PNG Language Week is observed from 7 to 13 September.
Photo: Ministry for Pacific Peoples
It’s Papua New Guinea Pidgin Language Week in Aotearoa New Zealand.
This year’s theme is: ‘Lukautim, strongim na kirapim tokples na pasin blo tubuna – Preserve, revitalise and promote our language and culture’.
Papua New Guinea is home to more than 875 languages, making it the most linguistically diverse country in the Pacific.
There are an estimated 1200 Papua New Guineans living in New Zealand, according to Stats NZ.
The Ministry for Pacific Peoples says Tok Pisin is a language that connects more than 800 tribes and cultures across Papua New Guinea.
Secretary for Pacific Peoples Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone says for many families in New Zealand, they may be the last link connecting their children to Papua New Guinea, its language and traditions.
PNG Language Week is observed from 7 to 13 September.