Visionary women: Sustaining the language and culture in Samoan early childhood centres

Abstract

This article focuses on the powerful role of Samoan women sustaining the language and culture in Aotearoa. It presents findings from my Master’s thesis that explored the experiences of seven Samoan women who were involved in the establishment of three a’oga amata (Samoan early childhood centres) in Christchurch (Togiaso, 2017). This qualitative study had a conceptual framework of Pacific epistemologies including fa’a Samoa (a Samoan way of life) and teu le vā (to look after spaces). Questionnaires, semistructured interviews, and autoethnography were methods used. Findings revealed that Samoan women overcame major barriers and challenges in setting up unique spaces of learning that became places of belonging and cultural transmission for children, families, and the community. However, colonial incursions continue to be barriers in sustaining the Samoan language, culture, and fa’a Samoa.