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“It’s fitting that a school that has been teaching Samoan students for more than 60-years will be hosting one of Wellington’s key Samoan Language Week events,” said Dame Susan Devoy, New Zealand’s Race Relations Commissioner.
She was speaking at St Patrick’s College Silverstream at Samoan Language Week launch event.
A photograph unearthed ahead of the occasion “is itself a measina or treasure,” she said.
The 1955 photograph of boarders and Samoan parliamentarians was re-enacted by current Silverstream students.
“Samoan boys have been boarding at Silverstream since the first scholarships were launched soon after World War II,” said Dame Susan.
Year Twelve student Ivan Fepulea’i (front right) is a third generation Silverstream student. “Coming here is an opportunity and a privilege. Culture and language is also important to my family.”
One of the boys from 1955 is a nephew of the chief gunned down on Black Saturday, and now he’s Samoa’s Head of State, His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese.
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