Dr Malini Yugendran
Auckland, March 20, 2023
The Pasifika Festival 2023 showcased over 200 stalls with Pacific Island food, arts, crafts, and culture. Traditional performances from Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Kiribati, and Tahiti were on display on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th March 2023 at Western Springs Park in Auckland.
The Festival Experience
The Pasifika Festival attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, and this year’s event was no exception. The festivalgoers enjoyed the sunny weather while experiencing vibrant cultural performances, traditional food, and unique crafts from the Pacific Islands.
The festival had something for everyone, from children’s performances to traditional dance performances, storytelling and games.
The festival was not only about showcasing the Pacific Islands’ culture and heritage but also about bringing people together from different backgrounds. As one spectator, Fale put it, “You know, sometimes we are painted in a bad light. I just wanted to show them that, we are happy people. It is good for everyone to come and see what we are about.”
Vendor and Performer Experiences
The festival was not just about the visitors; it was also about the vendors and performers who contributed to its success. Many vendors who had participated in previous festivals returned to the event, as they enjoyed the festival’s atmosphere and energy.
As one ice cream stall vendor put it, “It has been a very busy two days, and the best part is meeting so many people and families with big smiles.”
Another vendor, Daniel Fruean, who was selling traditional drinks, said, “the response has been great. And we are definitely coming back again next year.”
The festival also provided a platform for young performers to showcase their talent and gain confidence. Jamie Lynn, a child who performed at the Samoan village, said, “It was good. So many people were screaming and clapping. It was good.”
Naira said, “It was amazing.” Nora, who is eight years old, said she felt wonderful, “I liked the bow the best.”
Importance of Pasifika Festival
For many Pacific Islanders, the Pasifika Festival is an essential event that celebrates their cultural identity and traditions. For example, Nora Tuuta, a grandmother who has attended all the Pasifika Festivals so far, said, “This is very special because I get to see my grandchild perform our traditional dance on stage for the first time. This Pasifika Festival is important because it acknowledges our roots for every Pacific ethnic group. I pass on our traditions and heritage to my grandchild through dancing, singing, and speaking to her in our language and in this festival you see almost all aspects of it come into action. It is given me immense pleasure to see the survival of our traditions and language.” She further added, “We are able to share the beauty of culture, the richness, the depth with Auckland in an unthreatening, enjoyable, and friendly way.”
Organisers’ Perspective
According to Torise Flay, the Pasifika festival event producer for Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU), this year’s festival was a “post-Covid celebration.” She explained that retaining the village concept was crucial, and they were able to add some more islands to their program. They also added a new stage dedicated to showcasing emerging Pacific talent, which was well-received by the visitors. She added, “The Pasifika Festival is a celebration of Pacific culture and the diversity within it. It is a chance for the Pacific communities to come together, share their stories and their culture, and for the wider community to experience and learn from them. We are thrilled to have been able to deliver the festival this year. We are grateful to all our sponsors, partners, vendors, performers, and visitors who made the event a success.”
Ms Flay expressed that they are in talks about a month-long Pasifika Festival next year. Two satellite events have already been launched: the Pacifica Village Games, a multi-discipline sports tournament for Pacific communities, and the Sunday Soul Sessions, a music event featuring mainstream and Pacific artists.
Chris Simpson, head of Major Events for TAU, envisions the festival becoming an international event that showcases Pacific businesses and reinforces the city’s special brand pillars. “The ultimate goal is to make Pacifica a key anchor event for the city, with big mass participation events, trade shows, conferences, and other Pacific-themed events. The Pasifika Festival is seen as a critical event in the city’s long-term major events vision, and the ultimate goal is to make it a truly global event,” he said.
Nick Hill, Chief Executive Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, “Auckland Council’s draft budget for 2023/2024 proposes cost savings of $295 million across the council’s services and projects. Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU) has been asked to save $44.5 million. Proposed actions to achieve these savings are identified in the council’s proposed budget circulated for public consultation and have the potential to impact on our teams and activities, including the delivery of our cultural festivals in the future. We do not know what the potential impacts are at this point. Meantime, we are committed to delivering the projects and work that has been budgeted for this financial year, through to June 2023. Public consultation about Auckland Council’s proposed budget is available until 28 March and we encourage Aucklanders to make a submission and have a say at AK Have Your Say.”
Readers can find more details about the proposed budget for TAU specifically on pages 36 and 37 of the Annual Budget 2023/2024 Consultation Document. The Mayoral Letter of Expectation to Tātaki Auckland Unlimited can be viewed here.
Dr Malini Yugendran is an Indian Newslink Reporter based in Auckland.
