Polyfest

The annual event is held in March. As of 2021, the festival takes place over four days with nearly 10,000 students participating.^[1] The principal sponsor, with naming rights, is ASB Bank.^[2] Polyfest also receives government financial support.

At the festival, the five main cultures of the Polynesian islands are each presented on their own stage. The cultures come from Niue, Samoa, Tonga, the Cook Islands and New Zealand (Māori). On the final day, the winners of each category will be chosen. A sixth stage is the Diversity stage, which hosts performances from China, Japan, Korea, India, Fiji and other cultures.^[3]

The Polynesian festival is significant for New Zealand's Pacific community. In addition to the performances, traditional meals and drinks are available. The festival promotes understanding of other cultures and gives students the opportunity to explore their culture.

Polyfest was created against the backdrop of the 1970s dawn raids, which targeted alleged illegal overstayers, predominantly those from Pacific nations. The South Auckland suburb of Ōtara, then part of Manukau City, had a large Māori and Pacific population and many raids were carried out in these neighbourhoods. In 1976, Ōtara was described as a slum with few opportunities for the people who live there.^[1] That year, the first Polyfest was staged between Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate, Aorere College, Seddon College, and Māngere College in a bid to provide opportunities and to celebrate the community's diversity. It was partly based on observations of cultural festivals in China.^[1]

In 1978, at the third Polyfest event, more than 20 schools participated.^[4]

Over time, similar Polyfest events have been created in other regions, including Canterbury^[5] and Otago.^[6]

Polyfest was cancelled in 2019 due to the Christchurch mosque shootings and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[7]

• Pasifika Festival, another festival celebrating Pacific cultures organised by Auckland Council