support

=Our International Colleagues- thank you for helping spread news of what is happening to our Pasefika People.=

Latest on the Human rights case. [[[|message/list/support]|Click here]] to view and add your own stories. -- It is just over 20 years since I wrote a report for the Ministry on the Samoan language in New Zealand and saw the beginning of efforts to strengthen the teaching of Pasifika languages; I was also fortunate enough to attend the meeting at which the Samoan syllabus was developed. I am therefore deeply distressed at the recent developments and negativity of the Government, and want to express my strongest support for your efforts to restore the programs. With best wishes -- Thanks for alerting me and for providing links to the eloquent voices in support of the Pasifika readers, in the face of the ministry's decision. I am certainly happy to lend my name in support of the importance and value of providing children instruction and materials in their own languages, even while they also learn the dominant language, in this case English. Here is a link to a recent, easily accessible piece of mine, that might be helpful for you in your response to the government [] all very best -- and warm greetings to my friends there in Aotearoa, Nancy ( ** Professor Nancy Hornberger **) ** Goldie Anna Professor of Education ** [|Language and Literacy in Education Division] [|Graduate School of Education] [|University of Pennsylvan] -- 2. TSK and Robert Dunbar. // Indigenous Children’s Education as Linguistic Genocide and a Crime Against Humanity? A Global View // (Gáldu, Resource Centre for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, __ [|www.galdu.org] __ ). Read it at __ [] __
 * Professor Bernard Spolsky **
 * Professor emeritus, Bar-Ilan University **
 * URL: http://www.biu.ac.il/faculty/spolsb/ **
 * Director, Educational Linguistics Program **
 * Professor Tove Skutnabb-Kangas: ** This is a general permission to use my material. There might be some useful legal things to support you in my and Rob Dunbar's book, see my signature - it is freely available on the net. Please share it with your colleagues.
 * NEW BOOKS 2010 ** : 1. Heugh, Kathleen and TSK (eds). // Multilingual Education Works: from the Periphery to the Centre //. __ [] __
 * BOOKS in 2009 ** : // Multilingual Education for Social Justice: Globalising the Local //; short URL __ [] __ ; Multilingual Matters' version // Social Justice through Multilingual Education //; __ [] __

Prof Courtney Cazden Harvard University Graduate School of Education Sends her greetings and best wishes

-- We are certain that what you are working on in maintaining your Pasifika languages is ever so important! Every language of the Earth is crucial to maintain, because each language expresses the uniqueness of the region in which each group of people live, and those who have cared for that land for many centuries are the ones with the deep knowledge and wisdom and spiritual awareness--expressed uniquely in each indigenous language--to take good care of dear Mother Earth in this time of great challenge. We support your efforts and applaud your determination. If you need more references to our Collier & Thomas research, check our website [|www.thomasandcoller.com]. Our latest book is available at [|www.dlenm.org] -- click on the Fuente Press icon to review info on the book, Collier & Thomas, // Educating English Learners for a Transformed World. // This book has many of our research figures, and when you purchase the book you will find out how to download those figures and use them for advocacy/staff development purposes. The website is Dual Language Education of New Mexico, and they are a nonprofit organization dedicated to quality bilingual schooling for all students. Later this week we will be attending La Cosecha (the Harvest) conference, which is the best annual gathering of bilingual educators in the United States, and it includes attendance of many of the indigenous New Mexico groups (19 pueblos and 3 indigenous nations). Blessings to you all in your very important work,
 * Virginia P. Collier **
 * Virginia P. Collier, Ph.D. **
 * Professor Emerita of Bilingual/Multicultural/ESL Education **
 * George Mason University, USA **

Malo lava Judy and John, The conversation has been very informative for those of us who are not well versed in the evolution of Pasifika/Tangata Whenua synergies working towards indigenous languages and cultural survival in NZ. An English only agenda anywhere in the Pacific is not appropriate. I will certainly do what I can to support your work among the Samoan leaders/people here and overseas. All the best Tili email: __t.afamasaga@nus.edu.ws__ [Former Dean of School of Education NUS] -
 * Gatoloaifa'aana Tilianamua Afamasaga **
 * Director **
 * Oloamanau Centre **
 * Professional Development and Continuing Education **
 * National University of Samoa **
 * Ph: 685 27896 **

Ni sa bula Tupeni ma Kolinio- Vinaka vakalevu, Faafetai, Malo aupito for your support and encouragement-Dark days are coming to NZ if these cuts and attacks on our languages and cultures continue because of an English only agenda. Yes working with and supporting Maori is the key to achieving our aspirations and long term partnership. Aotearoa NZ is part of the Pacific Is region - just another Island in ‘our sea of Islands’ –Actually many of us believe that in coming to NZ we have not left the sea of islands at all. For many NZ is home. In fact Niue, Cook Is and Tokelau are also part of the legal Realm of NZ. We do not need to remind each other about the historical links between Aotearoa NZ, Maori and Pacific peoples. Many who came before us have worked in partnership with Maori and many continue to do so. We are continuing to develop close relationships with Maori Tangata Whenua, examples include- Acknowledgement in our Fono of the special relationship with Maori Pacific communities marched and supported the hikoi for Maori representation in the Supercity of Auckland Some voting for the Maori party in the elections with our party votes The Maori language Commission sponsored Samoan Language week and promoted Maori Samoan seminars and workshops Working in an Indigenous Te Whare Kura research partnership over Endangered Maori & Pacific languages at Auckland- Sharing strategies on language maintenance and revival Working with Prof Charles Royale the new Prof of Indigenous Studies at Auckland as Maori are leading the international development of Indigenous studies Maori sponsored a Special Edition of AlterNative Journal 2010 Vol 6(2) on endangered Pacific languages. Completed a joint research report on Bilingual Education with Te Puna Wananga, UoA for the Ministry of Education ... The issue of the reading materials also affects many Pacific islands- There will be no more TUPU and FOLAUGA JOURNAL Pacific language and literacy reading materials from NZ .The Learning Media production team is being shut down so even the contract materials Learning Media produces for Samoa for example will be difficult to produce. These materials also strongly support the development of Identity for our children. However the materials is only part of the problem that our languages in NZ have no status. They are treated the same as foreign /international languages. We therefore have a campaign also to raise their status by having them acknowledged as official minority languages in law. We are asking that you bring this to the attention of your families, educators, churches, Ministries of Education, politicians and NZ contacts..NZ is hosting the Pacific leaders forum in August/September this year where the issue will be very visible so we seek their understanding and support for our aspirations. Vinaka, meitaki maata, fakaaue atu, malo aupito, fa’afetai tele Judy Judy Taligalu McFall-McCaffery
 * From: ** __nope-bounces@usp.ac.fj__ [__ mailto:nope-bounces@usp.ac.fj __]
 * Sent: ** Tuesday, February 22, 2011 11:31 PM
 * To: ** Tupeni Lebaivalu Baba; Kolinio Rainima Meo
 * Cc: ** nope
 * Subject: ** RE: NOPE Digest, Vol 133, Issue 2
 * This campaign has the goal- **
 * of giving official status to the 5 Pacific languages [Tupu & Folauga] in New Zealand so Pacific children have the right to grow up speaking reading and writing in their own heritage language/s from an early age. **
 * This goal has already been supported by the Human Rights Commission who have proposed recognition through a National Languages Policy and the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs with the Pacific i Languages Strategy. **