Pacific culture put on stage

New attraction will bombard tourists with all things Pasifika.

Fire warriors, drummers, hula girls and a Polynesian buffet feast. Tourists flying into Auckland could be experiencing all things Pasifika even before getting their Maori fix in Rotorua.

Auckland's newest attraction, Aotea o Polynesia, a Pasifika version of the Maori hangi show, will be opened to visitors from January.

Director Cez Tan said the Luau will give tourists an introduction to Pacific culture, crafts, arts and the food.

"Auckland is home to the largest Pacific populations in the world, but yet there's little opportunity for anyone to experience its culture and food," Tan said.

"We're bringing out and celebrating everything that is Polynesian that is New Zealand."

Aotea o Polynesia will be performed at the Victory Convention Centre near Victoria Park, where dinner and shows will be held every fortnight or by booking.

Guests will be presented leis and greeted by Polynesian drummers and two fire warriors.

Pre-show activities include craft, tapa making and weaving demonstrations, and a welcome "otai" - watermelon drink.

The show Tagaloa o Polynesia is based on a combination of myths and legends from the Pacific Islands and is presented through dances from Samoa, Cook Islands, Tahiti, Tokelau, Tonga, Fiji and Niue.

Co-director Amo Teriko said it was one of many "untold stories" about how Polynesia was discovered by different demigods.

"Guests will get bombarded with everything Polynesia from the time they walk in the door," Teriko said.

"For the show, we have combined the legends to present a story that is unique to Polynesians in Aotearoa."

The buffet spread will include a whole pig on a spit, palusami (pork and prawn in coconut cream and taro leaves), sapasui noodles and fish-mango ceviche.

AUT University Professor of Diversity Edwina Pio said it was appropriate and timely for this to be launched in Auckland, and believed it would be a drawcard for tourists.

"But this is an opportunity for more than commercial value," Pio said.

"Polynesians and Maori have shared cultures, genealogies, trade, traditions and histories through the eons,' she said. This interpretation avoids "a colonial gaze" and instead explores "the spiritual realms of the myths and legends passed down through the ages - something our tired and fragile world desperately needs". A preview was held for the tourism industry last week. Christie Tu, inbound manager for A China Travel, believed the $135 price tag will make it hard to sell.

"Tourists will no doubt be comparing it with the Maori shows in Rotorua, which offer a total village experience for a lower price.

"Also, I think New Zealand is more famous for its Maori culture than Pasifika."