Now in its eighth year, the Whau Pasifika Festival has become a must-do event on the calendar for Pasifika communities across The West.
This year’s festival was an eight-day celebration of community spirit and cultural pride. And it showcased the arts, traditions and dance performances of the Pacific Islands.
This year, the festival had a very special theme, as Director Ina Patisolo explains: ‘With the approval of the late Fa’anānā Efeso Collins’ wife Vasa Fia Collins, we used Efeso’s definition of this well-known Samoan proverb “E lē tū fa’amauga se tagata”, which means, “No one stands alone, no one succeeds alone, and no one suffers alone.”
Held during the July school holidays, the free festival is open to everyone and was a huge success. ‘We held eight events in seven venues across Avondale, New Lynn and Blockhouse Bay,’ declares Ina. She adds that 389 artists and performers and around 4000 attended the diverse programme of events.
Highlights of this year’s festival included firm favourites like the PolyWorkshops, which ran over six hours and featured 20 different workshops on a wide range of topics. Weaving, poi making, circus antics and even hair braiding for dads were some of the options.
The PolyFilms Marathon is another crowd-pleaser, and this year, it was curated by the Pacific Islands Screen Artists. Audiences enjoyed five feature films and five short movies in the ultimate 12-hour binge-viewing.
However, the showstopping event at this year’s festival was the 70-piece community choir and orchestra initiative Play Along, Sing Along. Budding musicians and singers were welcome to join in with the Auckland Gospel Choir, Avondale College Orchestra and Sistema Aotearoa in a first of its kind for the festival and The West.
The celebrations ended with a bang at the Poly X Night Market and Fiafia at New Lynn Community Centre. Pasifika culture was on full display with dance, singing, food, and much more for an authentic taste of the Pacific right here in The West .
This fantastic community event is made possible by the support of a wide range of funders, including the Your West Support Fund. Whau Pasifika Trust received $20,000 from the fund, which made a vital contribution to the festival’s running costs.
Planning for next year’s festival is already well underway. And it promises to be bigger and brighter than ever. Check out the website for more information, and follow the festival on Facebook for the latest updates.
