Mahana o te Re’o Rapa Nui
The Day of Our Language
The Day of Our Language was created in 1995 by two teachers of Rapanui language, Hilaria Tuki and Virginia Haoa, to make the community aware of the abject regression in the use of the native language and showcase the importance of education as the motor for the maintenance of Rapanui culture and language. Haoa recalls talking with students’ parents who didn’t see it that way … “it’s not useful to speak Rapanui if they will live away from the Island, to get a decent job or to get Moni (money). “
Since then, at the end of the school year, teachers and students present their work in the arts, technology, literature and gastronomy to the local authorities, their families and the community in general. The Day of Our Language is a festival and a celebration of their achievements in maintaining the Rapanui language.
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