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‘Ever evolving’: Papua New Guinea’s unifying language celebrated during Tok Pisin Wik

From RNZ Pacific · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Papua New Guinea communities in New Zealand are celebrating Tok Pisin Wik with events highlighting the country's national language and traditional cultures.
  • Speakers describe Tok Pisin as a living, adaptable language that helps connect people across Papua New Guinea's more than 800 languages and diverse communities.
  • Families in New Zealand use the language to maintain ties with relatives in Papua New Guinea.

Tok Pisin is being celebrated across New Zealand this week as Papua New Guinea's communities highlight a language they describe as central to national unity.

Ancey Wamiri, a school teacher in Wellington, said she uses Tok Pisin every day with family and friends and teaches it during Tok Pisin Wik sessions. She described the language as being in her blood and bones, and as an essential link for people from Papua New Guinea's many cultures.

The wonderful thing about Tok Pisin is it has united us as a country, to be able to connect amongst ourselves as a nation.

· Ancey WamiriThe Wellington school teacher described Tok Pisin's role in connecting Papua New Guinea's diverse communities.

"The wonderful thing about Tok Pisin is it has united us as a country, to be able to connect amongst ourselves as a nation," Wamiri told RNZ Pacific. "If we didn't have Tok Pisin then we'd be a completely divided people."

If we didn't have Tok Pisin then we'd be a completely divided people. So it was essential to have Tok Pisin become a part of the unifying language for our people.

· Ancey WamiriWamiri explained why she sees the language as essential to national unity.

Wamiri also emphasized that Tok Pisin continues to change. It contains substantial English influence, she said, but has developed into a recognized language rather than simply a version of English. A common exchange is "Yu olrait?" meaning "How are you?", answered by "Mi olrait, tenkyu", or "I am good, thank you."

Tommy Poliap Posangat said Tok Pisin emerged during the plantation period, when people from across Melanesia were brought together to work. With Papua New Guinea's more than 800 languages, he said, people needed a language they could share. Solomon Islanders, Fijians and people from Vanuatu were also part of that wider setting, he said, and Tok Pisin has continued evolving ever since.

It's ever developing and ever evolving and changing.

· Ancey WamiriWamiri described Tok Pisin as a living language.

For younger Papua New Guineans in New Zealand, everyday communication keeps the language alive. College student Naimah Leahy said most of her wider family still lives in Papua New Guinea, so she calls and messages them almost every day to stay connected. The Ministry of Pacific Peoples has provided resources for the week, which includes events celebrating language and traditional culture.

I believe Tok Pisin was created during the plantation period, when they brought all the islanders, Melanesians, together to work the plantations.

· Tommy Poliap PosangatPosangat gave his account of how Tok Pisin developed as a shared language.
About this summary

Originally published by RNZ Pacific in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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