Taste of Pasifika offers revamped celebration
Auckland’s revamped Pasifika Festival has been revealed, with a programme highlighting the tastes, sounds and beats of all things Pacific.
The festival was cancelled in March because of the ongoing Covid19 pandemic so the Taste of Pasifika
2022 was born, a revamped version of the beloved festival that has been a staple on Auckland’s event calendar for 30 years.
This year’s event — run by Auckland Unlimited — will start on Friday June 3 and will run until Sunday June
19, with events and programmes at some of Auckland’s top venues.
The first part of the festival will kick off at The Cloud, Queens Wharf, over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend and will include performances across two stages by Pacific cultural dance groups.
Just like the traditional Pasifika at Western Springs, visitors will be able to taste various Pacific Island foods and delicacies at food stalls.
Handicraft stalls will also be on site, offering traditional treasures.
That first weekend will also show off some of New Zealand’s top Pacific musical talent under the guidance of director and musician Vince Harder.
The public will also be treated to performances from the winners of the Auckland Secondary Schools’ ASB PolyFest — which was held this year but, because of Covid, the public could not attend.
Schools set to rock the stage include Mt Albert Grammar School, Manurewa High School and Avondale College.
On the weekend of June 11, the festival will head to South Auckland to the Vodafone Events Centre, where former boxer turned coach Dave “The Brown Buttabean” Letele will run an Xtreme Hip-Hop event.
It will include a Polynesian take on Zumba, strongman and strongwoman competitions and an event for children dubbed Poly Movement.
On June 12 and 19, the festival will be at Lilyworld at Mt Smart Stadium for Sunday soul sessions.
Well-known Pasifika artists including Ardijah, Brotherhood Musiq and the youth singing group Ministry of Tone will take to the stage.
On June 18, Taste of Pasifika makes its way to the Auckland Zoo; where the mind and body will be the focus in what has been described as a one-ofa-kind Poly movement for all.
Dance classes will offer tuition in siva (dance) Samoan and the Hawaiian hula.
Auckland Unlimited director of arts, entertainment and events Richard Clarke said that after the original event had to be canned because of Covid-19, organisers still wanted to put something on that paid tribute to Pasifika.
“The desire from the Pacific community for the event to proceed in some form was strong and has been a keen driver in [running] the muchloved festival in a safe and generous embrace of culture and celebration.”