Auckland's Polyfest back this year after two years of disruption

Avondale College performing at Polyfest in 2019, the last day of the 2019 festival was cancelled due to the Christchurch terror attacks. Photo / Peter Meecham

By RNZ

After two years of disruptions, the world's largest secondary schools Pacific cultural festival is back this year - in April.

Auckland Polyfest marks its 45th anniversary this year after being cancelled last year due to Covid-19, and disruptions in 2019 after the Christchurch terror attacks.

Event director Seiuli Terri Leo-Mau'u said this year event has a Covid-ready action plan and digital strategy.

She said they are using the same theme as last year's cancelled event - "Healing the body, mind and soul with the strength of culture".

"The board were adamant that we needed to continue with this theme.

"I guess it also allows the students, cause they already put together performances for this particular theme, it meant that they could repurpose and reuse the performances that they had already prepared for 2020, or just polish up."

When the event was cancelled last year, the Polyfest Trust's chairman Greg Pierce had said they were already struggling financially and the cancellation meant they probably would not be able to run the event this year.

Auckland Polyfest is said to be the largest Māori and Pacific Islands festival in the world featuring traditional music, dance and speech from Auckland secondary school students.