Doctor Tarisi Vunidilo, Author, Archaeologist and Assistant Professor at California State University in Los Angeles, brings to Fiji two exciting projects for the children of Fiji - a children’s book titled Fiji: People, Culture and Identity and a creative digital animation Na Vo Mai Namosi.
Doctor Vunidilo says both of these projects are bi-lingual, written in English and in the iTaukei language.
She says the book Fiji,People, Culture and Identity is part of the Moana Oceania Series by Oratia Books encouraging diverse and new voices for young learners across the Pacific.
Dr Vunidilo says their support for minority languages in Aotearoa have now benefitted host nations like Fiji.
Peter Dowling, Publisher of Oratia Books in Auckland says that Oratia’s focus has been multi-cultural and encouraging of diverse and new voices.
The digital animation ‘Na Vo Mai Namosi’ was inspired by Dr Vunidilo’s love for stories while spending time at her farm in Gasaudrau, Namosi Province.
When Pacific Kids Learning approached her to write a story to be animated, she shared this story in the hope of reminding the children of Namosi never to forget the names of their river creatures, and to promote conservation and their rich bio-diversity.
Theresa Tupuola-Sorenson, co-founder of Pacific Kids Learning says that the PKL team were so proud to showcase the Mudfish of Namosi.
When it was released in New Zealand, it received amazing feedback from the Pacific community. PKL is happy to share the 2D version of animation to teachers and families in Fiji and is available via the Pacific Digital Library.
‘Na Vo mai Namosi’ is the only digital animation that can be watched with a Virtual Reality experience.
Dr Vunidilo says there are many more stories to be written, recorded and animated in Fiji and she is encouraging young writers, and older ones too to start writing their stories for both hard copy versions and digital ones too.
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