The Whau Pasifika Festival returns this year with a week-long celebration of Pacific Island culture, creativity, and community.
The festival will take place from Saturday 1 July to Friday 7 July, 2023, featuring a diverse range of events and activities across Avondale and New Lynn.
"This Festival has been a treasure that epitomises the purpose of Whau Pasifika, to gather and amplify the voices of pacific peoples in the Whau," says Whau Pasifika director Ina Patisolo.
“We've gathered local Pasifika artisans, workshop presenters and performers to share their crafts, skills and talents. It's also been a privilege to unearth hidden stories as part of our PolyFilms Marathon, so I hope everyone finds their ‘thing’ at our 2023 Whau Pasifika Festival.
“We’d love to thank our sponsors including Auckland Council, Whau Local Board, Lottery Grant, and Arts Whau, among others. It’s their support that makes our festival possible,” says Patisolo.
Whau Local Board Chair Kay Thomas says the festival is one of the highlights of the year for the board.
“The Whau Pasifika Festival is a testament to the vibrant and diverse Pacific Island cultures that enrich our community. We’re very pleased to support our local groups who know our locals best,” she says.
The festival kicks off with Faitau Tusi Ma Pusi, a children's book reading session featuring Pacific stories by Samoan artist Pusi Vaele Urale at Moana Fresh. Despite her fading eyesight, Urale continues to paint every day, drawing on her memories of Samoa and her experience of making traditional tapa as a young girl.
On 3 and 4 July, the festival will host Poly Workshops at the Avondale Community Centre and New Lynn Community Centre, respectively. These all-day, family-friendly workshops will feature Pasifika-inspired activities, including weaving, dance with ura tabu, siva afi (fire dancing), and traditional food preparation.
The Whau Schools Debate will take place on 5 July at Kelston Boys High School Library, where students from Kelston Boys High School, Green Bay High and Avondale College will raise their voices to debate issues pertinent to Pasifika families. During the final round downtime, the judging panel and local government elected members Cr. Kerrin Leoni, Cr. Josephine Bartley and Dr. Will Flavell, will share what’s happening in their areas of Tāmaki Makaurau. This inaugural event is co-hosted by The Malosi Project and Kelston Boys High School.
Film enthusiasts will enjoy the 12-hour PolyFilms Marathon on 6 July at The Hollywood Cinema. This event will showcase Pasifika short and feature-length films, championing local Pasifika filmmakers, artists, and communities. From 6.30pm local filmmakers hold a panel discussion on their journeys in the film industry.
The festival will conclude on 7 July with the PolyX Night Markets & Fiafia Night at the New Lynn Community Centre. This event will feature local food vendors, weavers, and makers, along with performances of dance and song. Additionally, the festival's first-ever fashion show will be hosted, showcasing 11 fabulous models on the day as well.
For more information about the Whau Pasifika Festival, visit whaupasifika.nz/whau-pasifika-festival
About Whau Pasifika
Whau Pasifika is a community organisation dedicated to celebrating Pacific Island people and culture in the Whau area of Tāmaki Makaurau, and throughout New Zealand.
Through events like the Whau Pasifika Festival, Whau Pasifika aims to foster community, creativity, and cultural understanding.
