This week, Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Matā’afa and members of the Samoan Language Committee traveled to American Samoa to launch the Samoan Language Dictionary.
During the unveiling of the book in Samoa, Fiamē spoke about the importance of this initiative and its aim to help Samoans better understand the meanings of words in the Samoan language.
“The purpose of this book is to serve as a guide to the Samoan language for all Samoans here in Samoa as well as our people residing and working abroad. The value of this work is to ensure that the warning from Aiono Dr. Fanaafi LeTagaloa does not come true: Without a language, there is no culture; without a culture, the nation is in darkness.
This is the essence: to ensure that the Samoan language is not lost for future generations. Instead, it should be revived, used, and cherished as the heritage passed down from God to your ancestors and our elders,” stated the Prime Minister during the dictionary’s launch.
The Samoan Language Commission led this effort with the support of various community members.
The objective of this Samoan Language Dictionary is to preserve the integrity of the Samoan language, especially as it faces the influx of many other languages that threaten to overwhelm the authentic Samoan language.
The Prime Minister expressed gratitude for the contributions from the government, churches, villages, various committees, government departments, the governments of New Zealand and Australia, UNESCO, the Governor of American Samoa, the American Samoa Language Commission, and the FAGASA organisation.
This Samoan dictionary is now available for use in schools and by any Samoan who needs guidance in the language.
Tusia i le gagana Samoa
Tatalaina o le Ulua’i Tusi Faatonu’upu i le Gagana Samoa i Samoa ma Amerika Samoa
O le vaiaso nei, na malaga atu ai le tamaita’i Palemia iā Fiamē Naomi Matā’afa ma sui o le Komiti o le Gagana Samoa i Amerika Samoa, mo le faalauiloaina o le Tusi Faatonu’upu o le Gagana Samoa(Samoan Dictionary).
I le tatalaina o lea tusi i Samoa, na saunoa ai Fiamē i le tāua o lea fa’amoemoe ma lona ute ia mafai ona atili manino ma malamalama tagata Samoa i uiga o ‘upu o le gagana.
“O le fa’amoemoe o lenei tusi: ia avea ma ta’iala o le Gagana Samoa e fa’aaogaina e tagata Samoa uma i Samoa nei fa’apea ma o tatou tagata o lo’o alaala ma papa a’ao i atunuu i fafo. O le aogā fo’i o lenei galuega, ia mautinoa e lē tupu le fa’atofalaiga a Aiono Dr. Fanaafi LeTagaloa e faapea: A leai se gagana, ua leai se aganu’u, a leai se aganu’u, ua po le nu’u. O le ute lena ia ‘aua ne’i leai se gagana Samoa o a taeao ma iēluā. Ae ia fa’aolaola, fa’aaoga ma fa’ataua pea le tatou gagana aua o le tofi na tu’u fa’amalele mai i le Atua i ni outou tua’a ma ni o matou matua”. Saunoaga a le Palemia ina ua tatala le tusi Faatonuupu.
O lea tusi, sa taulamua ai le Komisi o le Gagana Samoa aemaise o le fesoasoani a tulatoa o le atunuu.
O le manulautī o lea Tusi Faatonuupu, ina ia mafai ona faatumauina ai pea le mapo o le gagana a Samoa, ao luluti mai ai le tele o isi gagana eseese ua tauau ai ina lōfia atu ai ma le gagana Samoa moni.
Na momoli le faafetai a le Palemia o Samoa i sao o le Mālō, Ekalesia, nuu ma afioaga, komiti eseese, Matagaluega a le Mālō, Malo o Niu Sila ma Ausetalia, Faalapotopotoga a le UNESCO, Kovana o le Mālō o Amerika Samoa, Komisi o le Gagana a Amerika Samoa faapea ma le Faalapotopotoga a le FAGASA.
O lenei tusi ua avanoa nei mo lona faaaogaina i aoga aemaise o so’o se tagata Samoa e mana’omia le fesoasoani i faasinoupu.
