Media Release: Polyfest Prepares Future Leaders

Su’a William Sio

MP for Mangere

Spokesperson on Customs

Associate Local Government

Associate Pacific Island Affairs
NZ Labour Party

The ASB Polyfest provides opportunities to prepare our young people to become future leaders says Su’a William Sio, Labour’s associate spokesperson for Pacific Island Affairs and MP for Mangere.

“Our young people get the opportunity to lead their respective cultural groups, to work with their peers of different ethnicities, and to sing and speak in the different languages of the Pacific.  These are the future leaders of New Zealand.”

“It was the same for many of my generation who participated in the Festival when it first started some 33 years ago.”

“It is a wonderful display of raw talent…it’s a festival that was established by senior students of Hillary College, Otara in 1976 because of their belief in themselves, in their cultures and the mana of their Polynesian languages,” says Su’a William Sio.

Speaking on behalf of the Samoan community during the Festival’s opening powhiri ceremony Su’a William Sio thanked the school principals, teachers, parents, and the young people for all the hard work and time invested in preparing the various groups for the competition rounds.

“The Polyfest is not just a celebration of cultures but it is also a time to express our gratitude to one another, especially the schools and the community for the support for the Festival since it was first established.”

“The Festival showcases the wonderful gifts and talents that our young people have, and reflects how much the community wants the best for our young people now and into the future.”

“It is exciting to be part of this Festival, right here in Manukau which is the city I call the land of the young, the beautiful and the gifted.”

“I, along with everyone involved in the Polyfest believe so much in our young people, we know how good they are, we know how talented they are, and we are so proud of them.”

“That’s why it can be quite distressing at times when national media who don’t know our young people portray them in a different light, or simply focus on the bad and not on the good.”

This year’s festival will feature more than 10,000 students from more than 60 schools performing in six stages – Maori, Niue, Tonga, Cook Islands, Samoa and a ‘diversity stage’ in the Manukau Sports Bowl in Te Irirangi Drive, Manukau City.

Wesley College has hosted the festival for two years in a row and next year Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate will take over the responsibilities of host school.

An additional highlight of this year’s festival is Mana College from Wellington participating for the first time in the 2009 Polyfest.