Te Puke World Fest set to be a huge sharing of cultures

Te Puke Intermediate School's Pasifika group Nesian Pride performing at the school's Fiafia Night.

Te Puke Intermediate School students will be embracing the theme of World Fest on Saturday by sharing their gifts.

The school's Pasifika group Nesian Pride is among the groups performing at the event - along with the school's Indian dance and kapa haka groups.

Teacher in charge of Nesian Pride, Leaia Pelesala, says all the different cultures at the event will be there with the common goals of learning from each other and experiencing other cultures.

He says the group will be performing various Pasifika cultural dances.

''World Fest provides another stage for them to showcase their pride and their culture and also teach people about Pasifika, but it's also an opportunity for our students to learn from other cultures that will be there, so we are looking forward to that experience as well,'' he says.

He says while some parents share their Pasifika culture with their children, some don't.

''For a large proportion of our group, this is their first experience of Pasifika or to experience it in a positive setting, So we've done a lot of work around building that pride in being Pasifika and showcasing that for them.''

Pride is a crucial word for Leaia, who says it has been important for the students to be given a safe place to explore who they are as Pasifika people.

''That's the reason we have named our group Nesian Pride,'' he says. ''What people see on stage is a result of all the hard mahi we have put in in terms of finding out about their identity. You are really only able to showcase something you are proud of, so they are going through that journey."

The group has around 70-80 members.

Leaia says Covid-19 restrictions have meant performance opportunities have been thin on the ground.

''We had a fiafia [celebration] night a few weeks ago and we are creating opportunities to perform in school assemblies - but this is a much bigger stage for us to showcase our pride and our culture."

World Fest is a chance to celebrate Te Puke's multi-cultural character and is being organised by the Made in Te Puke Trust.

The festival has the theme Share your Gifts with the World.

There will be international food stalls, activities and performances.

Top of the musical bill will be The Harmonic Resonators, a group that performs popular songs in te reo Māori. The festival starts at 3pm and various cultural groups will perform up to 6pm, when The Harmonic Resonators will take to the stage. Entry to the festival is free.