Category: Auckland Council

Source: Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED)

Headline: Prepping for Pasifika Festival

Tips for having your best Pasifika Festival experience

Summary

The 26th Pasifika Festival takes place at Western Spring Park on Saturday, 24 and Sunday, 25 March
The festival goes ahead rain or shine
Western Springs Park is well-served by public transport services, close to the Northwestern Cycl…

Published
21 MAR 2018

Tips for having your best Pasifika Festival experience

Summary

• The 26th Pasifika Festival takes place at Western Spring Park on Saturday, 24 and Sunday, 25 March
• The festival goes ahead rain or shine
• Western Springs Park is well-served by public transport services, close to the Northwestern Cycleway, and local schools offer paid parking as fundraising activities
• There is also free parking at Unitec and a free shuttle bus between Carrington Rd and the park.
   

The Pasifika Festival takes over Western Springs Park this weekend, the 26th annual showcase and celebration of Auckland’s Pacific Island cultures and communities (9am – 5pm Saturday, 24 March and 10am – 4pm Sunday, 25 March).

The festival goes ahead rain or shine – this is Auckland and the weather is changeable, so bring sunscreen, a hat and a raincoat.

With tens of thousands of people expected to attend the two-day festival, parking restrictions and road closures in place, the surrounding area will be busy and parking will be in high demand so plan ahead for your travel to and from the event.

Western Springs Park is close to the Northwestern Cycleway and is well-served by public transport services, operating on the regular bus and train weekend timetables. Multiple bus routes stop on Great North Rd, next to Western Springs Park, which is also a 30-minute walk from Morningside or Baldwin Ave Station on the Western Train Line. Plan your journey at https://at.govt.nz/bus-train-ferry/events/pasifika-2018/.

Pasadena Intermediate School and Western Springs College have paid parking available on their school fields as fundraising activities. Parking is $10 per car, cash only. Mobility parking and drop off is along Motions Rd.

There is also free parking at Unitec and a free shuttle bus between Carrington Rd and the park, at 30-minute intervals.

For newcomers to the festival, Pasifika has 11 distinctly different villages, each with a performance stage and market stalls selling dishes and crafts unique to the village’s culture. The villages represent the Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Aotearoa, Hawaii, Kiribati, Samoa, Tahiti, Tuvalu, Tonga and Tokelau.

The festival is free to enter, with lots of free activities and live entertainment. There are food, craft and retail stalls where festival-goers can buy authentic food, clothing, traditional arts and crafts, food stuffs, skin care, novelties and souvenirs. Pasifika Festival sponsors offer a range of activities, competitions and giveaways.

Bring some cash – some food stalls have EFTPOS, but many only take cash. There are three ATMs on-site at the park, marked on the festival map, but be patient – there may be queues as they will be in high demand.

To find your way around the festival, there are wayfinding towers and large-scale fixed maps, maps available from volunteers and at the festival’s three information tents, online at www.aucklandnz.com/pasifika or on the Pasifika mobile site. To access the mobile site, text ‘Pasifika’ to 332 to receive a unique link to the 2018 Pasifika Festival mobile site*, powered by Spark, featuring highlights, tips and an interactive festival map (or visit aucklandnz.com/pasifika). * Standard text rates and terms and conditions apply. See https://www.spark.co.nz/privacypolicy for full Ts&Cs.

#VectorLights is supporting the Pasifika Festival, lighting up the Auckland Harbour Bridge with a regular light show from Thursday 22 March – Tuesday 27 March. The show will run every 30 minutes from 8pm. Vector Lights is part of a smart energy partnership between Vector and Auckland Council in collaboration with the NZ Transport Agency, the guiding light toward a smart energy future.

The Pasifika Festival is organised by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) on behalf of Auckland Council, in partnership with the Pasifika Village Coordinators, who represent the different communities and guide the cultural integrity of the festival.

Pasifika is sponsored and supported by AMI, Vector Lights, Western Union, Mai FM, Spark, New Zealand Post, Air New Zealand, Edgewater Resort, Resene, Pacific Media Network, University of Otago, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Ministry of Health, Ministry for Pacific Peoples, Department of Internal Affairs, Te Wananga o Aoteoroa, BCITO.

Source: Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED)

Headline: 26th Pasifika Festival coming soon

Summary

The 26th Pasifika Festival takes place at Western Spring Park on Saturday, 24 and Sunday, 25 March
Hundreds of local and international performers, artists and artisans take part
Artists travelling from the Pacific Islands include hula groups from Hawaii, the Suluape tattooists from Samoa,…

Published
14 MAR 2018

Summary

• The 26th Pasifika Festival takes place at Western Spring Park on Saturday, 24 and Sunday, 25 March
• Hundreds of local and international performers, artists and artisans take part
• Artists travelling from the Pacific Islands include hula groups from Hawaii, the Suluape tattooists from Samoa, the 32-member La Orana Troupe Tahiti from Papara, and the Heimana Hula Band from Rarotonga 
• Get an insight into the practices of traditional pit oven cooking (hangi, umu or lovo), tattooing, weaving, carving and more. 

Auckland’s world-renowned celebration and showcase of its Pacific Island communities and whanau will rock Western Springs Park on Saturday, 24 and Sunday, 25 March with the 26th Pasifika Festival

Tens of thousands of Aucklanders and visitors are expected to attend the two-day festival, which features hundreds of local and international performers, artists and artisans. 

For newcomers to the festival, Pasifika has 11 distinctly different villages, each with a performance stage and market stalls selling signature dishes and crafts unique to the village’s culture. The villages represent the Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Aotearoa, Hawaii, Kiribati, Samoa, Tahiti, Tuvalu, Tonga and Tokelau. 

The festival is free to enter, with lots of free activities and live entertainment. There are food, craft and retail stalls where festival-goers can buy authentic food, clothing, traditional arts and crafts, food stuffs, skin care, novelties and souvenirs from the festival.

Pasifika offers the chance to revel in the sights, sounds and flavours of the South Pacific, and to get an insight into traditional practices across various cultures.

Earth oven cooking is widespread around the Pacific, and this year people can learn more about the techniques and their variations in different cultures. Many of the Pasifika villages are offering hosted earth ovens – hosts will explain to visitors the traditions and techniques behind hāngi, umu or lovo (depending on the culture) when the food is unearthed and made available for sale. 

In the Samoan village, the internationally renowned Suluape tattooists will be using traditional techniques to mark pre-selected people with pe’a or malu (male or female tattoos), culminating in the sacred samaga pe’a ceremony, which marks the completion of a tattoo, lifting taboos, blessing the recipients and acknowledging the tattooist, in a rare opportunity for non-Samoans to see. 

Festival goers can also see tattooists at work in the Aotearoa and Fiji villages. 

Other glimpses into traditional practices include a narrated re-enactment a traditional Tuvaluan marriage, from the potu lama community proposal through to the wedding ceremony; ages-old Māori and Hawaiian healing practices; mini workshops about Cook Island textile art and weaving techniques; traditional kava or ‘ava ceremonies; and Tokelauan carvers creating fishing lures from shells, still in common use today and highly sought after by keen fishers. 

A snapshot of the Pacific’s contemporary marketplace is in the spotlight at Pasifika this year, with the Pasifika Business Market. The market features more than 40 island-based companies that are part of Pacific Trade & Invest’s Path To Market programme, developing and testing their products for the New Zealand market. 

The companies will showcase their wares, including food (and coffee), clothing and accessories, handicrafts and skincare. Sample Tongan frozen seaweed, coffee from Vanuatu, organic skincare from Samoa and the Cook Islands and lots more.

The Pasifika Festival is organised by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) on behalf of Auckland Council, in partnership with the Pasifika Festival Village Coordinators, who represent the different communities and guide the cultural integrity of the festival.

Next door to Pasifika, the Museums of Auckland, including the Auckland Museum, Auckland Art Gallery, MOTAT and Maritime Museum, are celebrating Pacific culture, rhythms and flavours with Pasifika Vibes @ MOTAT, a free event running alongside the festival. People can chill out with great music, live entertainment, and food including vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options. Like Pasifika Festival, this is a smoke and alcohol-free event. Please note: Only the event village will be open to the public. The MOTAT exhibition halls and rest of the Museum will not be open over these days. For more information visit www.motat.org.nz

For more information, see www.aucklandnz.com/pasifika. Closer to the date, festival goers can text ‘Pasifika’ to 332 to receive a unique link to the 2018 Pasifika Festival mobile site*, powered by Spark, featuring highlights, tips and an interactive festival map (or visit aucklandnz.com/pasifika). 
* Standard text rates and terms and conditions apply. See https://www.spark.co.nz/privacypolicy for full Ts&Cs.

Pasifika is sponsored and supported by AMI, Vector Lights, Western Union, Mai FM, Spark, New Zealand Post, Air New Zealand, Edgewater Resort, Resene, Pacific Media Network, University of Otago, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Pacific Peoples, Department of Internal Affairs, Te Wananga o Aoteoroa, BCITO.

Source: Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED)

Headline: Auckland employment hubs benefit over 500 young job seekers

Minister of Employment Willie Jackson today visited the Auckland CBD Jobs and Skills Hub and the Southern Initiative in Auckland that have benefitted over 500 young workers and rangatahi in the city. 
 
“There is outstanding work going on in the Hub in response to employment demands in the construct…

Published
09 MAR 2018

Minister of Employment Willie Jackson today visited the Auckland CBD Jobs and Skills Hub and the Southern Initiative in Auckland that have benefitted over 500 young workers and rangatahi in the city. 
 
“There is outstanding work going on in the Hub in response to employment demands in the construction industry,” says Mr Jackson.
 
“Auckland’s inner city skyline is testimony to the intense infrastructure development that is taking place in the largest commercial centre in New Zealand,” says Mr Jackson. 
 
“Since the Hub’s establishment nearly a year ago it facilitated training for 500 job seekers and over 150 people have been placed into employment with early indicators of success, with 47 percent under the age of 25; 37 percent of Māori descent; and 32 percent of Pacific Island descent.
 
“The Auckland city centre, including Wynyard Quarter and the downtown waterfront, is the commercial, cultural and educational heart of the city as New Zealand’s ‘shop front’ for international tourists, migrants and investors.
 
“The Jobs and Skills Hub’s purpose is to support commercial activity in the city by connecting employers and local job seekers, facilitating workforce skills development opportunities and supporting sustainable employment.
 
“The Jobs and Skills Hub is a testament to how good collaboration is vital to improving outcomes for young people. These two initiatives are a partnership between a number of central and local government agencies, construction sector stakeholders, the Auckland Tourism, Employment and Economic Development (ATEED), and community groups. 
  
“In the Wynyard Quarter alone, one of the largest urban regeneration projects in New Zealand, around 2,500 construction workers are needed within the next two years,” says Mr Jackson.
 
“It’s been pleasing to hear that the Hub is focused on ensuring that we have those workers in place to support the city’s growth and development projects.
 
“It’s also encouraging to see a programme like The Southern Initiative making significant contributions to the community of South Auckland.
 
“The place-based initiative included in the Auckland Plan works with a range of groups including whānau, local social change agents, grassroots entrepreneurs, local businesses and government agencies to create a prosperous and resilient South Auckland where children and whānau thrive.
 
“It’s important that we do more to reduce a lot of the disparities we have in places like South Auckland, and I like the way The Southern Initiative is doing that through various partnerships and a diverse range of programmes.
 
“The Southern Initiative places a major focus on shared prosperity which can be created by lifting the incomes of South Auckland households through quality and sustainable employment and enterprise opportunities.
 
“I’m particularly interested by the whānau-centric approach that they’ve adopted to build whānau capability, leadership and knowledge. We all know that strong whānau are essential to creating strong communities, and with that, a strong workforce.
 
“South Auckland is rich in job and investment opportunities, but our people here still experience high levels of unemployment, underemployment and low wages. This is something that I’d like to see addressed as the Minister of Employment,” Mr Jackson says.
 

Source: Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED)

Headline: Island getaway for a couple of kiwi chicks

Island getaway for a couple of kiwi chicks, some eco warrior sailors and a passionate group of Aucklanders

Release summary

Volvo Ocean Race team ‘Turn the Tide on Plastic’ gets up close and personal with kiwi chicks. 
Some of the team visited the picturesque Motuora Island, in Auckland’s Hauraki…

Published
09 MAR 2018

Some eco warrior sailors and a passionate group of Aucklanders

Release summary

• Volvo Ocean Race team ‘Turn the Tide on Plastic’ gets up close and personal with kiwi chicks. 
• Some of the team visited the picturesque Motuora Island, in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf. 
• Motuora Island which when translated means the island of life is one of two kiwi crèches in the Hauraki Gulf
• Motuora Island public conservation land is managed in partnership with iwi 
   

A couple of kiwi chicks have left a lasting impression on a group of sailors on a mission to Turn the Tide on Plastics, as they sail around the world competing in the Volvo Ocean Race.

Turn the Tide on Plastics crew members Bianca Cook (a New Zealander), and her crew mates Bernardo Freitas and Lucas Chapman, spent a day on Motuora Island, a kiwi sanctuary crèche in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf, assisting with the release of two, three-week old kiwis.

The team were also given the chance to name one of the kiwi chicks, which weighed in at 447 grams on its release day.

“It was an amazing experence, something that was very special to me and my team,” says Cook. 

“As most New Zealanders know we don’t often get the chance to even see a kiwi in the wild so having the opportunity to actually release one was incredible and very humbling.” 

“We called the kiwi mōhio, the Maori word for wisdom, which is very close to us because the mascot for the Volvo Ocean Race is an albatros called wisdom.” 
Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) General Manager Destination, Steve Armitage, says as New Zealand’s largest marine park, Hauraki Gulf is an important part of Auckland’s appeal as a place to visit.

We know we have a shared responsibility to protect and preserve Auckland as a destination, as a community, and as an economy for future generations. 

“ATEED puts kaitiakitanga or guardianship, at the core of what we do. That’s why working in partnerships with DOC, Kiwis for Kiwi, mana whenua, and organisations like Seacleaners and Sustainable Coastlines is so important for us. It helps to spread the word to our visitors and locals about how important preserving our natural environment is,” he says.

“It’s great to have the opportunity to give a team like Turn the Tide on Plastics, which is focused on the environment, an update on some of the great work on sustainability that’s going on in Auckland, as well as showing them the natural wonders that our region offers to visitors.”

The kiwis were released as part of Operation Nest Egg, a progamme managed by charity organisation Kiwis for kiwi, in partnership with the Department of Conservation (DOC). 

The programme involves collecting eggs from the wild, incubating and hatching them at facilities like Auckland Zoo, then transferring them to crèches like at Motuora Island, where they stay for a year or so until they are around 1 kg in weight and able to fend off most predators. 

They are then transferred back to where they were found as eggs, or are used to start new kiwi populations on pest free islands in the Gulf.

Motuora Island is managed by the Department of Conservation(DOC) in partnership with Motuora Restoration Society. There are no rats, stoats, possums or other introduced predators on the island, making it safe for kiwi and other threatened native birds. 

It is one of 44 pest-free islands in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. DOC and Auckland Council are working to keep these native wildlife sanctuaries free of introduced predators and weeds.    

“Everyone travelling to these island sanctuaries needs to make sure they’re not transporting any predators, pests or weed seeds on their boat, kayak, yacht or any other vessel. And we remind them that cats and dogs are not allowed on pest-free islands,” says DOC Auckland Inner Islands Operations Manager Keith Gell.
 

Source: Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED)

Headline: Island getaway for a couple of kiwi chicks, some eco warrior sailors and a passionate group of Aucklanders

A couple of kiwi chicks have left a lasting impression on a group of sailors on a mission to Turn the Tide on Plastics, as they sail around the world competing in the Volvo Ocean Race.

Turn the Tide on Plastics crew members Bianca Cook (a New Zealander), and her crew mates Bernardo Freitas and Luca…

Published
09 MAR 2018

A couple of kiwi chicks have left a lasting impression on a group of sailors on a mission to Turn the Tide on Plastics, as they sail around the world competing in the Volvo Ocean Race.

Turn the Tide on Plastics crew members Bianca Cook (a New Zealander), and her crew mates Bernardo Freitas and Lucas Chapman, spent a day on Motuora Island, a kiwi sanctuary crèche in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf, assisting with the release of two, three-week old kiwis.

The team were also given the chance to name one of the kiwi chicks, which weighed in at 447 grams on its release day.

“It was an amazing experence, something that was very special to me and my team,” says Cook. 

“As most New Zealanders know we don’t often get the chance to even see a kiwi in the wild so having the opportunity to actually release one was incredible and very humbling. 

“We called the kiwi mōhio, the Maori word for wisdom, which is very close to us because the mascot for the Volvo Ocean Race is an albatros called wisdom.” 
Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) General Manager Destination, Steve Armitage, says as New Zealand’s largest marine park, Hauraki Gulf is an important part of Auckland’s appeal as a place to visit.

We know we have a shared responsibility to protect and preserve Auckland as a destination, as a community, and as an economy for future generations. 

“ATEED puts kaitiakitanga or guardianship, at the core of what we do. That’s why working in partnerships with DOC, Kiwis for Kiwi, mana whenua, and organisations like Seacleaners and Sustainable Coastlines is so important for us. It helps to spread the word to our visitors and locals about how important preserving our natural environment is,” he says.

“It’s great to have the opportunity to give a team like Turn the Tide on Plastics, which is focused on the environment, an update on some of the great work on sustainability that’s going on in Auckland, as well as showing them the natural wonders that our region offers to visitors.”

The kiwis were released as part of Operation Nest Egg, a progamme managed by charity organisation Kiwis for kiwi, in partnership with the Department of Conservation (DOC). 

The programme involves collecting eggs from the wild, incubating and hatching them at facilities like Auckland Zoo, then transferring them to crèches like at Motuora Island, where they stay for a year or so until they are around 1 kg in weight and able to fend off most predators. 

They are then transferred back to where they were found as eggs, or are used to start new kiwi populations on pest free islands in the Gulf.

Motuora Island is managed by the Department of Conservation(DOC) in partnership with Motuora Restoration Society. There are no rats, stoats, possums or other introduced predators on the island, making it safe for kiwi and other threatened native birds. 

It is one of 44 pest-free islands in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. DOC and Auckland Council are working to keep these native wildlife sanctuaries free of introduced predators and weeds.    

“Everyone travelling to these island sanctuaries needs to make sure they’re not transporting any predators, pests or weed seeds on their boat, kayak, yacht or any other vessel. And we remind them that cats and dogs are not allowed on pest-free islands,” says DOC Auckland Inner Islands Operations Manager Keith Gell.
 

Source: Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED)

Headline: Island getaway for a couple of kiwi chicks

Some eco warrior sailors and a passionate group of Aucklanders

Release summary

Volvo Ocean Race team ‘Turn the Tide on Plastic’ gets up close and personal with kiwi chicks. 
Some of the team visited the picturesque Motuora Island, in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf. 
Motuora Island which when translated…

Published
09 MAR 2018

Some eco warrior sailors and a passionate group of Aucklanders

Release summary

• Volvo Ocean Race team ‘Turn the Tide on Plastic’ gets up close and personal with kiwi chicks. 
• Some of the team visited the picturesque Motuora Island, in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf. 
• Motuora Island which when translated means the island of life is one of two kiwi crèches in the Hauraki Gulf
• Motuora Island public conservation land is managed in partnership with iwi 
   

A couple of kiwi chicks have left a lasting impression on a group of sailors on a mission to Turn the Tide on Plastics, as they sail around the world competing in the Volvo Ocean Race.

Turn the Tide on Plastics crew members Bianca Cook (a New Zealander), and her crew mates Bernardo Freitas and Lucas Chapman, spent a day on Motuora Island, a kiwi sanctuary crèche in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf, assisting with the release of two, three-week old kiwis.

The team were also given the chance to name one of the kiwi chicks, which weighed in at 447 grams on its release day.

“It was an amazing experence, something that was very special to me and my team,” says Cook. 

“As most New Zealanders know we don’t often get the chance to even see a kiwi in the wild so having the opportunity to actually release one was incredible and very humbling.” 

“We called the kiwi mōhio, the Maori word for wisdom, which is very close to us because the mascot for the Volvo Ocean Race is an albatros called wisdom.” 
Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) General Manager Destination, Steve Armitage, says as New Zealand’s largest marine park, Hauraki Gulf is an important part of Auckland’s appeal as a place to visit.

We know we have a shared responsibility to protect and preserve Auckland as a destination, as a community, and as an economy for future generations. 

“ATEED puts kaitiakitanga or guardianship, at the core of what we do. That’s why working in partnerships with DOC, Kiwis for Kiwi, mana whenua, and organisations like Seacleaners and Sustainable Coastlines is so important for us. It helps to spread the word to our visitors and locals about how important preserving our natural environment is,” he says.

“It’s great to have the opportunity to give a team like Turn the Tide on Plastics, which is focused on the environment, an update on some of the great work on sustainability that’s going on in Auckland, as well as showing them the natural wonders that our region offers to visitors.”

The kiwis were released as part of Operation Nest Egg, a progamme managed by charity organisation Kiwis for kiwi, in partnership with the Department of Conservation (DOC). 

The programme involves collecting eggs from the wild, incubating and hatching them at facilities like Auckland Zoo, then transferring them to crèches like at Motuora Island, where they stay for a year or so until they are around 1 kg in weight and able to fend off most predators. 

They are then transferred back to where they were found as eggs, or are used to start new kiwi populations on pest free islands in the Gulf.

Motuora Island is managed by the Department of Conservation(DOC) in partnership with Motuora Restoration Society. There are no rats, stoats, possums or other introduced predators on the island, making it safe for kiwi and other threatened native birds. 

It is one of 44 pest-free islands in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. DOC and Auckland Council are working to keep these native wildlife sanctuaries free of introduced predators and weeds.    

“Everyone travelling to these island sanctuaries needs to make sure they’re not transporting any predators, pests or weed seeds on their boat, kayak, yacht or any other vessel. And we remind them that cats and dogs are not allowed on pest-free islands,” says DOC Auckland Inner Islands Operations Manager Keith Gell.