Samoan Language Week – Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa

Samoan Language Week - Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa celebrates the third most spoken language in New Zealand. In 2017, it runs from Sunday 28 May to Saturday 3 June. Samoan is spoken by over 3,700 people¹ in Christchurch. This page highlights Samoan language resources and links to this year's events at Christchurch City Libraries.

Talofa banner

Samoan Language Week 2017

Tālofa. Samoan Language Week 2017 takes place from 28 May. Here at Christchurch City Libraries we are celebrating with storytimes in Samoan, Samoan Se'evae Toso Toso (jandal) craft activities, and a computer session.

See our full list of activities.

Find Samoan resources in our collection

Samoan songs

Watch our wonderful colleagues Tai Sila and Jan-Hai Te Ratana perform some short Samoan songs:

Sit down

The Colour song

Listen to Samoan words

Tālofa - Hello

Tofa - Goodbye

Malo - Well done

Fa'afetai - Thank you

Fa'amolemole - Please

Samoan language resources for kids

Samoan language books and resources for children

Cover: How Do You Say thank you? How do you say ‘thank you’? Karamia Müller, J 499.462 MUL
Alofa and Filipo want to learn gagana Sāmoa so at bedtime they ask their parents how to say various things in the Samoan language.

Counting fish in Samoan and English Ahurewa Kahukura, J 499.462 KAH
Count from 1 to 20 in Samoan and English.

Learning transport in Samoan and English Ahurewa Kahukura, J 499.462 KAH
Introduces the Samoan words for different kinds of transport including cars, buses and space ships.

Cover: Samoan Word Book Sāmoan word book Aumua Mata’itusi Simanu Papali’i, 499.462 PAP
Features beautifully illustrated vocabulary words, a pronunciation guide, and a glossary. Word categories include family, home, school, the body, opposites, numbers, nature, and time. Illustrations by Regina Meredith Malala bring terms to life.

Teuila Festival: aso fa’ailogaina ’o le Teuila Fiti Leung Wai, J 899.462 LEU
Bilingual reader about music festivals.

Faitauga numera: counting numbers in Samoan and English Bettina Ikenasio-Thorpe, J 499.462 IKE
A colourful, clear book of counting numbers in Samoan and English.

Samoan alphabet Lori Phillips, J 499.462 PHI
This book is part of the Island Alphabet Books series, which features languages and childrens’ artwork from the U.S.-affiliated Pacific. Each hardcover book contains the complete alphabet for the language, four or five examples for each letter, and a word list with English translations. The series was co-published with Pacific Resources for Education and Learning, a non-profit corporation that works collaboratively with school systems to enhance education across the Pacific.

Taumafa Samoa J 899.462 TAU
Introduces children to the preparation of traditional Samoan foods.

Samoa John MacKinven, J 745 MCK
This book is a resource book of patterns from Samoa used on siapo and in weaving. These resources can be utilised as a starting point for drawing, painting and printing activities, using materials readily available in New Zealand.