Samoan Skills Rewarded

Tuesday, 6 July 2010

Porirua College is awash with silverware after six students came home with trophies from the national Samoan Language Speech Competition in Auckland.

Twelve schools from Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland took part in the competition on June 25. The topic for the speech that all competitors had to deliver was, "Why is my Samoan language important?", the same theme as this year's Samoan Language Week.

Ruby NgLam (year 10) and Faafetai Viliamu (year 13) brought home first-place trophies, while Sugaluopea Filipaina (year 11), Lauagaia Akerise (year 10), Peter Togafiti (year 13) and Soka Keresoma (year 12) all placed second.

Porirua College's head of Pacific Studies, Aliimuamua Nofoitumua, was not surprised by how well her students fared, saying they worked hard and prepared well.

Of Porirua College's 650 students, 206 are Samoan, with the Samoan language the third most commonly spoken in New Zealand after English and Maori.

Galumalemana Hunkin, national president of the Association for the Teaching of Samoan in Aotearoa, says the quality of presentation and evidence of passion was very high at the nationals.

"Much more so, of course, from Porirua College's students in the manner in which their confidence, preparation and creativity on stage came through."