Pasifika Festival is free, family-friendly, smoke-free, and alcohol-free event.
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
Wot Knot You Got? – Mophead’s Guide to Life Workshop with Selina Tusitala Marsh
📍 Lower Building 9, MOTAT, Pasifika Festival
🗓️ Sat 8 March, 10:30am-11:30am
Join award-winning author and poet Selina Tusitala Marsh for a fun, interactive workshop based on Wot Knot You Got? Mophead’s Guide to Life.
Through storytelling, drawing, and writing, she shows how creativity can help untangle even the tightest knots. Inspired by letters from young readers, this session is for anyone (ages 8 to 80) who’s ever felt stuck and wants to scribble their way out.
Spaces are limited, so Register Here to secure your spot!
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Live Art & Wood Carving with Jim To’o Stretton & John Crouch
📍 Outer Fields, Western Springs
🗓️ Sat 8 March, 9am-6pm | Sun 9 March, 10am-4pm
Experience Pacific artistry at Pasifika Festival 2025 with live mural painting and interactive carving. Watch master carver Jim To’o Stretton and visual artist John Crouch at work, learn about traditional techniques, and even try carving yourself. With decades of experience, they share their passion for cultural storytelling and craftsmanship. Engage, ask questions, and connect with Pacific heritage through art.
All are welcome to observe and participate!
The LeftOvas
📍 Fiji Stage, Pasifika Festival
🗓️ Sat 8 March, 3:55pm
Catch LeftOvas LiveBand, the rising Fijian R&B group, fresh from opening for SIX60 on March 1! Their breakthrough follows their win at the Moana Music Open Mic in Auckland on February 9. Don’t miss their electrifying performance at Pasifika Festival 2025!
Gulaan
📍 Fale Pasifika Stage
🗓️ Sat 8 March, 4:35pm | Sun 9 March, 2:50pm
Experience the soulful sounds of Gulaan (Edouard Wamejo), a renowned New Caledonian artist with over 30 years of musical mastery. Known for his pure voice, intricate arpeggio guitar, and deep cultural storytelling, Gulaan’s music unites Pacific communities, promoting social justice, tolerance, and equality. Celebrate his milestone 30-year career tour at Pasifika Festival 2025—a performance not to be missed!
Soul Purpose – 7-Piece Live Band
📍 Aotearoa Stage, Pasifika Festival
🗓️ Sat 8 March, 3:50pm
Get ready for an electrifying set from Soul Purpose, a powerhouse collective of seasoned musicians and vocalists led by Tommy Raki. With a 25-year legacy performing across New Zealand and Australia, they’ve shared the stage with top Pasifika artists and bring a high-energy mix of Soul, Funk, R&B, Gospel, Rock, House, Reggae, and Pop. Don’t miss their dynamic sound at Pasifika Festival 2025!
Atuhau Avatele NZ United (AANZU) – Cultural Showcase
📍 Niue Stage, Pasifika Festival
🗓️ Sat 8 March, 10:05am
AANZU – Atuhau Avatele NZ United connects Avatele descendants in Aotearoa through Vagahau Niue, cultural customs, and traditional knowledge. Through song, dance, and hands-on workshops, they celebrate and preserve Niuean heritage. Join them at Pasifika Festival 2025 for a vibrant showcase of culture and community!
Anuanua Performing Arts Troupe – Cook Islands Cultural Showcase
📍 Cook Islands Stage, Pasifika Festival
🗓️ Sat 8 March – 12:40pm, 1:45pm | Sun 9 March – 12:35pm
Experience the Anuanua Performing Arts Troupe (APAT), a powerhouse of Cook Islands dance, music, and drumming, founded over 30 years ago by John Kiria. Featuring award-winning champions, their high-energy performances blend tradition with contemporary flair, creating an unforgettable cultural showcase. Don’t miss their mesmerizing Pasifika Festival 2025 performances!
Vaniah Toloa
📍 Samoa Stage, Pasifika Festival
🗓️ Sat 8 March, 5:30pm
Experience the soulful sounds of Vaniah Toloa, a celebrated Pacific Pop and Gospel singer-songwriter with deep roots in Fakaofo, Tokelau, and Samoa. Known for his soothing melodies and heartfelt lyrics, Vaniah’s music celebrates love, peace, and cultural heritage, resonating with fans across the Pacific and beyond. Don’t miss this unforgettable performance at Pasifika Festival 2025!
Maamaloa Brass Band Academy – Live at Pasifika Festival
📍 Tonga Stage, Pasifika Festival
🗓️ Sat 8 March, 2:45pm
Experience the Maamaloa Brass Band (MBB), a 50-piece Tongan community band founded in 2021 under the Tupou College Aotearoa Ex-Student Organisation. Led by Music Director Kalino Pongi, MBB blends brass mastery with choral harmonies, featuring their newly formed Chamber Choir. Don’t miss their powerful, tradition-rich performance at Pasifika Festival 2025!
