Noa’ia! This was definitely a special week for our Pasifika Aiga.

Throughout the week we challenged our akonga daily on the basketball courts to have a go at the ‘don’t drop the lavalava’ challenge. Thank you to our sponsors for providing vouchers to encourage our akonga to give it a real shot!

Our Year 11s also took part in an activity run by Fa’atu and the crew from PISA (Pacific Island Students of Ara) ‘Life as an Islander.’ This activity saw them running back and forth from the plantation in their lavalavas to prepare food for their families. Again, thank you to our wonderful sponsors for the café vouchers.

We finished off the week with the blessing of our Tapa. Our friends from Ara – Sajeed & Simo, accepted our very first Pasifika treasure on behalf of Aiga. This beautiful piece of tapa has evidence of a journey from the Pacific, measuring 3.7 x 1.8m, it is an absolute honour to have it displayed in our Pasifika space.

Exciting times for Aiga, we are preparing for a trip to Auckland for the ‘Taste of the Pacific’ festival. This festival marks 30 years of Polyfest, but it is also relevant that it will be held during Samoan Language Week. This will be a great opportunity for our akonga to tap into Pasifika space, as we’ve been so limited since Covid hit. We have no doubt that these early mornings fundraising by running the carpark on Saturdays will be well worth it in the end.

Watch this space for more updates on Aiga & Pasifika here at Te Puna Wai o Waipapa.

Soifua manuia!