Coco Talanoa — Events / Page 1

ASB Polyfests 50th Event is going down this weeek & there are a few things you should know going into this year!

TICKETS

• Buy tickets online to avoid long queues
• Online tickets $7.50, Gate Sales $10 
• There will be cash and eftpos available at the gates
• Children under are FREE and require no tickets

LIVESTREAM

• ASB Polyfest is the OFFICIAL and ONLY Livestream Provider for 2025
• You must pay to watch the livestream
• You must create a login and sign in when you have access to the website here

SCHEDULES

• Full Schedules for speeches and performances for all stages are available online here

CONDITIONS

• Smoke free, Vape free, Drug free event
• All bags will be checked at the gate
• Please leave your cigarettes and vapes at home if you do not want them confiscated by security

STALLS 

• There are over 100 stalls this year including food, drink, arts n crafts, education, health and social services providers
• Please bring cash as some stalls may not have eftpos.

Food/Drink

• You may bring your own packed lunch and drinks to Polyfest.…more

Port Moresby Fasion Week is set to make a return April 17-19 at the bustling Vision City Mega Mall!

Featured in the official PNG Fashion Week 2025 calendar, this year's event will certainly be an exhilarating showcase of local talents and international trends with six fashion/product runways throughout the three-day affair.

For eight good years running, the schedule of Port Moresby Fashion Week stands certainly as the pillar of Papua New Guinea's fashion industry by providing an outstanding platform for designers, models, and retailers to show their works to a growing audience.

It has developed into not only the feature of the calendar for PNG Fashion Week but also grows as a lighthouse to the fashion ardent here and from abroad, giving local talents international exposure and opportunity.

Taking place right at the Vision City Mega Mall, the region's popular shopping destination, the event is expected to attract over 20,000 shoppers each day, with foot traffic potentially increasing to 40,000 during the week of fashion itself.…more

🌺✨ Join us on the blue carpet for the highly anticipated premiere of Moana 2!  Te Reo🎥🌊

In this video, we chat with the cast, crew, and special guests about the magic behind bringing this Polynesian adventure to life. From behind-the-scenes stories to heartfelt moments of cultural pride, you won’t want to miss what the stars have to say.

Get ready to dive into the world of Moana once again as we celebrate its legacy, stunning visuals, and unforgettable music. 🌀🎶

🎤 Featuring interviews with:
🌟 The voices of Moana, Maui, and new characters
🌟 Directors and producers sharing what’s new this time around
🌟 Polynesian cultural consultants on how the film honors Pacific traditions

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more Moana 2 content and your chance to relive the magic of the blue carpet! 💙✨ #Moana2 #BlueCarpet #PolynesianPride

by Lefaoali’i Dr Dion Enari

As Pasifika people, I know we have all had that talk. Should we support Maori or not? After attending the Toitu te tiriti hikoi on Wednesday, I believe we need to stand with our Maori family now, more than ever before.

As an Indigenous Samoan I believe, unless you came to New Zealand and added your own piece of land, we are on Maori land. The land of our cousins. As family, it is our duty as Tangata Moana to stand in  solidarity with our Maori family in their sovereignty fight.

When one is attacked, we are all attacked. As I saw several Pasifika at the hikoi, I was excited to hear their insights as well, interestingly my sentiments were shared. This is what some of them said.

“Attending the hikoi was important to me as a Tangata Moana and Tangata Tiriti, having migrated here from Tonga, because I understand how deeply sovereignty and connection to our land are woven into our identity.…more

The Bunnings Pacific Cup Touch Tournament is more than just a competition—it’s a celebration of culture, community, and connection for our Pacific and Māori youth. Held annually in South Auckland, this event has become the largest Pacific-led touch tournament in the world, and it continues to grow in size and impact.

Founded in 2019 by Patariki Spellman (known as Pat), alongside his good friends Ngariki Enosa and Harley Wall, the Pacific Cup was established to create a representative platform for indigenous people to call their own.

“Māori and Pacific people make up huge numbers in our sport at a community level—it made sense for tangata moana to have a representative platform in the same way Māori have. We wanted to come together, celebrate what it means to be us—and play some touch,”

 The concept was to acknowledge, share, and celebrate everything that makes Pacific communities unique.…more

The power of the pen, the camera lens, dance, visual arts and our beautiful vocal talents all celebrated in one giant night of the Pasifika Arts Awards 2024!

Recipient of the Emerging Pacific Artists Award, Sione Tuilailala Monū is an example of an artist working at the junctions of identity and artforms. They explore Pasifika queer experience across multiple disciplines.

The young artist has become known for their signature ‘Cloud’ forms and their popular kahoa workshops with community groups, as well as his installation and visual arts works.…more

The Maine Kuki Airani Aotearoa Pageant recently held a Pink Ribbon Breakfast Fundraiser to bring awareness to breast cancer within the Cook Islands community.

The event, which gathered local medical professionals and Cook Islanders working in the field, aimed to educate Pacific women on the importance of early detection and support.

The seven contestants of the pageant played a key role as ambassadors in spreading awareness. 

The participants, including Inano Aniterea, Keikilani Rea, Jenna Te Ariki, Ambushia Mateariki, Siniva Talamaivao-Nickel, Ngatepaeru Maoate, and Tatyana Nomotu, are dedicated to sharing vital health messages with the community.

Guest speaker Tarani Napa shared a personal and powerful message with the attendees: “Don’t be afraid to go get tested, I chose to live.”

Her words emphasised the life-saving importance of early breast cancer detection and encouraged women to take proactive steps for their health.…more

The 15th Pacific Water and Wastewater Conference and Expo, as well as the 8th Pacific Water and Wastewater Ministers Forum opened today (Tuesday 3rd September NZT) at the Cook Islands National Auditorium in Rarotonga. 

Hosted by Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI) the weeks events will see over 300 individuals from 30 Pacific utility providers flock to Rarotonga where they will prioritise, coordinate and highlight the importance of water resilience and the need to rapidly accelerate access to safe, and clean sources of drinking water in the wake of climate change. 

The theme for this years conference is ‘Water resilience in the Pasifika – Navigating the currents of change for a climate resilient region’.…more

The 20th Pacific Music Awards took place at the Due Drop Events Centre in Manukau last night  (Thursday 29th Aug).  

The event marked a milestone in Aotearoa’s music history, signifying two decades of celebrating  Pasifika contributions to the New Zealand music scene.  

The atmosphere ran electric as musicians, friends, families and entire communities gathered to  celebrate the achievements of the years nominated finalists.  

The first award for the evening, the Most Promising Artist Award, went to brother and sister country duo Miti. The Porirua raised siblings dedicated the award to their parents and remarked  “This is so surreal.…more

Last week the Cook Islands celebrated 59 years of Self-Governing. In Avaiki Nui, Te Kuki Airani, this momentous occasion is affectionately marked by Te Maeva Nui (The Grand Celebration.)

Te Maeva Nui is arguably the most vibrant week in the Cook Islands calendar. The nation’s capital runs electric as Cook Islanders from the Pa Enua (outer islands) and overseas flock to Rarotonga eager to represent their respective islands and villages on the stage of the National Auditorium.

The week that unfolds is one filled with float parades, trade and the most cutting edge and unique Cook Islands dancing, singing, drumming and costumes making.

Preparations for Te Maeva Nui begin months in advance with group leaders attempting to secure the best composers, choreographers, costume makers, musicians and dancers to represent their island or village.

With a population of only 17,000 people, every Cook Islander knows who the heavy hitters of Te Maeva Nui are. You know, the people who are going to elevate the performances and take their teams to the A-grade category.…more