The Dunedin Fijian community present podcasts in celebrating Fijian Language Week, hosted by Dr Namrata Chand.
The 2026 theme for Fijian Language Week is "Na noqu vosa me tekivu mai vale ka me'u na vosataka e na veisiga" - My language starts at home and I need to speak it every day.
Language is more than words- it's family, adventures with your cousins, memories and the village you create while experiencing it.
Join Mereoni Ketewai a PhD candidate from Fiji here at University of Otago as she takes us back to her childhood in Fiji. Travel with Mereoni to the highlands of Naitasiri, Fiji, to her grandparents village. Immerse yourself yourself in adventures with her like swimming in the river, and packing fruits and vegetables like fresh guava and oto. She shares how these experiences and her grandparents played a special role in passing down the Fijian language and culture to her.
This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - oar.org.nz and made thanks to the support of NZ on Air.
5 Oct 2026
2 - Beyond Bula: handy Fiji phrases and words
Thinking of visiting Fiji? Or just having a conversation with your Fijian mates?
Join Nam as she continues the Talanoa (chat) with Mereon, exploring fun and useful Fijian words and phrases to help you navigate everyday conversations.
From learning to check in with someone“iko set tiki?” (You good?) to discovering things you might not know about the everyday Fijian culture like Bula Friday and the culture of “Kalavata”.
This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - oar.org.nz and made thanks to the support of NZ on Air.
5 Oct 2026
3 - Keeping Fijian language alive
Bula and welcome. It's Fiji Language Week, and host Namrata Chand is joined by Paula, a member of Dunedin's Fiji community, who shares his journey from Nausori, Fiji to Dunedin a decade ago. Paula talks about his Fijian roots, the dialects of Fiji's 14 provinces, and why this year's theme, language starts from home, matters when many Fijian kids now speak English at home. He shares some of the events happening around Fijian language week and some of the Fijian words worth remembering, such as "wananavu", meaning awesome. This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - oar.org.nz and made thanks to the support of NZ on Air.
5 Oct 2026
4 - Vakaviti: Language Beyond Words
Celebrating Fiji Language Week, host Namrata Chand is joined by Dr Jekope Maiono, who hails from Cikobia in Fiji. Jekope shares stories of growing up in Fiji, playing rugby, and what it's like to coach the sport here in Ōtepoti. He talks about the different dialects across Fiji and how a single phrase can be said differently from province to province. He also reflects on passing language and identity on to his kids, and the power of unspoken communication, from eye contact across a room to conversations that never name their subject. This talanoa wouldn't be complete without Fiji's national sport, so the pair also dig into how barefoot village touch rugby shapes Fiji's world-class players. This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - oar.org.nz and made thanks to the support of NZ on Air.
5 Oct 2026
Trailer - Fijian Language Week Podcasts
Bula! We’re the Fijian community here in Ōtepoti Dunedin, and we’re proud to celebrate Fijian Language Week with OAR FM Dunedin.
This year’s theme is:
“Na noqu vosa me tekivu mai vale ka me'u na vosataka e na veisiga.”
“My language starts at home and I need to speak it every day.” This week is an opportunity to celebrate the Fijian language, culture and traditions, and to recognise the importance of keeping our language alive by speaking it and passing it on to future generations.
Bula vinaka, and happy Fijian Language Week from Otago Access Radio!
This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - oar.org.nz and made thanks to the support of NZ on Air.
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