Pasifika Festival
Each year, the city of Auckland, New Zealand hosts the world’s largest festival celebrating cultures of the Pacific Islands.
The lively event, called Pasifika, will happen on Saturday, March 13 and Sunday, March 14 this year.
Visitors can experience traditional food, crafts, and performances from at least 11 different Pacific Island nations.
It is a great opportunity to learn more about tiny but culturally rich islands such as Fiji, Tahiti, Tonga, and others.
The islands represented in the festival are part of a region called Polynesia, which means “many islands” in Greek.
The geographic area stretches across a triangle with Hawaii at its north, New Zealand at its south, and Easter Island at the west.
The people inhabiting each island developed their own customs, traditions, and languages, so the population of Polynesia is extremely diverse.
The colorful and often funny dances from past festivals can be viewed on YouTube and other social media.