Experience Pasifika Festival 2008

From City Scene, published on 3 March, 2008

Pacific flavour: The Pasifika Festival is one of the South Pacific's largest community events, with more than 200,000 people expected to attend this year's festival day on Saturday, 8 March to celebrate Auckland's diverse Pacific cultures. Shown above are performers from last year's festival.

Have you tried tahiki? Do you know how traditional Samoan tattooing is done? Have you seen King Kapisi's new group or Herbs Unplugged perform? The council's 16th annual Pasifika Festival is the place to experience the diverse Pacific cultures that are part of our city and get your annual fix of fresh coconuts, Cook Islands' drumming, tapa and more - and all for free.

This year's Pasifika Festival will provide an unforgettable chance to immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the Pacific cultures that help make Auckland the first city of the Pacific.

More than 200,000 people are expected to visit this year's festival, which features a free opening night concert on Friday, 7 March, from 7pm to 9pm, followed by the festival day on Saturday, 8 March at Western Springs Park.

The Accident Compensation Corporation opening night free concert has been a highlight of the festival since 2001, and this year's line-up of performers includes Herbs Unplugged, Teuila Blakely, Sunga, as well as groups from each of the 10 villages present on festival day. All acts will be incorporating this year's theme of the eel in their performances.

Cultural villages representing 10 Pacific nations will be spread throughout the park on festival day, giving each culture the opportunity to share their unique cultural practices.

Each village will present traditional music and performances, arts, crafts, cooking and ceremonies - and offer the chance to try flax weaving, lei (flower necklace) and 'ei (wreath of flowers) making , traditional cooking, games and more.

Food stalls will selling specialised dishes and delicacies and the two main stages will provide a fantastic line up of top Pacific talent.

This year's festival also includes a families' area, international contemporary Pacific artists and traditional Samoan tattooists at the Samoa Village.

Auckland City Council is proud to have provided this event since 1993.

Celebrate Pasifika

Pasifika Festival is the highlight of Celebrate Pasifika - a month-long regional programme of arts and events that reflects the unique talents of Pacific cultures in Auckland from Saturday, 1 to Saturday, 29 March.

Supported by Auckland and Waitakere city councils, this year's programme includes theatrical performances, dance workshops, art exhibitions, films and the Pacific Trade Expo. Launched in 2005, Celebrate Pasifika supports the council-provided Pasifika Festival.

Visit www.celebratepasifika.com and check City Scene over the coming weeks for more details of Celebrate Pasifika events.

Pasifika's eel

Pasifika's eel. For the first time, this year's Pasifika Festival has a theme - the eel. The eel was chosen to acknowledge the connection to the festival's venue, Western Springs: Te Wai Orea - lake of eels. Many performances, village activities and traditional foods will incorporate the eel element to represent what the theme means in their culture.