It’s Kiribati Language Week
To celebrate and support New Zealand’s Pacific Language Weeks campaign, AUT’s Office of Pacific Advancement, (OPA) works alongside students to elevate their personal experiences of Pacific culture, practices and language; taonga to be protected and sustained.
The taonga are often ancient and deeply significant from cultural, spiritual and social perspectives and are practices shared by others in the AUT community.
For this year’s Wikin te Taetae ni Kiribati a traditional Kiribati dance, or or te Mwaie ni Kiribati, is showcased by two AUT students, Fetai Meerabe and Margret Ratieta, whose cultural ties are to the Micronesian island nation.
For both students, te Mwaie ni Kiribati is a taonga; a meaningful way to stay connected to their culture, heritage, and identity.
Fetai is a second-year Bachelor of Science student majoring in Biomedical Science and Margret is a third-year Bachelor of Engineering student, majoring in Civil Engineering.
The Kiribati dance in this video represents ocean waves through the movement of the hips and distinctive bird-like movements, with outstretched arms and quick and precise head movements that mimic the Kiribati native bird, the eitei.
The eitei is the national bird of Kiribati and appears on the country's flag, soaring above the golden rising sun or otintaai. Beneath it, the blue field and three horizontal white wavy stripes symbolise the Pacific Ocean that surrounds and sustains the islands, reflecting the deep connection between the people, their environment, and their cultural traditions.
Fetai says she has grown to love Kiribati dancing. “Dancing connects me to my roots and I love how it’s different and unique compared to the dances of other Pacific nations. I keep my relationship with my family and my heritage strong through learning the language, singing and dancing of Kiribati and involving myself in traditional customs. They give me a sense of belonging. Surrounding myself by other Kiritbati people like me who were also raised in New Zealand also helps me stay connected to my culture.”
Reflecting on her journey with her Kiribati culture, Margret says, “I grew up in the islands and when I came to New Zealand it was just so different; the people and the culture. I’m the only Kiribati person studying what I’m studying and have been invited to perform traditional dances by people I’ve got to know. This has been an easy way for me to stay connected to, and showcase my culture. There is story telling behind each of our dances.”
The Ministry for Pacific Peoples’ 2026 theme for Kiribati Language Week is "Karina te ang, tauraoi nakon te mwioko ao kabura rikiara ni Kiribati" - Strive diligently to fulfil our responsibilities and uphold our Kiribati identity.
Kiribati greetings and other resources for Wikin te Taetae ni Kiribati, including email signatures and printable posters, are available on the website of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples.
AUT’s 2026 AUT Pacific language video series as they are launched, watch on the AUT Pacific YouTube channel.