not
good enough, says Labour’s Pacific Island Affairs
spokesperson Su’a William Sio.
“Many elders of
the Cook Islands community have said to me that it’s a
huge challenge to sustain the gains their children make by
learning Cook Islands at early childhood education when
there is no clear pathway for them at primary and
intermediate levels.
“Children at ECE levels are
quick to learn their heritage language in stories, song and
dance, but unless there is a continuation of Cook Islands
language taught in primary, intermediate and college levels,
they’ll lose that.
“It’s hard for any child
to maintain bilingualism in New Zealand, despite the efforts
of parents and community leaders. Pacific New Zealanders
simply want to pass their heritage on to the next generation
of Pacific children.
“The evidence we’ve seen
from overseas, and particularly in countries where
bilingualism is embraced, is that children are better for a
bilingual education. Children who can speak a number of
languages, or learn in different languages are smart
children.
“The last Census in 2006 showed a drop
in the number of New Zealand-born Cook Islanders able to
speak their language. That cannot be allowed to be a
continuing trend. Without a strong commitment from this
Government towards protecting the Cook Islands language, it
will be lost.
“As part of the realm of New
Zealand countries, Cook Islanders have a right to be
challenging this Government about the constitutional
obligation of New Zealand to protect their language from
dying.
We know our children who can speak Te Reo are very grounded. If we lose completely the Cook Islands language, our children will also lose their heritage,” Su’a William Sio said.
ENDS
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