Ads by Google Ads by Google

Biggest Polyfest celebrates culture, diversity and youth

The 2012 ASB Polyfest this week is being touted as the biggest gathering of Polynesians on earth.In its 37th year, this annual event is the largest Māori and Pacific Islands cultural festival in the world – attracting 195 school-based performance groups, some 9500 performers and an estimated 95,000.The four-day festival will climax tomorrow with passion, culture, colour and creativity at the Manukau Sports Bowl.Showcasing New Zealand’s diverse cultures and a celebration of youth performance, the ASB Polyfest features traditional music, dance, costume and speech and is now recognised as an important event promoting unity and diversity.While celebrating the pride and passion of our Māori and Pacific Island communities, other ethnic groups are also included.The other groups are represented on the Diversity Stage featuring performances from a range of cultural groups, including Fijian, Indo Fijian, Tokelau, Chinese, Tuvaluan, Filipino, Thai, Japanese African, Korean, Malaysian, Cambodian, Sri Lankan and Indian.