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Vagahau Niue context elaborations

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AOs: L6

AOs: L7

AOs: L8

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Vagahau Niue

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Vagahau Niue L8: Example 2

Example 2: Debate – language and identity

Glossary

mailoga — used in this context to mean 'registered' or 'identify'

fanafanau — plural for 'born'

atuhau — generation

fakakiteaga — to express an opinion, view, or idea

olaola — wealth, lively

gahuaaga — at a workplace

matutakiaga — belonging or identity

matalahi — pride, proud

talahaua — popular

First speaker

Mitaki tugi e mafola. Ko e tau hūhū kua lauia ai e tau tagata Niue:

  • Kua fēfē e tūaga he vagahau Niue?
  • Ko e heigoa e tau koloa mahuiga he vagahau Niue?

Ko au ko e tama Niue. Fiafia au ke fakatumau ke he tau gahua fakaNiue.

Kua fakakite mai he tau kumikumiaga (Kalauni et al., 2007) e kū he puke tagata ne fakaaoga e vagahau Niue ka e tokologa ne mailoga a lautolu ko e tau tagata Niue. Nākai mitaki e tau numela tagata vagahau Niue. 15 e teau tagata ne nonofo i Niue ka e 21 e afe ne nonofo he tau kautū kehekehe he lalolagi. Nākai tokologa ia lautolu nei ne fakaaoga e vagahau Niue.

Nākai mukamuka ke taofi e vagahua Niue. Tokologa lahi e puke tagata ha Niue kua fanafanau i Niu Silani mo e falu a motu kehe. Tokologa foki kua fanafanau mo e tau tagata he tau motu kehe. Tokologa kua mātutaki ke he tau aga motu kehe. Ko e tau atuhau foou nei kua uka lahi ke mātutaki ke he tau aga fakamotu mo e vagahau Niue. Ko e kakano haia ne kua lolelole fakahaga ai e vagahau Niue.

Mahuiga e tagata ne iloa ko hai a ia. Mahuiga e tagata ne iloa e hauaga haana. Mahuiga e tagata ne vagahau e vagahau Niue. Mua atu e mahuiga he tagata kua tū mitaki ke he gahuaaga mo e iloa ko ia ko e tagata Niue. Nākai mitaki ke fano ke he lalolagi mo e pehē 'ko au ko e tagata Niue' ka e nākai iloa e tau aga mo e vagahau ke he vagahau Niue. Ai mitaki ha kua tokologa ia tautolu ha ne fae aloalo atu ke he vagahau. Nākai mitaki ha kua tokologa ia tautolu ne nākai fai manatu ke he tau fakakiteaga he tagata Niue.

Ko e fakakiteaga he tagata ni ke lagaki hake aki a ia. Ko e fakakiteaga he tagata ni ke takitaki aki haana a moui.

Context and text type

Extract from a year 13 class debate on the subject of vagahau Niue and cultural identity. The first speaker for the affirmative introduces their case.

Text type

Debate, persuasive. Productive.

Examples showing how the student is:

Communicating information, ideas, and opinions through increasingly extended and varied texts

The speaker argues that language is important for cultural identity:

  • Mahuiga e tagata ne iloa ko hai a ia … tagata kua tū mitaki ke he gahuaaga mo e iloa ko ia ko e tagata Niue.

They emphasise a particular view:

  • Ko e fakakiteaga he tagata ni ke lagaki hake aki a ia …

They present information to illustrate their ideas:

  • Nākai mitaki ke fano ke he lalolagi mo e pehē 'ko au ko e tagata Niue' …

They refer to research to suggest that their arguments are well founded:

  • Kua fakakite mai he tau kumikumiaga (Kalauni et al., 2007) e kū he puke tagata ne fakaaoga e vagahau Niue ka e tokologa ne mailoga a lautolu ko e tau tagata Niue.

As the first speaker in a debate, the student gets to lay out their argument in an extended text.

The speaker uses a variety of sentence patterns and lengths. Some sentences begin with the same expression, a feature typical of oratory; for example:

  •  Tokologa lahi … Mahuiga e …

The speaker begins with a very simple sentence:

  • Ko au ko e tama Niue.

A debate uses spoken language, so features such as pronunciation, intonation, rhythm, speed, audibility, and stress have a bearing on the persuasive impact of the language and the overall effectiveness of the communication. These features must be considered.

The speaker’s presentation will also have a visual aspect, so body language (positioning, stance, gesture, movement, etc) also needs to be taken into account when considering the effectiveness of the communication.

Exploring the views of others

The speaker presents the views of others by quoting the research that underpins their ideas:

  • Kua fakakite mai he tau kumikumiaga (Kalauni et al., 2007) e kū he puke tagata ne fakaaoga e vagahau Niue ka e tokologa ne mailoga a lautolu ko e tau tagata Niue …

Developing and sharing personal perspectives

The speaker emphasises a point of view:

  • Mahuiga e tagata ne vagahau ke he vagahau Niue.

They elaborate a point:

  • Tokologa lahi e puke tagata ha Niue kua fanau i Niu Silani mo e falu a motu kehe.

They acknowledge the difficulty of expressing viewpoints on language and identity:

  • Nākai mukamuka ke taofi e vagahua Niue.

Justifying own ideas and opinions

The speaker cites research evidence that grounds their views:

  • Kua fakakite mai he tau kumikumiaga (Kalauni et al., 2007) …

They quote statistics to justify their arguments:

  • 15 e teau tagata ne nonofo i Niue ka e 21 e afe ne nonofo he tau kautū kehekehe he lalolagi.

They justify their reasons for adopting their stance:

  • Ko e fakakiteaga he tagata ni ke takitaki aki haana a moui.

Supporting or challenging the ideas and opinions of others

The speaker challenges the view that vagahau Niue and the identity of the young generation is not at risk:

  • Ko e tau atuhau foou nei kua uka lahi ke mātutaki ke he tau aga fakamotu mo e vagahau Niue. Ko e kakano haia ne kua lolelole fakahaga ai e vagahau Niue.

They present research-based information that runs counter to the ideas that many hold:

  • … ka e tokologa ne mailoga a lautolu ko e tau tagata Niue.

They support their views with statistics that may challenge the views and beliefs of some of their hearers:

  • 15 e teau tagata ne nonofo i Niue ka e 21 e afe ne nonofo he tau kautū kehekehe he lalolagi.

This speaker is the first to present their argument; it is to be expected that their views will be challenged by the opposing team, and that those in the audience will either agree or disagree with what they say, depending on their particular beliefs and views.

Given the persuasive intent of the debate, it is possible that some who support the speaker’s views may nevertheless not support the intensity and strength with which they present them.

Engaging in sustained interactions and producing extended texts

Opening for the affirmative, the speaker defines the debate so that the audience knows what is to be argued and understands the rationale for the case they are about to hear.

The speaker uses long sentences, but most are simple in structure. This patterning is a feature of Niue-style oratory. For example:

  • … Kua fakakite mai he tau kumikumiaga (Kalauni et al., 2007) e kū he puke tagata ne fakaaoga e vagahau Niue ka e tokologa ne mailoga a lautolu ko e tau tagata Niue.

The speaker would pause at appropriate points in these long sentences in order to maintain interaction with the audience, and would use verbal (stress, intonation, etc) and non-verbal (gesture, etc) features to intensity impact.

Exploring how linguistic meaning is conveyed across languages

The speaker uses repetition to emphasise and reinforce key ideas, for example:

  •  Mahuiga e tau tagata tokologa …

Repetition is a feature of oratory across languages.

The speakers use questions not only to set the scene but to engage listeners and get them thinking. In this way, the audience is encouraged to interact tacitly with the speaker, and to explore their own views and responses.

Structured debate is found in many cultures, though the rules will differ.

'Tangata' is used in te reo Māori, where it has the equivalent meaning.

The expression "Mahuiga/Uhoaki e tagata" … (“blessed is the one who …”) comes from the Bible. Here, it is used to call to mind the Bible passage and to lend authority to the speaker’s message.

Analyse how the use of the target language expresses cultural meanings

The speaker uses well-known expressions (for example, "Mahuiga/Uhoaki e tagata", discussed above) to reinforce their arguments.

They use another familiar expression to declare that "we are waving our language goodbye" when we say "ko tautolu ha ne fae aloalo atu ke he vagahau Niue". The duplicative verb 'aloalo' indicates that the action happens repeatedly. The first-person plural pronoun 'tautolu' is inclusive of the speaker.

They use repetition (for example, of the phrase "Mahuiga/Uhoaki e tagata") to pile up ideas in a way that highlights their importance and intensifies their impact on the audience. This repeated phrase is all the more powerful because of its association with the Bible, with its messages about the right ways to behave.

The speaker uses current catch phrases to emphasise the significance of being Niuean (with or without capability in vagahau Niue):

  • 'ko au ko e tagata Niue', Ko au ko e tama Niue.

The speaker does not have to be of Niue origin to make these statements. The focus is on culture and Niue identity, not on the speaker. A comparable example might be be rugby fans singing ‘We are the champions’ in the stadium.

Opportunities for developing intercultural communicative competence

Students could explore where vagahau Niue is actively used (in government, private organisations, schools, communities, churches, etc. in New Zealand, Niue and elsewhere). They could present their findings in vagahau Niue through texts of different types, for example, diagrams, charts, articles for a school or community newspaper, posters, brochures, or speeches. Students could prepare a brochure in vagahau Niue to encourage participation in activities relating to Niue culture, language and identity.

Students could read or listen to a range of texts in vagahau Niue to identify an issue of current local or international interest. They could then analyse the features of these texts using the headings found in these context elaborations. They could write a letter to the editor of a vagahau Niue publication (for example, a community newsletter) expressing their views on the issue. Or they could prepare for a radio or community interview on the topic. How might they ensure they use language in culturally appropriate ways, given the target audience?

They could invite Niue guest speakers to their class and engage them in discussion of issues related to language, culture, and identity.

They could explore historical changes in the social organisation of Niue society, comparing then and now. They could investigate how practices, beliefs, and values have changed over time and as a result of emigration to America, Australia, and New Zealand. Where could they find this information? What text types could they use to present the results of their research?

Investigate the stories and legends that remain important enough to be passed down from generation to generation in Niue families, even in the diaspora. What comparisons can students make with other stories and legends they are familiar with? What values do these express in their cultures of origin?

Last updated October 3, 2013



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