What a beautiful experience we had when Tangialofa, her whānau and friends came to share their Tuvaluan culture with us.
The children looked stunning in their cultural attire, and the performances, entertainment, and karakia filled our Centre with joy and pride.
As kaiako, we felt so honoured and blessed to be welcomed into this celebration, and we are grateful to the whānau for giving us this opportunity. At first, some of the tamariki were a little shy, but with the support of their group they stood bravely and confidently to perform.
This showed us the strength of manaakitanga and kotahitanga, where standing together builds courage. These characteristics connect to our atua Tūmatauenga (bravery and fearlessness) and Rongomātāne (confidence and self-assurance), reminding us that tamariki are supported when they stand strong in their identity.
Listening to the tamariki count and recite the alphabet in Tuvaluan was such a powerful experience. Not only did it bring pride to the children performing, but it also created a valuable learning opportunity for all of us.
As Te Whāriki’s Communication strand explains, tamariki thrive when they are surrounded by the stories, symbols, and languages of their own and other cultures. This sharing enriched our whole Centre community. Culture is a taonga — it holds language, history, dance, and identity.
By experiencing this celebration together, our Centre was reminded of the importance of keeping culture alive through performance, language, and whānau connections.
We are so thankful to Tangialofa and her whānau for sharing their kindness, aroha, and knowledge with us.