50 years of Polyfest

2025 marks the 50th anniversary of Polyfest, celebrating five incredible decades of diverse communities sharing their cultures through dance, singing, and oratory. With Tāmaki Makaurau as the home to a vibrant Pasifika community, it remains the perfect location to host this annual festival. From its humble beginnings with four schools and their students, Polyfest festival now attracts over 100,000 visitors and brings together more than 70 schools to celebrate Moana Oceania cultures and more. The festival proudly showcases traditional music, dance, costumes, and languages, but it is the camaraderie, cultural enlightenment, and vibrant celebration of youth that truly stand out.

Image: Hillary College Yearbook 1976. Auckland Libraries Research South

In recent years, the festival has faced several challenges that have also impacted Aotearoa as a whole. In 2019, the nation mourned the tragic events in Christchurch, leading to the cancellation of the festival’s final day. The following year, the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in a complete cancellation of the event. However, in 2022, Polyfest adapted by transitioning to a digital format, offering a live-streamed experience.

This year, from April 2nd to April 5th, the Manukau Sports Bowl will once again come alive with the sounds and rhythms of indigenous cultures.

Image: Hillary College Yearbook 1976. Auckland Libraries Research South

The History of Polyfest

Polyfest, originally known as the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, was established in Ōtara, South Auckland, on October 2nd, 1976, at the grounds of Hillary College (now Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate).

The festival was initiated by students Michelle Rollo and Boaz Raela. Michelle Rollo, a senior at Hillary College, led and instructed the Kapa Haka group while recognizing the importance of a cultural festival that represented the diverse population of Tāmaki Makaurau. Having experienced annual cultural festivals in China as a student, Rollo was inspired to create a similar event in Aotearoa, a region already rich in culture (Williams, 2022).

The Polynesian Club

During this period, student Boaz Raela founded a small ‘Polynesian Club’ at the school. This club fostered camaraderie among Moana Oceania students, encouraging both Moana and non-Moana students to explore and appreciate each other’s unique cultures.

Image: Māngere College Magazine 1976. Auckland Libraries Research South

Pocket-sized “Polynesian Clubs” were established in several schools from the 1960s to the 1990s during a crucial period of industrial growth in Aotearoa, when a pressing need for labour led to a significant influx of Pasifika people relocating to urban areas. In a time of cultural assimilation and shock, these clubs played an essential role in creating cultural and social spaces for students and their communities.

Through singing and dancing, the Polynesian Club at Hillary College also supported school sports teams and formal events, contributing to a vibrant student culture. As the club’s popularity grew, it fostered greater appreciation for diverse ethnicities and promoted friendships that extended beyond the school environment. With Polynesian Clubs influencing both school and community life, the festival became a natural extension of these cultural experiences.

Image: Kava ceremony, Hillary College, Ōtara, 1973. Originally published in the Hillary College Yearbook, p.37. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections Footprints 00037. Photographer: Bernard Gadd

Community and Polyfest

A dedicated committee of passionate staff members—including Hone and Heni Green, Patricia George, Bill Tawhai, Anaru Paenga, Achlee Fong, and Nan Terewi—worked diligently to bring the event to life. With the enthusiasm of students and support from staff and parents, the inaugural festival was a remarkable success.

The event was officially opened by the then-Mayor of Manukau, Lloyd Elsmore. Initially held in a school hall, the festival featured performances and competitions from Māngere College, Aorere College, Seddon College (now Ngā Puna o Waiōrea Western Springs College), and the host school, Hillary College. Despite having only four participating schools, the competition attracted a substantial audience.

Image: Hillary College Yearbook 1981. Auckland Libraries Research South

The staff, students, and parents of Hillary College took on the responsibility of organizing and managing the festival, tackling tasks such as directing parking, selling tickets, marshalling crowds, and maintaining the venue. The Parent-Teacher Association, led by Nan Terewi, played a pivotal role in coordinating the hāngī, food services, and the school tuck shop. 

Image: Hillary College Yearbook 1981. Auckland Libraries Research South

Polyfest: 1976 – 2000

The inaugural competition featured Māori, Cook Island, and Samoan groups. Māngere College won first place, followed by Hillary College in second and Seddon College in third. The event’s success generated interest from other schools, leading to increased participation in the following years.

In 1977, Māngere College hosted the event, introducing non-competitive groups alongside the traditional competition format. By 1981, when Hillary College hosted the festival again, participation had expanded to 26 schools. To accommodate the increasing demand for both competitive and non-competitive performances, two stages were added to the field.

By 1991, with 38 participating schools, the festival had expanded further, necessitating five performance stages to accommodate the growing number of cultural groups. By 1995/1996, the festival’s rapid growth placed considerable logistical pressure on the host school. In response, the Manukau City Council provided valuable support by offering a larger site capable of hosting up to five performance stages and assisting with event management.

Image: Hillary College Yearbook 1981. Auckland Libraries Research South

Image: Hillary College Yearbook 1981. Auckland Libraries Research South

Polyfest Today

Polyfest’s success is deeply rooted in the invaluable contributions of subcommittees that oversee each cultural stage. Over the course of four days, students, parents, families, and teachers come together to share their enthusiasm to celebrate cultural diversity. While cultural expression is at the heart of Polyfest, students also compete to earn the title of top school within their respective categories.

Polyfest is currently hosted at Manukau Sports Bowl where five large stages showcase the cultures of Māori, Samoa, Tonga, and the Cook Islands, while Niue and Diversity share a stage. Each year there's a unique theme that makes the performances engaging, educational, and culturally enriching. The performance aspect of Polyfest is also integrated into the curriculum for senior students, allowing secondary schools with tertiary-approved language subjects to benefit from grades that contribute to their academic performance. More than 250 groups participate annually, with over 10,000 students dedicating time, effort, and passion to perfect their often-lengthy performances.

Throughout the four-day event, over 100,000 visitors gather to celebrate rich cultural expressions while also enjoying the artistic crafts and culinary delights of Moana Oceania. More than 125 food stalls representing diverse cultures, along with numerous service providers led by Pasifika leaders, showcase programs, initiatives, and opportunities designed for and by Moana Oceania communities. The Manukau Sports Bowl in Tāmaki Makaurau will once again come alive this year for Polyfest, one of the largest Pasifika festivals in Aotearoa.

Image: 100,000 to watch 13,000 performers. Manukau Courier, 2001. 

Image: Cultural Festival, Mount Albert, 1994. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections Footprints 03420

Image: Diversity stage performance, ASB Polyfest, 2015. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections POLY-D-2015-183. Photographer: Smita Biswas

Image: Onehunga High School students performing at the 2015 ASB Polyfest, 2015. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections POLY-D-2015-309. Photographer: Smita Biswas

Image: Diversity stage performers at ASB Polyfest, 2015. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections POLY-D-2015-279. Photographer: Smita Biswas

Image: Papatoetoe High School, Meke performance at ASB Polyfest, 2015. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections POLY-D-2015-088. Photographer: Smita Biswas

Image: Polynesian craft, ASB Polyfest, 2015. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections POLY-D-2015-013. Photographer: Smita Biswas

Author: Pamata Toleafoa, Curator Pasifika

For more information, check out these collections:

ASB Polyfest

Pasifika Festival

Polyfest Trust Collection

Mana (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 9, 27 October 1977, Pg 7.

Auckland secondary schools Maori & Pacific Islands Cultural Festival 1999, 18 - 20 March 1999. 

References:

Stats NZ (2018). Pacific People ethnic group.

Tennent-Brown, G. (1999). History of the Festival. Auckland Secondary Schools Maori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, 6.

Williams, M. L. (2022). The ASB Polyfest: The Construction of Transnational Pacific Cultural Spaces in Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. Pacific Arts, 22(1), 156–188. 

Williams, M. L. (2018, January 1). The ASB Polyfest: Constructing Transnational Pacific communities of practice in Auckland, New Zealand.