Tamaiti Satalo is a new children’s show in Gagana Sāmoa, adapted from the popular Tākaro Tribe series. Launching on Samoan Language Week, it offers a cultural and educational resource for Aotearoa’s growing Samoan community.

Producer Aumua Crystal Vaega says unlike te reo Māori, Gagana Sāmoa content remains limited.

“Having this kind of content helps not just kids, but people who have been yearning to learn the language.”

Reflecting on her own upbringing, Vaega says her father insisted Gagana Sāmoa be spoken in their home - a decision that helped her stay connected to her identity.

“I grew up not quite fitting in because I didn’t quite look like the other Samoan kids, so I always knew that I had my Samoan language to come back to,” she says.

“There is a proverb in Samoan — ‘a leai se gagana, ua leai se aganu’u’ — which means without language, there is no culture. It’s what differentiates all the islands, including Aotearoa.”

Te taupori o te iwi Hāmoa i Aotearoa

The Samoan population in Aotearoa has surpassed 200,000 people - now larger than the population in Samoa itself - with more than 60% believed to reside in Tāmaki Makaurau.

“For us in the diaspora, we know who we are, but we’re reaching for opportunities to learn more about ourselves and where we come from,” she says.

“But we’re also trying to balance that with living where we are.”

Tamaiti Satalo follows the successful Tākaro Tribe format, with cultural adaptations. For example, the characters have been changed from patupaiarehe to children to align with Samoan beliefs.

“All the things we use to engage our people culturally—song, dance, environmental care - they translate across the Pacific Islands.”

He whakarauora i te reo me te ahurea o Hāmoa

The project is a collaboration between Pacific Media Network and Māori production company Cinco Cine, led by Nicole Hoey and supported by Ghost House Productions.

The show features an all-Samoan voice cast, including well-known names such as The Western Guide, Dejealous Palota-Kopa, Lesā Lani Alo, Lauie Tofa and singer Nyssa Collins.

“I hope that people see all the great things in Tamaiti Satalo, so we can show funders that there’s a real audience and massive demand for content in Pacific languages,” she says.

“If we band together and support each other in these kinds of kaupapa, we can create more opportunities.”

Tamaiti Satalo launches on PMN on June 5, with Tongan and Cook Islands versions planned for release in the coming months.