After 4 amazing days of competition, the curtains finally close on ASB Polyfest 2024! Summary of results down below, full results updated as we get them!

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Samoa Stage

Girls' Schools

Ulufale

3 Epsom Girls Grammar School
2 Kelston Girls College
1 Auckland Girls Grammar School

Ulufafo

3 Marist College
2 Kelston Girls College
1 Auckland Girls Grammar School

Togiga

3 Baradene College
2 Epsom Girls Grammar School
1 Auckland Girls Grammar School

Mauluulu

3 Epsom Girls Grammar School
2 Kelston Girls College
1 Auckland Girls Grammar School

Sāsā

3 Epsom Girls Grammar School
2 Kelston Girls College
1 Auckland Girls Grammar School

Fuataimi

2= Kelston Girls College, Marist College
1 Auckland Girls Grammar School

Pese o le aso

3 Marist College
2 Kelston Girls College
1 Auckland Girls Grammar School

Taupou

3 Baradene College
2 Kelston Girls College
1 Auckland Girls Grammar School

Taualuga

3 Epsom Girls Grammar School
2 Kelston Girls College
1 Auckland Girls Grammar School

OVERALL

3 Epsom Girls Grammar School
2 Kelston Girls College
1 Auckland Girls Grammar School

Boys' Schools

Ulufale

3 St Peters…more

"For me it was good and challenging to add new life to the fale and add colour to bringing the old fale to life and it still old technique and traditions and colour of the ropes give us the change of our time and relationship of the traditional fale to the modern and western fale." - Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi

Paul Johansson, of The Kongakava Hotel was thrilled and honoured that renowned Tongan artist and sculptor, Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi, agreed to do the Lalava that graces the main entrance to the Kongakava Hotel.

The lalava (traditional lashing) by Sopolemalama completes the reconstruction of the 100 year old faletonga to its former glory, bringing the old traditions into a contemporary setting for the entrance to the Hotel.

The art of lalava is a ancient traditional Tongan art form and Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi would like to see this art revived and used in contemporary settings in the Kingdom of Tonga.…more

From Fairburn Primary School, to De La Salle College, and now he takes on the IVY League College of Brown University. Raised in South Auckland, against a backdrop of love and support, this determined young man has forged a path that led him to what some may say the pinnacle of academic excellence: The Ivy League’s. 

Hailing from the villages of Siumu and Leauva'a in Samoa, Charm Tuala has gone from strength to strength academically. As a young man his parents have always emphasized the importance of education. 

“They always put an emphasis on education and taught me that sports was just a privilege…So I’m really grateful for them always keeping me in check with my grades.”

Tuala’s parent’s teaching did not fall on deaf ears. Tuala states that while his parents emphasized the importance of education for him, so did he. He too valued achieving academically himself.

 “I didn’t feel the need for my parents to always keep that pressure on me, because they instilled it in me, so I had high expectations of myself too.…more

The New Zealand Government is partnering with Etihad Airways to facilitate the departure of New Zealanders and other eligible passengers from Pacific countries out of Tel Aviv, following the outbreak of armed conflict in Israel and Gaza, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has announced.

At least four groups of Pacific Islanders have been in Israel since late September, many of them there for a christian pilgrimage participating in Jerusalem's Feast of Tabernacles celebration.

Fiji Airways had flown to Tel Aviv for the first time nearly 3 weeks ago carrying a large group, as the Pacific Islands nation seeks to build closer ties with Israel after Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka pledged to open an embassy there next year.

Last Thursday Fiji Airways managed to repatriate 243 passengers back to Fiji with almost 200 Fijians, 8 Samoans and citizens of Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US onboard.  

However, for a group of Tongans from New Zealand and a group from the Cook Islands, it has been much more difficult to get out with many commercial airlines cancelling flights.…more

By Mariner Fagaiava 

Labour’s red wave crashed over Aotearoa in 2020 and in 2023, the tide washed out. National and ACT are certain to form a coalition government, but they may need New Zealand First on current numbers. What’s in it for Pacific peoples? Broadcaster and commentator Mariner Fagaiava analyses the election result.

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Air New Zealand boss turned National leader Christopher Luxon will be flying high this morning. He’s in the pilot seat and will become New Zealand’s 42nd prime minister.

Conceding victory to Luxon was Chris Hipkins who shed tears as he spoke to Labour Party faithful in Wellington last night.

13 more years of political experience wasn’t enough to fight the country’s mood for change, which Hipkins perhaps knew all along. He credited his loss to a “perfect storm” of Covid, scandal amongst his own MPs and of course, the cost of living.

  After farewelling party veterans Aupito William Sio and Poto Williams in August, Labour is set to lose more Pacific names: Anahila Kanongata’a, Anae Neru Leavasa, Terisa Ngobi and Dan Rosewarne.…more

The winners of the 2023 Creative New Zealand’s prestigious Arts Pasifika Awards have just been announced and the majority of awards have been taken out by female Pacific artists, with two winners in the Senior Pacific Artist category.

The Arts Pasifika awards are the only national awards for Pasifika artists across all artforms and the vibrant annual event celebrates Pacific creative excellence in Aotearoa and globally.

Caren Rangi, Chair of the Arts Council, says the Arts Pasifika Awards play a significant role in celebrating Pacific creativity in Aotearoa.

“I’m particularly proud of the fact that many of our winning artists this year are also passionate advocates for the Pacific community,” says Caren.

“Their influence transcends beyond the creative sector – they're not only making outstanding work but also using their platforms to give back. Many of them are educators, Lavinia is also a youth worker and Falepipi He Malofa’s creative work began as an opportunity for members of the senior Niuean community to come together.…more

Fitu and Una Taukeiaho have lived on Maui for over 20 years and join ABC News to recall their experience evacuating Lahaina and returning to visit their destroyed home.

At time of writing (15th Aug), the death toll of the Maui wildfires have reached 99 with Hawaii Governor Josh Green telling local media the death toll is likely to increase “very significantly” and could double over the next 10 days. This makes the Maui wildfires the deadliest in the United States in over 100 years.

As the number of casualties continues to increase, authorities are confronting inquiries regarding their readiness for an event of this magnitude and their response to the situation:

• Despite the rapid expansion of the lethal fires into residential areas, the world's largest siren system remained inactive. Communication with residents in times of emergency was predominantly reliant on mobile phones and broadcasting, a period during which most power and cellular services were already disrupted.…more

There are nine Pasifika wāhine in the 2023 Y25 (25 young wāhine and irarere under 25 yrs who are fighting for better systems, communities, and worlds).

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Allyssa Verner Pula (22)

Auckland came alive today with some active talanoa from all our Pacific media sectors, with the first cross sector Pacific media fono in 10 years.

Recognising the stalwarts of the past and looking to the digital opportunities of the future framed much of the talanoa, which brought together Pacific Media Network, RNZ Pacific, Tikilounge Productions, Sunpix, amidst a range of broadcasters from across the sectors.

How do we build on the PIJF journalism fund and how we build capacity and sustainability for all the young Pasifika media people coming through were key issues, alongside exploring the finding pathways for content that are now available via NZ on Air.

Much was made of the importance of story sovereignty and being able to serve our big diverse Pasifika audiences in a variety of ways.…more