Thousands flock to Pasifika festival

Published: 6:20PM Saturday March 13, 2010

Source: ONE News

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Pasifika 2010 - Source: ONE News

Watch Video Thousands flock to Pasifika festival (01:59)

More than 200,000 people have flooded through the gates at Auckland's Western Springs for the Pasifika Festival - the largest of its kind in the world.

But politics reared its head when two members of a contemporary Fijian dance group were denied entry into New Zealand because of family connections to the Fijian military.

Lead dancer Samu Cama was really looking forward to the event but the group knew it was unlikely he would be able to come.

Since the 2006 coup, travel sanctions have been imposed against members of the Fiji military and their families.

Amnesty International has set up shop near the stage and says a lot of people are asking about Fiji and their concerns there about freedom of speech.

The political turmoil in Fiji has sent NZ tourists to the Cook Islands which had 100,000 visitors last year - mostly from New Zealand.

The Cook Islands village is one of the most popular at Pasifika but they hope to attract more tourists - especially to the island of Aitutaki recently hit by Cyclone Pat.

"The way it was devastated we need to get back out and attract the extra people coming down, most New Zealanders mostly go to Raro," says Cook Islands MP Junior Maoate.

But it was politics on the domestic front that took centre stage with Pacific Island Labour MPs saying they were stopped from speaking on the main stages.

"We've been coming here to support the Pasifika Festival ever since it started," says Mangere MP Su'a William
Sio.

Auckland City Council denies banning them, saying there was no time in the schedule.

But despite the politics, Pasifika was a success and they all hope to be back next year.

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