Samoa Malaga 2018
In July 2018, I was part of a group of 15 ākonga from the school of Health, Education and Human Development at the University of Canterbury chosen to go on the annual Samoa Malaga with Tufulasi Taleni (Kai-arahi Pasifika, UC). This trip was like no other as Tufulasi invited us to be hosted by his village in Iva.
From the moment we stepped off the plane I knew this was going to be an experience I would always remember. As we arrived into the village we were greeted by a giant WELCOME sign and the Taleni fanu honoured and spoiled us to no end for our entire visit.
From the moment we stepped off the plane I knew this was going to be an experience I would always remember. As we arrived into the village we were greeted by a giant WELCOME sign and the Taleni fanu honoured and spoiled us to no end for our entire visit.
We experienced so much over our time in Samoa. We spent the majority of our eight days on the beautiful island of Savai'i. We adventured around the island and stopped at numerous spots of significance such as Falealuo Village (where Samoan spirits leave the island), the lava fields, visiting Tufulasi's fanu at varies location as well as some sightseeing and swimming with turtles.
During our time in the village, we experienced a lot of cultural norms whether sitting around talking to different family members, attending and participating in Fiafia nights, learning the language, playing with the children, walking in the planations and learning the expectations and roles of individuals within the village. One of our first nights in the village we experienced the work and time it takes to make an Umu. The family let us participate in the preparation and process, we made our own plates by weaving flax, we were challenged to open a coconut and shredding it in competition with some of the village boys then we were taught how to weave flax crowns and baskets. It was my first ever experience of eating fresh pork straight out of the pig. 
One of the best moments of our trip was when we got to visit Iva Primary School in Iva Village. Being invited into this school was such a privilege, I understand that having visitors in a classroom when you are trying to teach can be so disruptive and the students can be a challenge as they get over-excited but every teacher we approached was so friendly and welcoming. It shocked me how much English the children knew or were willing to try. We took in books from New Zealand to share stories with them, my book was a version if you are happy and you know it but it had animals from New Zealand and the action or sound those animals made. With each class I would share this with the students would often already know the English names for the animals and would join in singing along with me as we progressed through the story. Through conversations with the other girls on the trip, we reflected on how much English they were using and had learnt compared to the amount of Samoan we had learnt and would use.
They had a special assembly for us and shared their school song and presented us with lei. I was asked to speak on behalf of our group to share our gratitude and thanks to the school for allowing us to come and share with the school community. Many of the tamariki from our village attended this school. They were so very proud to show us off to their friends.
Another highlight was the Fiafia night, seeing all of the beautiful people we had met perform for us. It amazed me how much time, effort and intergenerational support there was not only on the night but in the lead up through all the practices. It was an honour to be able to return the gift through our own dance we had learned but we were nowhere near as talented as the performances we saw that night!
My time in Samoa has cause ongoing reflection and in doing this seeing the impact it has on my life. This experience has helped me to plan for inclusion within my classroom.
Having worked in a school before with many Pacifika fanu I had struggled with some of the differences between their culture and mine. Now that I have been to Samoa I feel like I have a much better picture of what is going on in the wider family and how the family runs and the roles within the family. Seeing the responsibilities that the children carry within village life shows me that within my classroom and the wider school these children should be given opportunities to be involved and serve those around them. I also have seen the depth of knowledge about their own culture and language and I feel like I can continue to learn about Pacifika cultures by inviting the children and their families to come in and share with us their food, their art, their celebrations and values. Holding Pacifica values as highly as Māori values will help students within my class to build their own character and also to feel connected within our school whānau/fanu.
The opportunity for children to express themselves, their values and what they are grateful for through performance and art is so important. I have a new understanding of the arts and how they are an opportunity for expression especially for those students who struggle to find the words to speak or write. This is not only important for pacifika children but all those within the class room. The arts offer new leadership opportunities for students who might not be strong in the more traditional leadership roles. 
Celebrating people, and the opportunity to bless and honour those who are doing great things in the world and the level of respect that the people showed to us while we were in Samoa is something I would love to have in my classroom. Celebration of success, the celebration of achievement and celebration of culture. I have already been taking note of when language weeks occur to be able to celebrate these within my classroom as well as brainstorming ways to celebrate the children’s culture each and every day! 
