The four-day festival begins tomorrow, Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Supplied Content (Edited)
Auckland, March 22, 2022
The world’s largest Māori & Pacific Island Festival, the ASB Polyfest gets underway tomorrow (March 23, 2022) at the Manukau Sports Bowl in a different format.
The current Covid-19 setting means that the crowds and stalls will not be present this year, but the large stages will be, with hundreds of Auckland students gracing them throughout the week-long Festival.
The ASB Polyfest Festival 2022 starts at 10.45 am with an array of performances on the Unitec Diversity Stage from groups such as Fijian, Indian, Kiribati, Tahitian, Tibetan and Tuvaluan.
Students will perform traditional speech, song and dance on these stages in front of ASB Polyfest judges only this year, with family and friends able to watch these performances live online via the Livestream coverage supported by ASB.
Overwhelming support
ASB Polyfest Event Director Seiuli Terri Leo Mau’u said that despite the challenges, the Festival has had overwhelming support from students, schools and parents.
“There will be no live audience, no sponsor activations or stalls at the venue. Students will come in by bus, perform in front of the judges, and hop back on their buses straight after they perform. While it will be different without the crowds, it’s about providing a safe place for our kids to perform this year,” she said.
Ms Leo Mau’u said that the Festival allows students to celebrate and express who they are through their language and culture.
“This is important for their sense of wellbeing, especially after the past two years of lockdowns and interruptions due to the pandemic,” she said.
Over the next four days, 68 performing groups from 28 schools will compete in speech, song and dance on the following stages – Cook Islands, Māori, Niue, Samoan, Tongan, and a Diversity stage. These performances will be live-streamed free of charge to audiences at home via links on the ASB Polyfest website.
Cultural excellence
ASB Head of Community, Sponsorship and Events Mark Graham described the Festival as a ‘highlight on the ASB calendar.’
“We are delighted that this year’s event is able to go ahead safely. We are proud to support the Livestream coverage enabling friends, family and the public to celebrate ASB Polyfest at home and to cheer on the performers from wherever they are in the world. This year, we have introduced the ASB Shout-Out website for people to leave messages of support for the performers to help them feel the love and support of their whānau, friends and school alumni watching from home.”
The Programme
Key Details: Dates: 23-26 March 2022: Manukau Sports Bowl, Te Irirangi Drive, Manukau Website and free Livestream access: www.asbpolyfest.co.nz
Wednesday 23rd March 2022: 10. 45 am 1. 30pm; Unitec Diversity Stage performances (Indian, Fijian, Sri Lankan, Filipino etc)
Thursday 24th March 2022: 9.45 am to 5. 45 pm Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi Maori Stage Kapa Haka (Division 2 & 3): 9.45 am to 2.35 pm; Unitec Diversity Stage performances (Indian, Fijian, Sri Lankan, Filipino etc); 9.30 am to 3.30 pm; University of Auckland Samoan Stage performances – speeches.
Friday 25th March: 8.25 am to 2.55 pm Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi Maori Stage Kapa Haka (Division 1): 9.30 am to 12-noon: University of Auckland Samoan Stage performances; 9 am PMN Tongan Stage: Speeches
Saturday 26th March: 9 am to 3 pm: PMN Cook Island Stage (speeches from 9. 30 am: Performances from 12. 30 pm); 9 am to 2 pm PMN Tongan Stage: Performances: 9 am to 12.30 pm: MIT Niue Stage (Speeches and Performances)
