This paper examines the health of the four largest Polynesian Pasifi ka languages in Aotearoa/ New Zealand (New Zealand). It presents perspectives and interpretations from the researchers and writers who are at the same time, parents and grandparents of Pasifi ka children of Tongan, Samoan and Cook Islands ancestry. It examines: fi ndings from the 2006 Census; a major sociolinguistic study examining these four languages in New Zealand's most multicultural city between 2000 and 2008; and insider community sources. These indicate that Pasifi ka languages in New Zealand show signifi cant signs of language shift and loss, with several languages unlikely to survive unless urgent maintenance and revival measures are adopted. It seeks reasons for the shift of Pasifi ka families to using more English. It argues that the discourses of family language for private use, and English for education and public use, emerged in the Pacifi c, came with the migrants and is now deeply entrenched in New Zealand. The paper suggests that expanding the role of Pasifi ka languages into education and the public domain through Bilingual/Immersion Education is the prime strategy for future survival of these languages. We use initial capitals for the term Bilingual/Immersion Education in this article to indicate that this is a major world approach to education. Following Baker (2006), Garcia (2009), and May and Hill (2005), we use bilingual and immersion to cover all forms of fi rst language and second language medium education. This dual use is very important in New Zealand where until recently a rigid and artifi cial separation was made between Bilingual Education and Immersion Education (May & Hill, 2005, 2008).
In 2005 the University of Auckland Library established a Pasifika Liaison Librarian position as a new initiative within the existing the Maori Services to enhance the learning of Pasifika students at the University and develop Pasifika Library Support and Information Services. This paper examines the background to the challenge of developing more effective services for Pasifika students and staff within a university institution from the perspectives of Pasifika staff who work in the library. It argues that the development of these services will be more effective if they build on existing University equity policies and seek integrated links with other Pasifika and Maori enhancement initiatives, perspectives and programmes. The paper examines existing Library policies and proposes ways of implementing these that provide for more effective partnerships between staff and services that will enhance services to Pasifika. It discusses some of the professional dilemmas for Pasifika staff seeking to bring a Pasifika perspective of service delivery and enhancement to Pasifika students and staff. It suggests an alternative integrated way of working collaboratively in partnerships which acknowledges, builds on, and empowers the life experiences and aspirations of Pasifika students and staff. alternative Special Edition / Special Issue 2008 In February 2005, the Pacific Library Services was established with the appointment of the Pasifika Liaison Librarian. Since then it has developed targeted initiatives to assist students and staff with information literacy and research skills to further support and enhance their success at the University of Auckland. This paper will, therefore, examine how the University and the Library policies impact on the implementation of the delivery of Library services to Pasifika students and staff, and the perceptions of the mainstream community of the Pasifika Library Services. In addition, it raises but does not resolve the challenges and dilemmas faced in delivering these services in a relevant and appropriate way to the Pasifika staff and students. Finally, it suggests ala fou (ways forward) for more equitable, relevant and robust service delivery, which enhances and promotes tertiary success for all the Pasifika Peoples at University.
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