By Staff Writer
The Samoan language is being taught this year as a fully accredited course at the prestigious Beijing Foreign Studies University in China.
Samoan is one of seven Pacific languages China is running, for the first time at the tertiary level outside of a western country as part of its diplomatic push in the region.
Former lecturer at the National University of Samoa, Mr. Setope So’oa’emalelagi, is running the Samoan language, culture and history course.
Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat recently reported that he was due to start last February in Beijing but was holidaying in New Zealand where he is stranded by the coronavirus pandemic.
So’oa’emalelagi, however, has been hosting online lessons to his 51enrolled Chinese students from New Zealand to get around the travel restrictions.
He told radio Australia that as the teacher he feels like a pioneer setting up a two-way cultural bridge between the two countries.
“The common goal with this course is appreciating the Samoan culture but also appreciating Chinese culture,” So’oa’emalelagi explained.
“We look at China especially from the Pacific as a big country, 1.3 billion people, Chinese food, kung fu and I think we have to look deeper especially to build bridges.”
The Samoan lecturer believes that it is not just teaching the Chinese the Samoan language and the culture but learning from them and their way of life as well.
He is confident that the number of students enrolled in his Samoan course tells a story of the interest in a country where 99.9 percent of the people have never heard of Samoa.
“The students enrolled at the Beijing University are pretty much the crème de le cream of language students; it’s not only Samoan they learn but the major languages, English, French, Spanish and Russian.”
So’oa’emalelagi has been finding out so far that his students have an advantage learning Samoan after having already learned a complex language in English which is harder for them.
He said the students are learning basic 101 elementary Samoan language.
“Pronunciation is a little tricky but believe it or not it is not that difficult so many of my students are very good.”
The students learning so far included basic greetings; talofa lava, oa mai oe, ‘ how are you”. Numbers, colours and normal every day phrases are included as well.
“It’s very encouraging because they don’t just want to know the language, they want to know the people too.
“They want to know about the culture, the fa’aSamoa and the rituals.”
There are plans for the Chinese students programme to be expanded to connect them with Samoan students learning Samoan in New Zealand.
Contacts have already been made with Victoria University in Wellington to make that possible.
The Chinese language is also taught in Samoa at the National University of Samoa.