Puran Singh, president of the Sikh community in Tauranga, has been coming to the Tauranga Multicultural Festival for about 12 years. Photo / Andrew Warner
Puran Singh, president of the Sikh community in Tauranga, has been coming to the Tauranga Multicultural Festival for about 12 years. Photo / Andrew Warner
Hundreds of people braved the rain and headed along to the 20th Tauranga Multicultural Festival at the Historic Village on Saturday.
The annual festival, hosted by Multicultural Tauranga, was meant to be held the Saturday before, but was postponed after the Christchurch terror attacks on the advice of the police and the city council.
The mass shooting tragedy, which took the lives of 50 people at two mosques, was still fresh on the minds of many at the event, which put on an uplifting display of diversity and inclusivity.
Crowds gathered around the stage, and sheltered under gazebos and trees, to watch an array of colourful music and dance performances, while food from countries around the world kept everyone fed and happy.
There was also a range of arts and crafts to observe and try.
Lin Ma from the New Zealand China Friendship Society was teaching and sharing traditional Chinese calligraphy, with help from visiting artist ChangXiaoMa.
"I think after the Christchurch shootings people are still very strong and we can face the problem," Lin Ma said.
Lin Ma from the New Zealand China Friendship Society was teaching and sharing traditional Chinese calligraphy on Saturday. Photo / Andrew Warner
Puran Singh, president of the Sikh community in Tauranga, said he had been coming to the Multicultural Festival for about 12 years.
He said it was a great event once again and his stall selling curries was very busy, despite the wet weather.
Singh said there were a lot of different countries and cultures being represented and celebrated at the festival.
"Main thing is we are New Zealanders."
Magdalena James from the local Polish community said she and her family had been coming every year since 2013.
"It was a sad, tough week but I think life has to go on and it's nice to see that we can unite and celebrate all the differences, the different cultures and clothing and traditions, dances," she said.
"That's awesome."
Ann Kerewaro, president of Multicultural Tauranga, thanked the local community for coming along as well as all the people who were participating and performing.
She said most of the performers who were booked for last week came back this week.
Kerewaro was pleased with the turnout and said the day was a celebration of diversity, a safe space for everyone.
