Christchurch Polyfest celebrates 25 years of Pacific culture in NZ

This weekend, Christchurch will come alive with Pacific dance, music, and celebration as the city marks 25 years of Polyfest.

For Vaopule Faatali Taulago Siva, leading a small group of Cashmere High School students is about more than performance. It’s about connection.

“We’re probably the smallest school performing, but the students have been amazing,” she tells PMN News. “We only started preparing about three weeks ago, but they’ve been practising on their own and putting in the work.”

Fifteen students, including her 10-year-old daughter, will perform Siva Sāmoa, many for the first time.

“In Christchurch, some of them aren’t really exposed to their culture,” Taulago Siva says. “This is about giving them a safe space to learn Siva Sāmoa and be part of their culture.”

Earlier this month, she was named a Creative New Zealand Pasifika Arts Scholarship recipient, an honour that fuels her vision for Polyfest as a space for students to explore Pacific culture.

Vaopule Taulago Siva says dance is an opportunity to pass on cultural knowledge. Photo/Supplied

Christchurch Polyfest will be held on Friday and Saturday at Hagley Park, bringing 25 schools across two days, a first for the event.

More than 5000 people are expected to attend, enjoying performances, food, crafts, and language activities.

Riki Welsh, sPACIFICally Pacific (SPACPAC) chairperson, says the milestone reflects both the festival’s growth and pride in the Pacific community.

“Polyfest started when three schools came together 25 years ago to fundraise after a natural disaster in Sāmoa,” Welsh tells Pacific Days. “It was such an environment of fun and celebration that it continued from there. This festival has grown every year, and it’s a moment to reflect on the impact Pacific people have had on Christchurch, making it the vibrant and diverse city it is today.”

Previously, Polyfest ran for a day, from early morning to late at night. Organisers extended it to two days after hearing from schools, families, and stallholders.

“Going from 8am in the morning till late into the night was taking its toll on our people. It was costing people an arm and a leg in car parks, and it’s not just participants and families, but also the communities who are in their stalls all day,” Welsh says.

“I wasn’t willing to cut schools or tell them to do a TikTok-style performance, so we chose two days.”
Watch Riki Welsh's full interview below.

For many South Island students, Polyfest is a vital space to explore identity. Stats NZ shows 12,381 Pasifika under 25 live in Canterbury.

“For some rangatahi, it’s a chance to proudly show the culture their parents taught them,” Welsh says. “For others, it’s their first opportunity to connect with their heritage.”

That sense of connection motivates Taulago Siva’s students. “Seeing their pride and excitement is what keeps this festival alive.”

Polyfest is a community effort, with families, teachers, and volunteers playing a central role.

Attendees can enjoy Pacific food like Samoan taro, Tongan lu pulu, and Fijian palusami while watching performances from different cultures across the Pacific.

Christchurch students preparing to peform in 2019. Photo/Instagram

“It simply wouldn’t happen without them,” Welsh says. “Polyfest is the time of year when we say loud and proud to Christchurch: we are here, this is our home too.”

Christchurch Polyfest is a chance for students, families, and the wider community to celebrate Pacific identity, creativity, and heritage. It shines a spotlight on culture, pride, and connection across the South Island.

For many young performers, like those from Cashmere High, it will be their first experience on this stage, and a memory to last a lifetime.

SPACPAC Canterbury Polyfest 2026 runs from Friday 13 Mar, 5-8pm and Saturday 14 Mar, 8:30-5pm at Hagley Park North. Tickets are available for $5, with under 12-year-olds free.