After being cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID 19 pandemic, as well as being cut short in 2019 due to the Christchurch Mosque shooting, the ASB Polyfest is set to make a comeback in April 2021.
The iconic festival is one of Auckland’s most recognised events – a celebration of New Zealand’s diverse cultures through youth performances.
Barbara Lesa, a participant in the Manurewa High School Samoan Polyfest group, says “culture is slowly fading away, but Polyfest has helped me a lot with holding on to our culture”.
In honouring its 45th anniversary, the Polyfest Trust have derived an action plan and a digital strategy that allows the continuation of the event if Auckland enters another lockdown.
As we approach the final weeks of preparation, our reporter Ann-Tauilo follows Manurewa High School’s Samoan Polyfest Group to capture the raw emotions and struggles of what it takes to formulate a performance during these unprecedented times.
