Pasifika 2005: George Veikoso joins Pasifika

Top-selling Pacific Island reggae artist, George Veikoso, better known as Fiji, is a last-minute addition to Pasifika. The Hawaii-based singer performed last night at the Beaumont Centre in Auckland, and was persuaded to join tomorrow's line-up. He will be the last performer of the day at 5.45pm. "He's a huge coup for us," says Auckland City spokesperson Jenny Andrews.

Out of school

They usually play gigs at school assemblies - but three North Shore brothers will front up at Pasifika with their band Watch Out Mama. Rangitoto College students Miles and Hayden, 14, and Corbin Kuhtze, 13, perform "original funky jazz tracks with a smell of rock and the odd obscure remake". They play at the festival at 3.30pm tomorrow.

Dancing beauty queen

Beauty pageants are a big deal in parts of the South Pacific - so Sinahemana Hekau, 24, will be familiar to many when she dances at Pasifika. Ms Hekau, who works as a lawyer in Niue, became Miss South Pacific last October in front of an audience of 2000 in American Samoa. According to local media, among Miss Niue's winning attributes was "an intriguing Niuean action dance with reference to Cyclone Heta's devastation to her island" last year.

A novel commendation

Sara-Jane Auva'a, one of Pasifika's performers, gets a special mention in a novel by Samoa's deputy PM, Misa Telefoni Retzlaff. In Love and Money, Sara-Jane, who released her debut solo album in March last year, is described as "a popular Samoan lady singer" who sings at the wedding of the hero and heroine. Ms Auva'a, laughing, says she is flattered.

Medics test Segway

The Segway Human Transporter, a hyped American invention, will appear at Pasifika in the hands of St John medics, who are trialling it. Imagine a space-age-looking hand lawnmower that you ride on and that can balance, even at a standstill (price tag around $9000). Adam Johnston, St John events manager, says the Pasifika trial will establish whether the gadget can get medics to patients quicker and improve accident outcomes.