(Picture caption: Prime Minister Rt Hon Christopher Luxon and Minister for Pacific Peoples Hon Dr Shane Reti out and about chatting with the crowds at Auckland Pasifika Festival.)
Western Springs Park was transported into a Pacific hub of cultures, languages and identities over the weekend, setting the stage for the iconic Auckland Pasifika Festival.
Crowds of people attended the annual festival, which celebrates the Pacific peoples of Tāmaki Makaurau and beyond.
Festival goers enjoyed an array of arts, crafts, food, fashion and sports with more than 1000 performers showcasing their talent, including award winning Parris Goebel’s legendary international dance troupe, The Royal Family, and the formidable roots band Unity Pacific featuring Tigi Ness and Che Fu, alongside a photo display of icons Bob Marley and Hone Tuwhare.
Featuring villages from Aotearoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Hawaii, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau, and Tonga, 11 Pacific Island nations came together to celebrate the free, family-friendly event.
Minister for Pacific Peoples Hon Dr Shane Reti spoke at the event, acknowledging Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei for the powhiri, distinguished guests and Pasifika organisers, who put on the beloved signature event in Auckland, every year.
The Minister says he was delighted to attend Pasifika, which embraces Pacific communities who live throughout the region.
He adds he saw the event as a fantastic opportunity to connect directly with some of New Zealand’s growing Pacific population, who were linking their heritage and culture to life here in New Zealand.
New Zealand boasts approximately 400,000 Pacific peoples, or just over eight percent of New Zealand’s population, according to Stats NZ.
The Pacific population is youthful and fast growing, estimated to almost double in the next decade, and are likely to play a vital part of the future of Auckland, the largest Polynesian city in the world.
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Major Events Group Manager Jep Savali says Auckland Pasifika Festival offers a chance for locals and visitors from home and afar to celebrate the region’s vibrant Pacific community.