Vaiaso o le Gagana Sāmoa

Talofa lava le paia ma le mamalu ole tatou sila'aga. Oute fia faamanatu atu ole vaiaso lenei e faataua ai le Gagana Samoa.


Aua fo'i le galo ona silasila i mea ole a tutupu i vaiaso a sau...

Don't forget it's Samoan Language Week this week! Here are some events happening around the city....

Auckland Libraries have got a whole lot of different activities going on at different libraries around the city. Storytime, scavenger hunts, crafts, songs and at Mangere East Library they're having an Island Nite tonight!

There is a Samoan Choir performing at the Auckland Museum tomorrow from 11 - 12. They'll have other events this weekend and during next week too so check out the link.

If you can get a babysitter (or have older kids) Samoan film The Orator is showing at Academy Cinemas on Lorne St tonight to raise money for Oxfam Water For Survival. Great movie and really good cause.

Next week they're celebrating 50 years of Samoan Independance with an arts show at the Mangere Arts Centre. More about that next week!

And why not try teaching your kids a little Samoan? Here are some simple phrases my lovely friend (and baker extraordinaire) Lisa put together for you all...

Nofo I lalo - sit down
Tu I luga - stand up
Pati pati ou lima - clap your hands
Liliu - turn around
Alu e kilini lou potu - go and clean your room
Aua le togia le mea'ai ilou tei - stop throwing your dinner/food at your sister
Filemu - be nice/good/behave
Ioe - yes
Leai - no
Sau - come
Go - alu
Fale - house
Faleuila - toilet
Oute alofa ia te oe - I love you
O ai lou igoa? - what is your name?
O lo'u igoa o.. - my name is..
E te fia ai? - are you hungry?
Ma'ona fa'afetai - I'm full thank you
Fa'afetai - Thank you

Wairoa Maaori Film Festival

If you feel like getting away for Queen's Birthday Weekend there is a really cool and really cheap event going on at Kahungunu Marae in Wairoa, Gisborne. 


For just $120 you'll get access to a whole weekend of films, documentaries, multi media and music videos (Maori, Pasifika, indigenous and international film), workshops and speakers at the Wairoa Maaori Film Festival -  as well as all your meals and accommodation at the beautiful marae! Bargain! 


And what a cool experience. I wish I'd know about it earlier, I totally would've been keen. So, if you haven't go your weekend booked already then look into it. I'm already booking it in for next year!


And just to make the weekend even easier there is a bus going from Auckland to Gisbourne, leaving at 8am Friday. Just $50 return! 


Not sure what the deal is with kids (leave them with the grandparents and take the weekend off?) but email maorimovies@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Alice In Wonderland at Silo Park

This weekend Silo Cinema is doing a Queen's Birthday special edition and showing Alice In Wonderland (the original 1951 trippy Walt Disney classic) on Sunday at 5:30pm! 


Nice and early so you can take the kids along, get them some dinner in the market full of delicious food stalls, grab a beer for yourself from the pop up bar and then snuggle into some bean bags with complimentary hot water bottles and enjoy the show. 


The weather is supposed to be sunny but crisp as hell this weekend so I'd be tempted to bring sleeping bags, hats, mittens and maybe a flask of milo too! 

Complete with trippy caterpillar blowing smoke rings out of a hookah pipe

Silo Cinemas - The Wizard Of Oz

Have you guys seen the weather forecast? Cold but sunny, sunny, sunny all week AND weekend! 


Which means that this week's Silo Cinema has a very good chance of actually going ahead for the first time in the last few weeks. Which is great because this week they're showing The Wizard Of Oz! (In English of course, I just couldn't resist using this retro Mexican poster) 


The movie will show at 8pm in Silo Park but there will be a market, food stalls and a bar open from 5pm as well as a DJ spinning tunes to warm you up. If you haven't been down there on a Friday night it's a really cool atmosphere. Kid's racing around, families eating dinner together at the large picnic tables, delicious food, really cool stuff on sale at the markets and then everyone snuggles up on beanbags for a free movie projected onto one of the silos. 


And the crew at Silo Cinemas have just bought a bunch of hot water bottles to keep you extra toasty! How sweet is that? 


Of course I vote next week they show The Wiz, my favourite version of this movie.

Mini Bad

What?! How did I not know this existed?! 

Free Concert for Kids this weekend!

The music therapists have put together a concert which looks like it has something for everyone. This year they're doing Poi E and the Can-Can, they’ve got ukelele, choir and ensemble performances, and a special guest appearance by Te Awanui Reeder from Nesian Mystic.

Children are encouraged to bring along a percussion instrument as there’s lots of audience participation.

WHEN: Saturday, 26 May, from 2-3pm. Followed by koha afternoon tea

WHERE:  429 Queen Street near K’ Rd  (the beautiful Baptist Tabernacle)

PARKING: free parking in the Tabernacle carpark, directly behind the building

TICKETS: Free for children. Adults $20 from www.rmtc.org.nz

Paying adults can bring along as many kids as they want and all proceeds go to Raukatauri Music Therapy. 

50% Off Degas to Dali!

Street Kids - Joan Eardly c.1945

Sweet, I keep missing out on deals for this exhibition  but today I will not! Grabone are doing a deal for the amazing Degas to Dali show on at the Auckland Art Gallery - just $10 for a ticket! 
Kids are 14 are free making the whole thing a real steal. Get in there people, it's a one day only sale (but you can use the ticket anytime).


If you still need convincing (philistine) here's a link to the full list of all the amazing works in the exhibition.

Rainy Day fun

You know what all this wet, cold weather makes me feel like doing? Hanging out in the kitchen and baking delicious food! 

This little project I nabbed from the ever inspiring babysteps tumblr is super cute and is totally something Haeata could help me do. Not quite as healthy regular but fun for a special treat or take to someone's birthday party. 


Haeata loves regular liquorice so I think I'd just use the traditional black stuff - and I'm sure there must be some kind of fish shaped lollies out there! 

Free Sustainable Coastlines workshop

This Sunday the guys at Sustainable Coastlines are putting on another free workshop down at the Wynyard Quarter. This Sunday they're showing you how to make hanging planters from old plastic bottles. Each participant then gets to plant a seedling in their planter to take home! 
The workshops are held in a shipping container they did up so it'll go ahead even if the weather continues to be crappy.


There will be two workshops, one at 11am and another at 1pm but make sure you register first right here. 

Pyjama-rama Party at the library tonight!

To celebrate the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards both Takapuna Library and Whangaparoa Library are having pyjama parties tonight. 


Kids are invited to go along snuggled up in their pyjamas for a night of story telling and other fun times. At Takapuna they'll have face painting, a crazy bed hair salon, a clown and other activities. At Whangaparoa they'll have an entertainer, milo (bring a mug!) and sweet treats.


The Takapuna party is from 6 - 8pm while the Whangaparoa party is from 6:30 - 8pm.


There are lots of other events on for the rest of the month so check out this link for more. 

R.I.P Maurice Sendak

So sad to hear about Maurice Sendak passing this morning. My sister commented that it was like losing a grandparent. Anyone who grew up buried in books like me and my sisters did will probably have read his books over and over again. 

I highly recommend going out and getting the animated version of Where The Wild Things Are (first published in 1963!). The animation uses Sendak's original illustrations and is a great supplement to the book - which you should definitely own! Along with my personal favourite,  In The Night Kitchen, the truly absurd Some Swell Pup : or Are You Sure You Want a Dog? (especially good for older kids - it's a comic!) and the beautiful Outside Over There.


Meanwhile check out this great interview (in two parts) Stephen Colbert did with Maurice Sendak did earlier this year. It turned out it would be the writer's last ever interview.  Colbert, by the way, has just come out with children's book that Sendak mentored him on. Can't wait to see it!

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

Parnell Market Day

This Saturday is Market Day in Parnell so go get your mum something special. Dads - don't forget to get the woman who gave birth to your babies something special. And mamas, get yourself something too! There will be face painting and story telling for the kids, live music and you can get your second coffee free at participating cafes. Sounds like a good day to me! 

Free Kung Fu classes for kids!

Aotearoa Martial Arts are offering two free trial classes to their kid's classes (and adult's classes!) at the Rocky Nook Bowling Club in Mt Albert right now - I swear that suburb has all the best extra curriculars for kids.


Classes are Wednesday - Friday, 5:30 - 6:15. 


And now time for one of my top favourite childhood cartoons (TV was so much cooler back then)