Hapi Bislama Wik!
Bislama Language Week (Bislama Lanwis Wik) has grown significantly since its 2023 pilot, and this year marked a special milestone. One of the official languages of Vanuatu, Bislama has been officially recognised in New Zealand’s Pacific Language Week calendar for the first time.
New Zealand has a strong ni-Van population – immigration figures showing that our country offers about 20,000 places annually for Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme (RSE) workers who come from 13 different Pacific nations to work seasonally in the horticulture and viticulture industries. About 40 per cent of these workers come from Vanuatu, making the Nelson-Tasman region a notable stronghold for the ni-Van population within Aotearoa.
The language week celebrations kicked off on Sunday, 27 July at the Moutere Hills Community Centre, where around 300 people gathered for an opening ceremony that also honoured the 45th anniversary of Vanuatu’s independence, marked a few days early to avoid clashes with orchard work. The event included vibrant island shirt and dress competitions and reflections on the importance of preserving and celebrating Bislama.
During the next week, organisers visited Motueka South Kindergarten, Riwaka Primary, Motueka High School and Garin College, presenting them with a celebratory calendar that was created with the help of their students. The calendar, sponsored by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples, was warmly received, and students and staff showed strong interest in learning more about Bislama and Vanuatu.
Celebrations continue with a Bislama quiz night at Te Noninga Kumu-Motueka Library, which was co-hosted by Multicultural Nelson Tasman. Nine teams took part, answering questions in Bislama around the theme: tokabaot klaemet jenj – hemi tru mo yumi mas lukaotem gud laef (“talk about climate change – it is real and we must look after life”).
The week wrapped up with a lively string band evening on Friday, 1 August, also held at Moutere Hills Community Centre, with a crowd of around 250 people. Three local bands, as well as one from Blenheim, each performed original songs celebrating both Bislama and climate action. The event was supported by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples, with senior advisor Daniel Hytongue attending to open the evening and present prizes.
