Tokelau Easter Festival brings global family home to Auckland

From Aotearoa to Australia, Hawai'i, and Tokelau, thousands are coming together for one of the biggest moments on the Tokelauan calendar.

About 2000 people are expected at the Tokelau Easter Festival in Auckland this weekend where family, culture, and identity take centre stage.

Held every two years, the four-day festival has become a key meeting point for a community spread across the world.

For many of them, it is one of the few chances to reconnect face-to-face.

Organisers say the festival is about keeping Tokelauan identity strong, especially for younger generations growing up away from home.

And sport is a big part of that. For festival sports coordinator Kima Iosua, the connection runs deep.

Listen to Kima Iosua's full interview below.

Speaking with Tuilagi William Leolahi on Pacific Huddle, Iosua says the festival helped shape who he his today.

“It’s really made the foundation for me to know my culture and know who I am,” Iosua says.

Now part of the next generation of leadership, he describes his role as both an honour and a duty, helping to carry forward a legacy that continues to connect Tokelauans.

Matthew Ineleo, President of the Auckland Tokelau Society Incorporated, speaking at the opening ceremony. Photo/Tokelau Easter Festival

Sport is a major drawcard, but Iosua says it also opens the door to culture, especially for young people experiencing traditional practices for the first time.

“It’s a tool to connect and introduce our youth to the cultural side of Tokelau,” he says.

That cultural side is on full display throughout the weekend, including traditional performances such as the fātele - a key part of Tokelauan storytelling and identity.

This year’s theme focuses on growing leaders rooted in culture, with organisers aiming to instil Tokelauan values in the next generation.

The need is clear. Tokelau is one of the smallest nations in the Pacific, with about 1500 people living across its three atolls. More than 9000 Tokelauans live in Aotearoa.

That distance makes gatherings like this even more important. Families have travelled from Australia, Hawai‘i, and Tokelau, turning the festival into a global reunion as much as a cultural celebration.

For many, it is the only time they see relatives they have not met in years.

“It’s really good to be able to connect with other Tokelauans and family members that we haven’t seen,” he says. “We may be far apart, but we’re all family,” Iosua says.

The festival is being held at Bruce Pullman Park in South Auckland, with sport, cultural performances, and community events running throughout the weekend.

As the community gathers, the Tokelau Easter Festival is a reminder that no matter where people live, culture, family, and identity continue to hold them together.

You can watch the celebrations on the Tokelau Easter Festival 2026 YouTube channel.