Stage now set for Pasifika in the Bay
Hopes that this year’s celebration will be biggest yet
Atrio of Te Puke schools have pooled their efforts to bring the Bay’s biggest Pasifika festival to the town. After the pandemic-enforced cancellations of the past two years, Pasifika in the Bay will take place in Te Puke, at Jubilee Park, on Saturday.
Pasifika in the Bay Trust vice chairman Mike Douglas says the festival is a vibrant celebration of the unique cultures of the Pacific Islands through dance and food with a focus on the younger generation.
This year there will be more than 30 performance groups for what will be the festival’s first Saturday staging.
“Cultural performance groups from schools around the Bay will be practising hard ahead of the big day that will see groups take the outdoor stage in vibrant traditional costumes, representing nations from all over the Pacific including Tonga, Samoa, Niue, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Fiji and more.
“Alongside performances will be market-style stalls packed with authentic foods from the islands to tempt the taste buds,” Mike says.
Previous years’ crowds have reached the thousands and organisers believe that moving the festival to a Saturday will result in this year being bigger than ever. Support from Creative New Zealand has also contributed to the festival’s ability to grow.
Pasifika in the Bay began in 2016 when a small group of Pasifika teachers in the Bay of Plenty connected with the vision to raise
Pasifika achievement within the school system by giving students a platform to showcase their culture.
“The chance for these students to stand on the big stage and represent their heritage in front of teachers, peers, family and the wider community is hugely valuable,” says Mike, who has been involved since the start.
Te Puke Primary, Intermediate and High School, led by the trust, are all involved with hosting the event.
“This is a great way for the Pasifika students and families to strengthen relationships with the schools and their wider community. The committee behind the festival has grown over the years, along with the size of the event but the vision behind it to promote Pasifika culture within the Bay, remains the same.”
The trust is a group of passionate Pasifika educators dedicated to raising the Pasifika profile in the Bay and to promote the Pasifika culture within early childhood education and school communities.