Pasifika Festival: Frustrations mount over Niue Village

Vendors at Auckland's Pasifika Festival have expressed their dissatisfaction with the layout of the Niue Village, which was split into two separate areas.

The main stage was placed about 20 metres away from the stallholders, and a lack of clear signage made it challenging to attract foot traffic to their stalls.

Longstanding stallholder Agnes Jackson says vendors felt “disconnected” from the main stage.

“I really felt we were disconnected from the rest of the Niue village, I didn’t feel part of the village. I felt like I was a foreign stallholder pushed to the side.”

Jackson says the Niue Village has never been in the same location for long, citing better placements in previous years.

“I remember when we had a flat surface and we were engaging with the stage and the people. All the years before that, I’d be giving stuff for the kids to perform, but I can’t see them. I can’t walk up every five minutes to give stuff or see my family perform.

“The MCs did a great job keeping it together, and I could hear them say ‘go down to the stalls even though they’re not around us!’ I heard them advocating for us. It was sad.”

Another stallholder, Colini Tutavaha, says the placement of the Niue Village was “inaccessible” for elderly vendors.

“When looking at it, the first thing that came to my head was ‘was it accessible’. Some of our older people who were holding a stall had to walk up that hill,” says Tutavaha.

“People are just passing by. People looked straight across to see our flag, but there was no signage saying that this was the Niuean stage.”

Niue villages' stallholders were separated from the stage. Photo/PMN News/Matt Manukuo.

Tutavaha describes the situation as “very disappointing,” adding that the issues were not only about foot traffic but also about accessibility and signage, both of which were inadequate.

Despite these challenges, Tutavaha mentions that the performance by several Hologa Niue Festival groups attracted many spectators to the stage. But, she says the accessibility of the stage was not sufficient to accommodate hundreds of supporters.

“The only reason why I think we had people was because of the Hologa people coming to perform. If they weren’t performing, I don’t think we would have any people coming to the Niue stage.”

Jackson highlighted the impact on the elderly, sharing her concern for a 90-year-old lady who usually attends but didn’t come on Sunday.

“I was told by the daughter ‘Mum didn’t come today, she didn’t want to walk up that hill’.”

Only two food stalls were placed near the Niue village stage. Photo/PMN News/Matt Manukuo.

Jackson is calling for more consideration for smaller villages like Niue. “To the minorities, to the smaller villages, put us out there first. The bigger ones, they’re fine, but for us smaller people, it’s not fair to throw us in the corner. I just feel sorry for the smaller villages like Niue.”

In response to PMN News queries, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited emphasises a thoughtful approach to planning and designing the Pasifika Festival, focussing on the accessibility of Pacific vilalges for attendees.

"Representatives from the Pasifika Trust Board and VIllage Cultural Advisory Group are actively engaged throughout the event development process, including briefings with festival participants such as stallholders," a Tātaki statement reads.

"This engagement extends to site visits before the event to review logistics and layout.

"TAU prioritises accessibility and safety through the provision of accessible bathroom facilities, stages and stalls, and tuk-tuks on-site to assist attendees. Wayfinding signage, QR code maps, and online resources ensure that all Villages are clearly identifiable.

"TAU remains committed to delivering a cohesive, inclusive, and enjoyable festival experience for all attendees and contributors."