While every migrant community strives and endeavours to remain connected with their cultural roots and keep their traditions alive, the success of our fellow Fiji-Indian community in this endeavour is legendary.
The manner in which this community has managed to preserve its cultural ethos and language skills by passing on skills and knowledge to the next generation is a source of inspiration for everyone in the broader Indian diasporic community all around the world.
Waitakere Hindi Language and Cultural School is one such iconic school in West Auckland, which has been quietly working to teach Hindi language and Hindu cultural traditions to young children in the community.
The School is registered as a non-profitable charity and stared in 2001 with only a few children.
The teachers of Waitakere Hindi School (Picture: The Indian Weekender)
The Indian Weekender team visited the school on Sunday, March 11, and spoke with President Saten Sharma and other staff members, to know more about how school worked and had grown over the period.
“When you see globally among all people who emigrated from India during the British rule Fiji-Indians have great success in preserving their language heritage and maintaining their cultural identity.
“We here at this school are trying to replicate the endeavours made by our forefathers in Fiji,” Mr Sharma told The Indian Weekender.
Structure of the school
The major point of difference for this school, unlike any other native language or cultural training centre, is its formal structure, with classes at different levels from level 1-6, with a group of dedicated teachers and a curriculum of Hindi language.
The school rents premises and facilities of St Dominic College in West Auckland.
“We believe when students come in a structured school environment then there is better learning environment in comparison to a community hall or temple,” Mr Sharma said.
Waitakere Hindi Language and Cultural School President Saten Sharma (Picture: Facebook)
This is a non-profit organisation which survives on the voluntary contribution by parents who join the organisation and play a key role in management and day to day functioning of the school.
“We all donate our time to this school with one simple objective of promoting the Hindi Language.
“Earlier we use to get some books from Fiji and India for Hindi language education.
“However we realised that these children are Kiwi-Indians first, so any education or training will not succeed without relating to the local New Zealand context.
“Therefore about five-six years ago we formalised the structure by making a proper curriculum for the Hindi language for classes from year 1 to year 6.
“Pundit Anil Sharma a school teacher back in Fiji was the curator of our curriculum, and we are greatly thankful to him.
“Our teachers had then reviewed the curriculum. I can proudly say that all those teachers are still with us since that time,” Mr Sharma said.
The course is designed for 40 weeks with a set learning outcome for each week.
Students get an activity book where they keep track of all learning outcomes
Teachers also get a guidebook to align learning objectives in a manner to deliver desirable outcomes.
The entry age for children is five years old, and about a couple of years ago, we had a 63-year-old student as well.
In between, we often get some Kiwi-students for learning the Hindi language.
The school is run every Sunday starting at 9 a.m. with classes on dance and tabla, followed by Hindi language classes from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
From 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., there are harmonium and dance classes.
(Picture: The Indian Weekender)
The school is run in an open interactive community environment where parents, teachers, board members all share similar sentiments towards promotion of Hindi language and our culture.
The staff works collectively in an interactive environment to achieve desired learning outcomes for children.
Language is our identity
Explaining the rationale and the drive behind this passionate endeavour, Mr Sharma said, “Our language is our identity. We are Indians, and the Hindi language will remain with us throughout our lives.”
Call for action to expand in Auckland
“Today we had our annual general meeting where we discussed the idea of spreading our wings and take our school to South Auckland and North Shore.
“So we would like to appeal through The Indian Weekender platform if any likeminded individual or organisation would like to partner with us in promoting Hindi language and culture in these areas to contact us.
“We would be more than happy to work with any likeminded organisations and individuals,” Mr Sharma appealed through The Indian Weekender.