FALE NEWS

May 18th, 2012

Warm Pacic Gree ngs!!

We were recently honoured to host Na onal List MP Alfred Ngaro who endorsed to Clyde and the PEC team the Governments commitment to educa onal success for all Pacic people. During his visit Alfred, of Cook Islands ethnicity, reiterated the important role that Pacic languages, cultures and heritage play in achieving that vision Alfred is pleased with the progress being made in Pacic educa on. Nearly 90 percent of all 2010 Pacic school leavers achieved the NCEA level 1 literacy and numeracy requirements with that number expected to rise this year. The number of Pacic teachers is on the rise and par cipa on by Pacic people in early childhood educa on is con nuing to improve. Although these are just a few of the many posi ves happening Mr Ngaro believes there is s ll room for improvement, par cularly around the areas of Pacic literacy, numeracy and academic achievement. In the Na onal-led Government, List MP Alfred Ngaro is a member of both the Social Services Select Commi ee and the Jus ce and Electoral Select Commi ee. He is also a member of the newly formed Naonal Party Pacic Aairs Caucus Commi ee and Chairman of the Pacic Friendship Group of Parliament.

Temukisa Lemoa, Alfred Ngaro, Clyde Young, Beverly Manetoa and Malianive Atkinson

Pasifika Education PlanCommunity Consultation

Li ing educa onal achievement of Pacic people is a priority for the Ministry of Educa on. This is outlined in the goals and ac ons of the Governments current Pasika Educa on Plan 2009-2012. These focuses and goals include building strong foundaons for learning at the Early Childhood level (ECE), accelera ng literacy and numeracy achievement at the Primary and Intermediate level and ensuring our Pacic Secondary students are leaving school with appropriate NCEA qualica ons. At the Ter ary level the focus is on enabling Pacic people, par cularly our young adults, to par cipate in and reach higher levels of Ter ary educaon Some of the successes yielded by the current plan include the following - Raised levels of ECE par cipa on: an increase of 24.9% in the last 6 years which is the largest increase of all ethnici es other than Asian. - An increase in the number of Pacic students leaving High School with NCEA Level 2 - A er Asians, Pacic students stay in school longer than any other ethnicity - One h of all students in the Youth Guarantee Scheme are Pacic aged 16-17 years of age As the current plan is coming to an end the Ministry is developing a Pasika Educa on Plan for the period 20132017 and is teaming up with the Ministry of Pacic Island Aairs to hold Community Consulta on Fono to allow parents, educators and communi es to have input into the upcoming plan. The Ministries want to hear your opinions, par cularly what you feel is working well, what needs to change and what needs to be improved. One of the focuses for the 2013-2017 plan is an emphasis on the importance of Pacic iden es, languages and cultures. If you are in the South Auckland area and wish to a end one of these Fono please note the details below. If you cannot make it to one of these dates there is also an opon to provide feedback via an online form at the following link
h p://www.minedu.govt.nz/NZEduca on/Educa onPolicies/ PasikaEduca on/PEP2013Consulta on/ HaveYourSay.aspx#jump2

Tuesday 22 May, 5:00pm-7:00pm, Otahuhu College, 74 78 Mangere Road, Otahuhu Wednesday 23 May, 5:00pm-7:00pm, Finlayson Park School, 85 John Walker Drive, Manurewa

Samoan Language Week 2012

Sunday 27th May to Saturday 2nd of June is Samoan Language Week. This is a week to celebrate the Samoan language and culture and promote the teaching and learning of it. With over 130,000 Samoans in New Zealand they make up the 4th largest ethnicity and the Samoan language is the 3rd most commonly spoken language in NZ a er English and Maori. The theme for Samoan Language Week this year is O le Vfealoai which means Strong and Respec ul Rela onships. Since 2007 Samoan Language Week, o en abbreviated to SLW, has been celebrated in New Zealand and, more recently, in Australia and the USA as well as other Samoan communi es around the globe. Many of these communi es have set up their own Facebook pages including the ocial SLW Facebook page, administered by the NZ Human Rights Commission. Pasika Educa on Centre is partnering with the Human Rights Commission, Ministry of Pacic Island Aairs and Te Puni Kkiri to launch a campaign to increase awareness of the Samoan Language. This will include a Movies Day at PEC screening a selec on of Samoanrelated movies. (See yer below) 2012 is also the 50th anniversary of Samoa Independence and New Zealands con nuing rela ons with Samoa through the signing of the Treaty of Friendship. Both these anniversaries will be celebrated throughout 2012 culmina ng with Samoas Independence Day on Friday 1st June and the signing of the Treaty of Friendship 1 August. If you would like to par cipate in one of the many events celebra ng SLW 2012 or Samoas 50th Anniversary celebra ons visit the Samoan Language Week Facebook page or www.samoa2012.co.nz to nd one near you.

Learn some basic Samoan phrases

Tlofa lava - Hello O mai oe? - How are you? Manuia faafetai - Im well thank you O lou igoa o - My name is Ou te sau mai - I come from... Ou te nofo i - I live in ... O lou tam o - My father is... O lou n o - My mother is... Faafetai [tele lava] - Thank you [very much] Tf soifua - Goodbye

Vasega Faa-Komipiuta
Sa amataina le aoga faa-komipiuta i le Osa o le Pasika Educa on Centre i le aso 13 Fepuari 2012. E toa 24 tagata sa resitaraina o latou suafa i lea mataupu. O lou iloa i soifua o nei tagata ua resitala i nei mataupu, o isi ua ova ma le 60 le soifua ae o le laii i o le tagata o lea vasega, pei o se mea i le 18 le soifua. E faagaee a ai le loto auauna ma tautua i o tatou tagata o le Paseka, i le naunau o o tatou tagata i nei mataupu e le aumaua, au e leai se tupe a le tagata aoga o totogiina, au o loo faatupeina uma e le mlo. Sa ou vaaia le usu vave mai o nisi o tam ma n ao lei tatalina le osa, ona o l latou naunau tele e a iloa le faaaogaina o le komipiuta. O le osa o le Pasika Educa on Centre, e tatala i le 9:00am i le taeao. Ae e tele ina usu mai tagata o le falefaigaluega, ua leva ona faatalitali atu nai nei tam ma n mtta i le taimi e matala ai le faitta. E faaoso lagona aa ona o lota vaavaai atu i le nau tele o nai nei tamalii ma failauga, faletua ma tausi, ma alo foi ma fanau o le Paseka ua aumau i Niu Sila nei, i le a malamalama i le faaaogaina o nei masini faakomipiuta, aua foi le fesootaiga ma aiga i auala faatenekolosi ua mafaia ona tatou faaaogaina i nei ona po. O le tele o tagata o loo aveina lenei matupu, o ni tagata e lei faaogaina muamua le komipiuta, ao isi e i i le silaa ae ua toe a faalauteleina. O le taimi nei, o loo faamalolosi mai pea nei tam ma n mtta, faapea foi alo ma fanau talavou o loo ao tauina i lenei mataupu.

Follow us on Facebook
This month marks the end of the 2nd year that Pasika Educa on Centre has had a presence on Facebook. Although membership started o slowly we are 4 likes away from reaching our 300th member! One of our roles as Pasika Educa on Centre is to inform the Pacic communi es of opportuni es within Educa on and to keep them abreast with news and developments that relate to Pacic Educa on and Pacic language and culture. The PEC Facebook page is one avenue we use to achieve this objec ve, ensuring our page is updated every single day of the working week. We also maintain a website (www.pec.ac.nz) and each month we release our newsle er, appropriately named Fale News. If you have any no ces, events or services that are relevant to our Pacic communi es feel free to post them on our Facebook page Find us on Facebook at h p://www.facebook.com/ PacicEduca on
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Dr Fiva Faalau: Pasifika Health and Social Services

Upon entering the Mt Albert premises of Pasika Health and Social Services Incorporated, my rst impression is that Ive walked into a Family Doctor Pracce. The shiny wooden oor of the converted villa, the connota ons dished up by the name of the place and the fact that Im here to meet with a Dr Faalau all contribute to that impression. I quickly learn though that Pasika Health and Social Services Inc., or PHSS, is not a regular General Prac oner service. Rather, it is a family-oriented organisa on that advocates a holis c and culturally appropriate philosophy to work towards healthier, safer communi es and a violence-free society, par cularly for our Pacic people. Founded in 1988 the centre achieves this vision by oering counselling to parents and families and delivering workshops and awareness campaigns for health issues that aect our Pacic communi es such as Diabetes and Cervical screening. General Manager Fiva Faalau holds the tle of Doctor due to having recently been awarded a PhD from Massey University for her research with Samoan teenagers along with their family structures and the style of paren ng they received. She leads a team of Social workers and counsellors that work with families whose issues and needs range from as simple as assistance to communicate with a Housing New Zealand or WINZ Case Manager to as serious as solving domes c violence and child neglect within a family. According to Fiva, The issues never occur in isola on, theres always a diversity of needs just as there are dierent levels of families. She shares a hypothe cal example where a family might suer physical or verbal abuse at the hands of an aggressive father whose acons may not necessarily be caused by alcohol or drug abuse but might be triggered by other underlying problems such as housing or immigra on problems or workrelated stress. Quite o en, we provide an amount of advocacy even before we get to the counselling stage Fiva adds. Being the General Manager of PHSS is a far cry from washing dishes as a kitchen hand which was Fivas rst job when she came to New Zealand as a 20 year old with an educa on equivalent to our Year 11 (5 Form). Fiva, whose family roots are from Vailele, Upolu, can now add Doctor of Philosophy to an academic transcript that already boasts a Bachelors and a Masters degree in Social Anthropology. Add to that her secondary schooling at Apias Maluafou College, short courses in ESOL, typing, oce administra on, Maori leadership and a few years working in Policy Analysis and consultancy and this has been a long journey. But according to Fiva the rewards are great and many, Personally, my highlight is to see my sta ge ng outcomes for the work they are doing, to see their families maintain the posi ve changes and not revert. When families are happy, thats what really makes this work worthwhile By Selwyn Tupou

Safe Kids New Zealand are hos ng

a Pacic Safety Workshop on Friday 15 June 2012, from 9:30am-1:00pm at the Otahuhu Town Hall, to increase awareness of safety and injury preven on methods, updates and resources. Call Moses Ala ni on (09) 631 0725 for informa on .

There is also a Free Breast Screening Service at the same Otahuhu locaon, Monday-Thursdays 8:30am 4:00pm. To take advantage of this free health check call 0800 270 200 for more details.
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West Fono Health Trust in Henderson is a leader in providing innovave, aordable healthcare and social services for Pacic people in the West Auckland area. Stay tuned for a story on West Fono in our next issue.

Le Va Conference: Growing Pacific Solutions

On Tuesday and Wednesday 3rd & 4th of April 2012 PEC sta members Moananu Tyrone Laurenson and Evelyn Stanley a ended the Growing Pacic Solu ons For Our Families Naonal Fono which was hosted by Le Va, Pasika within Te Pou at the Waipuna Hotel and Conference Centre. The conference is the rst ever conference aimed specically at addressing mental health, addic on and disability issues within New Zealands Pacic community. All Black and son of the legendary Smokin Joe Stanley, Dr Stanley also stressed his desire to succeed and the balancing act between par cipa on in high level sports in a number of codes and at the interna onal level and the pursuit of his studies. He spoke about the taste of failure both in sports and in his studies and the bi erness he felt when he was required to repeat a set of examinaons.

On Day 2 of the conference Hon. Hekia Parata, Beginning with the whakatau and the li ing of Minister of Educa on and Minister of Pacic Isthe tapu by Nga Whatua led by Mr Joe Hawke, land Aairs addressed the audience and oered responses from the manuhiri were made by Pasi- four key ingredients as the recipe for success: rst ka elders in the various languages of the Pacic. Family, second Iden ty, third Educa on and fourth and nal Aspira on As Dr Monique Faleafa, Na onal Manager of Le Va, prepared to introduce Hon. Turia Tariana as a Other keynote speakers at the conference includkeynote speaker, sand ar st Marcus Winter car- ed Dr Faafetai Sopoaga, rst Associate Dean Paried out a story, all created with sand and chore- cic at the University of Otagos Medical School, ographed to music, which told the story of pa- Ms Melbournemockbacoupdetalei (Melbourne) cic migra on to New Zealand. Mauiliu-Wallis, Student Liaison at the University of Otagos Pacic Island Research & Student SupAs part of her keynote address Co-Leader of the port Unit and Dr Joseph Betancourt, Associate Maori Party Hon. Turia Tariana reinforced the Professor of Medicine at the Harvard Medical theme of family making reference to a state- School. ment made by Head of State of the Independent State of Samoa, His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Ta- During the Conference dinner almost $1.7 million masese E: in scholarships was awarded to 222 successful Pacic recipients who will use the money to cover I am not an individual. I am an integral part of 100 per cent of their tui on fees for healththe cosmos. I share divinity with my ancestors, related study in areas including medicine, nursing, the land, the seas and the skies. I am not an indi- oral health, and midwifery, mental health and/or vidual because I share my to [an inheritance] addic on. with my family, my village, and my na on. I belong to my family and my family belongs to me. I belong to my na on, and my na on belongs to me. This is the essence of my belonging. Dr Jeremy Stanley, Niues rst ever orthopaedic surgeon also spoke as a keynote speaker emphasising the role of support and sacrice that parents and family need to invest in their childrens educa on. Jeremy talked about his own educaonal journey which included a ending a decile 1 local school to progressing to Auckland Grammar School to Auckland University and Medical School and the many years of learning. A former

Dr Jeremy Stanley presen ng his keynote address

Is there a Doctor in the Fale?

Saleimoa Sami is the Co-President of MAPAS at The University of Auckland. The Maori and Pacic Admission Scheme (MAPAS) is available to Faculty of Medical and Health Science applicants with indigenous Maori or Pacic whakapapa/ancestry. MAPAS provides both admission into and support during study within the Cercate in Health Sciences, Nursing, Pharmacy Medicine and Health Sciences programmes of the faculty. MAPAS seeks to provide a suppor ve environment where students, their whanau/aiga and sta accept a commitment to academic achievement within a Maori/Pacic context. I never pictured myself becoming a doctor back in my high school days. I was a typical Samoan boy just trying to please mum and dad by going school. So a powerful mo vator for me is my parents -their struggles have always been my mo va on. The success that I have produced and will encounter I fully a ribute to my parent's humility, fa'asmoa culture and determina on.

My High School teachers were a huge inuence on me, helping me to realise my poten al. As a seventh former at Waitakere College I studied Biology, Physics, Chemistry, English and Calculus - all important subjects in working towards a career such as medicine but as I said, I rd A 3 year Faculty of Medicine student with family con- never had medicine as a life me goal. I just knew that I nec ons in Upolus Saleapaga and Lepa and Auala in was good at the sciences. English, on the other hand, Savai'i, Saleimoa shares with us some of his thoughts was something I struggled with and considering it was from his journey en route to becoming a doctor. my second language, I had to work really hard at it. To my amazement, I was given the top scholar for English in my class. MAPAS has oered me a wide range of support. They have created an environment where it is culturally appropriate, comfortable and safe. I come from a very busy Samoan household so it can be hard to study at home. MAPAS oers spaces to study during the night and they also provide food! Therefore, MAPAS is denitely a big factor in keeping me in my studies. I represent the student body of MAPAS as the Co-President. As such, we advocate for MAPAS students, create events and ideas and also network with other contacts in and out of the University. No one in my family has a ended university before. I have no rela ves who are doctors or of any such professions. In general, my family have a very strong "blue collar" background. My mother was a cleaner and my dad con nues to work in the trucking industry so it was very hard to try and understand what university was. Through my upbringing, I always had this thought that university was for palagis only. I remember the rst me I discussed with my mother the idea of going to university she said "It might be too hard for you". So overall, it took some me to overcome my family's idea of what university was. But through my strong involvement with the university, my family have created an environment of understanding, humility and pa ence. I have also learned that the career that I have chosen requires sacrice. Time with friends, church, family etc. can all be hard to balance but when the me comes you

Saleimoa Sami
(Photo courtesy of The University of Auckland website)
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have to make the choice to dedicate me to your studies, its just knowing when to sacrice. As a health professional I would love to work in the cardiothoracic unit as a surgical consultant. I also nd orthopaedics a great possibility too but one of the other things that I really want to get involved in is Pacic health. It would be great to have a balance of clinical prac ce and a research role in Pacic health. From my educa onal experience, I have learned that you dont have to be strong academically, as long as you have a good work ethic and always priori ze your life, you can denitely succeed at whatever you do. I also learned the importance of involving your family in your career planning - especially if you are one of those ones breaking from the norm. When you involve your family in your goals and the path you take to get there it can make the whole process that much easier and enjoyable. To those intending to study at ter ary level, use every source of help that is available. Ini a ves, support services and scholarships are all out there for Maori and Pacic people. Its just up to you to use them. Obstacles y at you always so u lise the support networks around you; whether it is your family or your friends. So stay strong to your goals. Involve your family in the pathway to your goals and remember where you came from; your culture and your beginnings. Ia manuia le soifua, Saleimoa Sami

UPDATE: Earlier this year we ran a story about George Cook, a young Tongan studying the Cer cate of Health Science at The University of Auckland. George is pictured here (yellow shirt, front right) with some of his fellow classmates at their gradua on. Well done to George and his friends and Good Luck for the next stage of their studies!