Hologa Niue 2026: Auckland gears up for vibrant celebration of Niuean culture and food

Auckland’s Niuean community is preparing to come together for a spectacular cultural revival as Hologa Niue 2026 returns on Sunday, 28 February at Trusts Arena in Henderson.

The festival promises a bigger, brighter celebration than its inaugural event in 2025, with all 13 village groups performing, extended show times, a new choir, a lively parade, and a market packed with Niuean food and crafts.

The first Hologa Niue drew thousands to the Manukau Due Drop Events Centre, marking a landmark moment for Auckland’s diaspora.

The festival, organised by the Three Star Nation community group, was conceived to protect Vagahau Niue (the Niuean language) and preserve cultural traditions at a time when elders passing on knowledge risked leaving gaps in the community’s heritage.

In an interview on PMN Niue, Eunique Cabrini Ikiua, the Strategic Director of Three Star Nation, says the capacity of the new venue is around 2200 per seating and that all 13 Hologa groups from last year are back.

Ikiua says they also will introduce a Hologa Niue market with food and arts stalls run by Niuean families and businesses so the community benefits directly. The festival is free from outside vendors, with stalls priced at NZ$300. Registration closes this Saturday.

“So there will be a lot of Niue food this year which we're very excited about,” Ikiua says. “Another thing is it's going to start much earlier. The late finish, everybody kind of remembers being there a bit later than usual, and so we're going to be a bit stricter with time this year.”

“But we have an early start because we are running a parade. We want everybody to come their best and brightest but come nice looking, it's going to be filmed as last time. The parade's going to start where all the villagers walk into the arena and wave their flags,” Ikiua says.

Hologa Niue, which translates as “descendants of Niue”, was originally planned as a biennial event, similar to the Cook Islands’ Te Maeva Nui festival.

Tokiofa Arts Academy. Photo/PMN Digital/Eroti Navuku

But the enthusiasm of the Auckland and wider diaspora saw it return after just one year.

Performers now travel from across Aotearoa and Australia, bringing a truly Pacific-wide showcase of culture, music, and dance.

New highlights this year include a Hologa Niue choir,described by Ikiua as a “super group of all the best singers from across all the 13 villages”. Leki Jackson-Bourke, Three Star Nation’s Creative Director, is leading this conglomerate.

The festival will also feature a parade, where villagers will enter the arena waving flags, adding colour and ceremony to the event. Performances have been extended to 20-25 minutes, allowing villages to present new compositions.

Motuhula Enoka-Poiafati, the Tamakautoga coordinator, says her village has already begun preparing its new pieces.

“We enjoy just being together, learning together, and singing together. The atmosphere’s the most important thing. Bringing the vibe, getting the atmosphere there for your people, your village, it brings out the best,” Enoka-Poiafati says.

Tickets remain at NZ$35 per block, ensuring access for the whole community. In addition to performances, the market will provide a taste of Niuean culinary delights and a chance to support local artisans, making Hologa Niue a celebration for all the senses.

From its inception in 2025 to this year’s expanded programme, Hologa Niue has become an important platform for cultural reclamation, community connection, and celebration of Niuean identity in Auckland.

For more information and ticket bookings, visit Three Star Nation’s Facebook page here.

To watch Eunique Cabrini Ikiua, Motuhula Enoka-Poiafati and Courtney Funaki’s full interview,click here.