Pacific Island students celebrate language and culture in New Zealand

Students in New Zealand recently held cultural celebrations to honor Pacific Island heritage and languages.

At Avondale College, Cook Islands Language Week focused on the theme “With our language as our foundation, we will embrace the future.” The week included educational quizzes, food tastings, traditional crafts, and a cultural wear day featuring flower crowns and traditional necklaces, alongside dance demonstrations.

Meanwhile, students from Vanuatu at the University of Waikato and WINTEC celebrated Bislama Language Week. Organized by the Vanuatu Waikato Students Association, the event used the theme “Talk about climate change – it is real and we must look after life.” The program aimed to raise awareness about the environmental impacts of climate change on Pacific Island communities through videos, quizzes, sports, and a cultural night.