Call For Recognition Of Pacific Languages

Bilingual Leo Pacific Coalition: The Coalition for Pacific Languages in Aotearoa/NZ

http://bilingualaotearoa.wikispaces.com

Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Taloha ni, Ia Orana, Aloha, Bula, Malo e lelei, Mauri Ora, Halo Olgeta…

What we seek from your Government and all Political Parties:

Recognition of the five main Pacific languages in New Zealand as official minority languages so Pacific children have the right to can grow up speaking reading and writing their own heritage language/s and English from a young age.

This proposal for official recognition is also contained in the Human Rights Commission National Languages Policy Draft ( attached) that already has by-in from many sectors of Government including Education.Such provisions are also consistent with our International Treaty and Human Rights Declarations and obligations.:

A petition to Parliament has gathered 4,000 signatures to date and widespread community support.

We need your support and signature to enable our fanau to have this choice and right. Our languages are crucial to our cultures, dances, music, and our identities.

The NZ Curriculum also recognises this status and says

Languages and cultures play a key role in developing our personal, group, national, and human identities… because of New Zealand’s close relationship with peoples of the Pacific, Pasifika languages…have a special place (NZ Curriculum, 2007, p.2).

This also needs policies which would include these strategies to maintain, develop and revive our languages and cultures as below-

The setting of specific language, educational, cultural and economic goals for Pasifika (Tongan, Niue , Samoan, Tokelaun, Cook Is…) where our languages and cultures are seen as a resource, rather than a problem and rejecting a narrow focus on underachievement (refer for example the narrow MoE Pacific Plan, 2009- 2012) .

These goals include:
1.1 To enjoy success in education as Pasifika (Tongan , Niue , Samoan, Tokelaun, Cook Is…) peoples
1.2 To be able to grow up in NZ in the context of our own languages, cultures, values and beliefs
1.3 To be able to live life as Pasifika (Tongan, Niue, Samoan, Tokelauan, Cook Is…) peoples in NZ.
1.4 To gain the skills knowledge and understandings to be productive citizens of the wider world and participate in all areas of NZ society sharing in its material well being.

The problem –

Without some form of official recognition, Pacific languages are often treated as foreign and international languages without any status and are currently subject to financial cuts and cutbacks.

Case 1) The Minister of Education( MinE) directed the Ministry of Education (MoE) to review the Pacific Education Plan 2008-2012 and sharpen the focus on English literacy - which resulted in the removal of the goals of bilingualism and literacies in both English and in our Pasifika languages from the 2009-2012 Pasifika Education Plan (PEP). Pasifika language maintenance and revival goals were no longer part of Governments strategic plans.

Case 2) Secondly the MoE’s Learning Languages programme encourages only the learning of a second language: i.e. someone else’s foreign language by Pasifika children e.g. Chinese, French…and not the urgent language maintenance and revival of our own languages - as Pacific languages apparently have no status in NZ.

Case 3) This lack of official status and policy (PEP) has resulted in the stopping by the MoE of all Pasifika first language and literacy resources published by the Ministry for over 20 years for students who already understand or speak a Pasifika language or who want to become bilingual.These Tupu and Folauga first language literacy resources have been replaced with simple literacy materials for Learning Languages designed only for second language beginner learners from year 7 upwards. Bilingualism is not possible or a goal with these new materials.There are no replacement materials for yr 1-6 primary schools. Pacific language programmes under Learning languages will Not be available in Primary Schools yrs 1-6.

Case 4) The Ministry says it is is unable to consider Pasifika medium bilingual education for our children as a better way of promoting academic success, maintaining and reviving our languages and cultures, strengthening identity and learning our languages, because Pacific languages have no status in the PEP or in NZ. CURRENT ACTIONS UNDER WAY-

•A National Languages Policy recognising Pasifika languages status has been developed by the Human Rights Commission (Joris De Bres) and has buy-in from most Govt Depts

•A Pasifika Languages Strategy has been developed by the Min of Pacific Island Affairs- (Colin for Georgina) and has buy-in from everyone except Education !!

•A Human Rights Case on these discriminatory actions is currently underway led by Mai Chen of Chen Palmer, NZ’s foremost Human Rights & Constitutional Lawyers. To assist us the community Coalition in doing this work details of a fund set up by the lawyers has been established.

• A Coalition seeking to represent all the main Pasifika Organisations, communities and all supportive NZers has been formed and is managing this campaign led and advised by Mai Chen of Chen Palmer.

• A petition to Parliament has gathered 4,000 signatures to date and widespread community support.

• We fear further cuts and retreat from the commitments NZ has already made to Pacific peoples about our place as part of the fabric of NZ society. We look forward to you, your Governments support in honouring NZ stated commitments to Pacific peoples in NZ and promoting a Parliamentary Bill that will establish:

Recognition for the five main Pacific languages in New Zealand as official minority languages so Pacific children wil have the rightand oportunity to grow up speaking, reading, and writing in their own heritage language/s and English from a young age.

• The World Bank(Dutcher & Tucker, 1993, 2001) and UNCROC have strongly recommended that NZ to investigate Bilingual Education to avoid the economic costs of widespread educational failure .

• We look forward to you and your Government’s support in honouring NZ stated commitments to Pacific peoples in NZ.

ends

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