Pasifika Festival: A vision realised

Ole Maiava is Pasifika's festival director. Photo/ Supplied

Throughout its 17-year history Pasifika has grown enormously, but its beginnings were far more humble. Ole Maiava Pasifika's festival director takes a look back.

You've been involved in Pasifika since 1993 what's changed about the festival in those years?

Being involved in the first Auckland City Council run Pasifika Festival in 93 and then coming back fourteen years later to not only work as festival director but to see it as a permanent role within council is really heartening and a tribute to the work of all those people who have put time and effort into making it the biggest free one-day Pacific Island community event of it's kind in the world.

Since being able to strategise our way forward and get our vision into the future going, based around sustainability and growing community capability to enable the Pasifika communities to participate actively in this great event I envisage that it will be even more recognised on the world circuit. It is important that the event is delivered at that high standard and driven by Pasifika peoples working in collaboration with all the contributors.

It is good to see that people especially from the Pasifika communities are being recognised for their contributions but are also valued by getting remuneration that is on par with the so-called mainstream. We have come a long way from relying on community goodwill, even though for some, this is the Pacific way, but it is so good to be able to pay people for their contributions and also to recognise that we as a growing international festival is seen as supportive of our internationally recognised artists and that the remuneration is commensurate with that international appeal. At the same time we are developing emerging artists as well as helping to maintain traditional cultural skills.

We also would like to thank all those who have gone before us, from the original members of SPINDA whose idea the festival was, to Rosanna Raymond and Barbara Sumner, the 1993 project coordinators, through to the Pasifika Komiti members throughout the years, our ongoing sponsors and supporters and all those who have contributed to making this event so special.

When did the really big crowds start to come?

The audience has steadily grown over the past 18 years. The huge crowds started in 2003 and 2004. Since 2005 the audience numbers have stabilised somewhat.

Any special moments/memories from past Pasifi ka's you care to share?

In 1993, I brought a group of Pacific artists up from Wellington to help with the festival and landed up as MC for the fashion show and on the festival day. As payment I received a pair of Fila boots!

There was a moment in 2004, when Helen Clark was introduced to Scribe (just after he released his first album) and asked for his autograph.

Last year the completion of the New Zealand Post Tuna Pasifika Rock Sculpture, as the first collaboration of three artists, from three different cultures working on one rock. I was proud to see how the different artists worked together and incorporated their individual stories into the sculpture. It will be interesting to see the next three this year with the Kota Pasifika rock sculpture.

What do you think has been the major impact of Pasifika over its 17-year history?

The festival has become a recognised, celebrated event around the world. This is pretty amazing for a free community event. In 2005 research by Colmar Brunton 40 per cent of those surveyed identified Pasifika as the event they were most proud of as Aucklanders.

What special challenges did you face this year? I know there have been some funding problems.

Yes, we have had some funding issues this year, but these have not been unique to Pasifika Festival. What it has done is make it very apparent how much support is out there for the festival, not just from local and central government, but from communities throughout New Zealand and the Pacific.

What plans are afoot for 2010's Pasifika, will the venue change?

We are putting a proposal to Major Events New Zealand to expand Pasifika Festival. All going well, Pasifika Festival 2010 will be bigger and better. However, there will continue to be the festival day at Western Springs Park on the second calendar Saturday in March.

What if it pours down with rain on Saturday - do you cancel or postpone?

We go ahead unless weather conditions are dangerous. In this case, we cancel, as ASB Polyfest is the following weekend.