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The Pacific Ocean is vast, but if you flew overhead you’d see amidst the brine a multitude of small islands.  Last weekend at Auckland’s Western Springs, the Pasifika Festival celebrated these islands. Creating a microcosm of the pacific, each of these islands had its own village area with crafts, food and cultural display. And visitors flocked to wander through them.

At the Cook Islands’ village I learnt why those islands are called the ‘friendly isles’.  I heard dynamic drumming and saw a crowd gathered around a white marquee tent. Peering inside, I saw a troupe of green-grassy-print shirted drummers – the Anuanua Performing Arts Band. John Kiria, the leader and a natural showman, wore a spiky flax wreath that reminded me of a hairstyle I had as a boy. He entertained and educated the watching crowd by introducing the various wooden drums of the Cook Islands; their names and sounds and a few kicking dance moves thrown in. Then John invited a fellow Cook Islander from the audience to show the crowd some genuine dance moves.  Initially the man walked away but with John’s booming encouragement he moved to the front of the tent, faced us, and demonstrated the moves of a traditional male dancer. He then, to everyone’s amusement, followed this with the traditional female dance moves, his hips shaking to a fast island beat.  The crowd encouraged him and loved it.  A  Korean girl volunteered to do the Hula with John and finished with a grand smile on her face.  What I noticed, when I looked around was that everyone was enjoying themselves, from Polynesian to European, from Kiwi to visiting tourist.  Everyone was laughing. When a rain shower began no one left to get shelter, the crowd stayed put and just huddled up closer against the tent opening.  We were fixed to the spot.  John’s group was true to its slogan of ‘Taking our Culture & Music to the World’.

So if you are around for the Auckland Pasifika festival next year – and it only lasts a day – be sure to visit some of the villages and meander through them.  There’s plenty to see and experience amidst the natural scenery of lake, trees and birdlife.

John Kiria and his Anuanua Performing Arts Band can be contacted at
[email protected]

Tags: Music, pacific