Pasifika Festival

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History

The idea for Pasifika Festival came from the South Pacific Islands Development Association (SPINDA), a core group of Pacific Island Consuls, the Pacific Islands Chambers of Commerce, TVNZ, Telecom, a group of companies and Auckland City Council.

Former Mayor, Les Mills, initiated our involvement and the festival was first produced by Auckland City Council in 1993. It has rapidly become a highlight for Auckland, initially attended by 30,000 people, and growing to now attract over 225,000 people and hundreds of performers from all over the Auckland region and the Pacific .

In 1999, the festival introduced cultural villages. These are areas dedicated to celebrating the unique aspects of each of the Pacific Island communities involved in the festival. Each village has its own programme of both traditional and contemporary entertainment including music, dancing, workshops, demonstrations, activities and food.

In 2001 an opening night concert was added to the Pasifika Festival programme. This has grown to now be a feature of the Pasifika Festival, giving those who can't attend the festival day an opportunity to enjoy part of the festival.

In 2005, we launched a week-long series of events, exhibitions, workshops, play readings and film screenings culminating in the Pasifika Festival. This programme of events, dubbed Celebrate Pasifika, has grown to be a regional event with a vision to grow from Pasifika Festival to an internationally recognised series of events that will profile, celebrate and grow awareness of Pacific culture and arts across the Auckland region and internationally.

In 2007, Pasifika Festival received the award for Best Established Event at the New Zealand Association of Event Professional Industry awards. Pasifika Festival has also received the 'Certificate of Achievement' for the Outstanding Achievement Award in the Community Relations category at the New Zealand Event Management and Event Marketing Conference in 1994, and the 2001 Creative New Zealand Creative Places Awards, festival category.

Meaning of our logo

The design combines icons and symbols used throughout the Pacific region, Melanesia, Miconesia and Polynesia, so that all peoples involved in the Festival are represented.

The design represents the family and it's central linking through our ancestors down to our own lives. It suggests the journey of Pacific peoples from the early migrations to the present day and movement back and forth which has been ongoing for hundreds of years.

The symbols are significant to all Island groups and have been used in myths and legends of the Pacific and in tapa and pottery.

The icons

		The human figures (with linked hands) are a Samoan element, used to represent the family. The figures are a link through the design as we are linked through the design as we are linked through our families to our heritage, tradition and history.
		The sun symbol is a universal icon which represents the life giving force to all it shines on. It was a navigational aid used by Pacific peoples.
		Female and male flements. The trochus shell and the frangipani represent the male and female sides of mankind and suggest the balance and the respect of each for the other. The elements are depicted in central Polynesian siapo and lapita motifs (tapa cloth and pre-Polynesian pottery).
		The frigate bird. This represents the journey taken by the people of the Pacific to Aotearoa and acknowledges their spiritual ancestors.
		The stylised cross represents and acknowledges the spiritual beliefs and ceremonies of both traditional and modern day Pacific peoples.
		The vaka form and wave pattern carried the families and seafaring Pacific peoples to Aotearoa.

Updated September 2007