AUCKLAND (Pacific Scoop /Pacific Media Watch): On the 50th anniversary of Samoan Independence, celebrations have begun in Auckland and are set to last well into next week.
A flag-raising was held at the Auckland War Memorial Museum and at Unitec's Mt Albert campus Samoa Fale today, and there is a full programme of events at the Albany campus of Massey University.
New Zealand’s Governor-General, Sir Jerry Mateparae, is in Samoa’s capital Apia to attend the formal celebrations there, along with the Samoan Consul-General to Auckland, Faolotoi Reupena Pogi.
Minister Obed Unasa of the St Stephen’s Presbyterian Church in Ponsonby says it’s likely to be more grand-scale in Samoa.
“In Auckland, it will be nothing compared to islands where the main attraction is,” he says. “But the community here is getting behind events and the museum running a host of events. It will be a pretty full-on weekend.”
Governor-General in Samoa Official events in Samoa began on Wednesday, with the Head of State, Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi and Masiofo Filifilia leading other delegates, including Sir Jerry Mateparae at a service.
The Samoa Observer reported other guests from abroad, including the King of Tonga, King Tupou VI, and the Governor of American Samoa, Togiola Tulafono.
The newspaper reported that the paramount orator of the district, Alapia, who is a former Samoan Consul-General in Auckland, gave the welcome speech and highlighted the Samoan struggle for independence.
Sir Jerry had earlier formally visited the Head of State at his official residence at Vailele.
Church service for all
In Auckland, Unasa is holding a thanksgiving service at his Ponsonby Church on Sunday night for all the Samoan community and says it’s fitting to hold the service there.
“One of the reasons behind the idea was to bring it back into the Ponsonby area and to the older pioneer people in the area,” he says.
“There are still a lot of families there, in Herne Bay, Freemans Bay. They have been there for 40-odd years and this is an opportunity to bring back to where it all started.”
A representative of the Samoan government will be in attendance at the service, which is an ecumenical service for all.
Unasa says they will have plenty of speeches and performances as well.
“We have a Methodist minister, A’oso, whose story is amazing. He arrived in the early 1950s, and established the first Methodist Samoan church here.
"He will be speaking and will deliver the main message of service,” he says. “We also have a leading orator of the Samoan community, who will deliver a formal oratory.
“And we’re fortunate to have the grandson of the composer of the national anthem with us as well.”
Iosefa Kuresa, grandson of writer Sauni Iiga Kuresa, will be performing an item at the service.
The service will be at 5pm on Sunday at St Stephen’s Presbyterian Church, 65 Jervois Road, Ponsonby.
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Alex Perrottet
