Pasifika's joy will shine in any weather, says devotee

More than 60,000 people are expected to attend Pasifika over both days. Photo / Doug Sherring

17-year volunteer fired up for two days of fun as organisers push go.

Whether there's rain, hail or shine over the weekend Western Springs Park will come to life with the sounds, smells and sights of the Pacific for the 25th annual Pasifika festival.

MetService has forecast showers and balmy temperatures for Auckland this weekend. But Pasifika's organisers say the two-day event will go ahead no matter the weather.

However, the heaviest rain should hold off until Monday, Metservice meteorologist Stephen Glassey said.

Joana Monolagi, who has volunteered at the festival for the last 17 years, told the Weekend Herald she was "praying for great weather".

But even if the heavens do open up, it shouldn't put a dampener on her day. Pasifika's vibrancy always brings her joy, Monolagi said.

"My favourite thing is to see the crowd come in with this happy spirit about them. Every person you look at is always smiling, enjoying the music and activities that are going on on the stage and the workshops as well, just enjoying the whole festival - I love seeing that. Everybody, we come together as one people, one nation."

More than 60,000 are expected to attend Pasifika over both days.

As the co-ordinator of the Fijian village Monolagi is in charge of organising the activities that will take place there and making sure everything goes smoothly on the day.

"My role is to bring Fiji onto this platform, to showcase our food, our handcrafts, our performances, our music, to the wider community and our visitors from overseas," she said.

Born in Fiji, Monolagi has lived in Auckland for 42 years and has been running the Fijian village since 2000.

"I have seen [Pasifika] grow from a few villages to what it is today."

This year, 11 villages will be scattered around the park, showcasing the colours and cultures of different Pacific nations - including Aotearoa, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Tokelau, Kiribati, Hawai'i, Tahiti, Niue and the Cook Islands.

Pasifika is a family affair, Monolagi says. Her two adult daughters, Lusia and Seta, have grown up at the festival and are now her assistants.

"They've been involved from day one, as little children they've helped me."

The Fijian village will host a choral celebration to mark the festival's 25th anniversary after the church service on Sunday morning.

Resonate, an Auckland band which shot to fame at the end of last year when a video of their mash up of songs from the Moana movie went viral on social media, will perform a mashup of "songs with good messages of love and light" at the celebration.

One of Resonate's four singers, Leah Wolfgramm, told the Weekend Herald the group felt "totally privileged and real excited" to be onstage at Pasifika.

All of the band's members - Leah, her husband Richard Wolfgramm, his siblings William and Moala, and their close friend Arona Ryan - have Pacific Island heritage.

"Being able to share part of who we are with [the audience] will be really awesome," Leah said.

"You take your culture for granted a lot - the songs we sing, the food we eat all the time - it's just kind of like 'oh it's not that special'. But then when it's on stage in front of Auckland you look at it with new eyes."

Resonate will also treat festival goers to a special rendition of their Moana mash up at a showcase at the Samoan village today from 4pm.

"We have added another song in there especially for Pasifika. The whole song is actually in Tuvaluan."

The video of their mash up may have more than 1.4m views on Facebook, but Leah said Resonate is yet to perform in front of a crowd as large as the one expected to gather at the festival this evening.

"We actually prefer performing live. There's nothing like getting that reaction, looking into that person's eyes who's listening or getting that reaction from a crowd."

Festival fun facts
• The Pasifika Festival runs from 10am to 6pm on Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday
• It's free to attend and more than 60,000 people are expected at Western Springs Park
• This year the event is celebrating it's 25th anniversary - it started in 1992
• It's one of four major cultural festivals that's put on every year as a joint initiative between the community and Auckland Council
• About 220 different groups are performing this year
• More than 200 food and craft stalls will be set up
• Traditional tattooing will also be available

How to get there/Transport options
• There's free parking at the Motat carpark off Meola Rd
• It will cost $10 to park at Western Springs College and Pasadena Intermediate
• Bullock Track Rd will be closed both days
• Bike parking will be available near Stadium Rd
• You can catch the 030, 113 to 179, 048 and 049 buses to Western Springs from the city
• All routes travelling to the city from Henderson which start with "0" and "1" also stop outside
• A free shuttle will run between Britomart and Western Springs, timetable available on AT's website

Must-sees at Pasifika

Saturday
• About midday the Hula Fashion show is on in the Hawai'i village
• From 4pm to 6pm Ara Tabu Dance Company, singing duo Adeaze, social media stars Resonate and the 50-strong Kamehameha Schools Hawaiian ensemble dance group from Maui will perform at the 25th anniversary celebration in the Samoan village

Sunday
• Between 11am and 1pm the choral service will be on at the Fijian village. Resonate and the Auckland Gospel Choir will be among perfomers
• Afternoon - Kiwi muscian Riqi Harawira is performing in Aotearoa Village