The Rotuman Language is the first language to kick off Pacific Languages 2024, and will be celebrated 12 – 18 May.

The 2024 theme for Rotuman Language Week is ‘Vetḁkia ‘os Fäega ma Ag fak hanua – Sustaining our Language and Culture.’ 

This theme comes from the overarching Language Week Series theme for 2024, ‘Sustainability’.

The Hata Collective (on behalf of the Rotuman community in Aotearoa) has continued to focus on the Four Pillars of wellbeing. To support the concept of Sustainability, the pillar that best supports this is VETḀKI which means to continuously do something without interruption.  

VETḀKI is also a word that is rarely used in the current spoken language, so the use of this word in the theme also signals the need for revival. The community felt this was meaningful and relevant to the goals of Rotuma language week 2024.  

The word VETḀKI does not sit alone and takes on meaning relevant to language and culture. No matter how far we live from the motherland, language and culture helps shape who we are as people.

For more Rotuman Language learning resources click the link:

https://www.mpp.govt.nz/programmes/pacific-language-weeks/rotuman-language-week

Celebrate the rich languages of the Pacific with the 2024 Pacific Language Weeks series, with vibrant community events and learning initiatives. 

The Ministry for Pacific Peoples supports each community in the delivery of their Pacific Language Week by providing resources, and coverage across our social media channels.  

This year, two new languages are included for the first time –Solomon Islands Pidgin and Papua New Guinea Tok Pisin. These join Rotuma, Samoa, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Fiji, Niue and Tokelau to make 11 Pacific language weeks.