Shiray Kaka in her traditional Samoan attire performing a Siva Samoa. Photo: Shiray Kaka
Former Black Ferns sevens player Shiray Kaka says one of the reasons she is learning Samoan to pass on her heritage to her baby boy, who is due in August.
Kaka first played for New Zealand's sevens team in 2013, and has an Olympic gold medal from the Tokyo Games. Her mother is Māori from Ngāti Maniapoto and her father is Samoan from the village of Moata'a.
"Just growing up, my mum and dad were quite young when they had us, so they left their families quite early, so we didn't really have a chance to learn either Samoan or Māori, or be around our Samoan Māori family," she said.
"So now that I'm pregnant, there's just this overwhelming feeling of learning Samoan and being able to gift the knowledge of our people to our son."
Shiray Kaka and her Dog, whom she holds dearest to her heart. Photo: Shiray Kaka
Kaka has been to Samoa once, and wants to go back, but she places a lot of importance on keeping language and culture alive for the next generation.
"I don't know how to say it, but for me, it's one of the most important things in my life right now, especially seeing or just understanding how lost I felt without the language and without the culture," she said.
"It's not just about going out and speaking every day. It's kind of just living out your culture as well.
"My beautiful grandma... she's probably been my connection to Samoa since I was born just because of who she is as a person," Kaka said.
"Everyone in her community knows her as the Samoan auntie."
She said her grandmother is another motivation for her.
"Before she gets too old as well, I want her to be proud of her Samoan granddaughter."
She said she took her husband, Gillies - also a New Zealand sevens rep - over to Samoa in 2018.
Shiray Kaka of New Zealand runs the ball during the HSBC Sydney Sevens women's pool A rugby match between New Zealand and Japan at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, Saturday, January 28, 2023. (AAP Image/Steven Markham/ www.photosport.nz Photo: AAP / www.photosport.nz
"It wasn't until I took my husband, Gillies, over to Samoa and I saw the plant plantation where my grandma used to get veggies and stuff from. I went to their homestead when my poppa used to live, and saw areas that they built, and just where they grew up, where my grandma grew up, and once I saw that, I felt such a connection to the place.
"I guess seeing that made me want to do more for my people but in order to do more, I needed to do more work myself, first of all, to then give to other people."
She said she wants to learn more about the tikanga of her culture. The Samoan word akin to that is aganuu. "So that I can then pass down, feel more connected and start teaching once I feel more comfortable."
She attends lessons every Friday, which are tailored to her.
"So at the moment, I'm learning about how to speak to [my] son in Samoan and how to ask him if he's hungry, or how to tell Gillies to walk the dogs.
"One session a week on Friday, and then just daily prayers and stuff that I can learn each week."
Kaka played netball and touch before getting into rugby in high school.
"Honestly, I do not know anything about rugby...my whole family loves league."
She said she also has a desire of playing for Samoa one day.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
"Obviously I love playing for New Zealand, but there's a sense of wanting to go and play for Samoa too. And there's people who have done it, like Niall Williams, she's played for New Zealand Rugby and then gone and played for Samoan League."
She said she thanked her Samoan side for the grunt to be able to tackle and run over people.
Her advice for others also on a language journey is that consistency is the key.
"I've just fully embraced that I'm Samoan, and I will rep it. And if anyone asked me, I tell them 100% I'm Samoan.
"If they call me plastic or anything like that, I will fight back at them, and they know it's 100% who I am.
"Because if I ever doubt myself of not being Samoan enough, and keep diving into that and keep feeling it, then, everyone else has won, and my people and I are at a loss."
