20 Mar 2018

Hawai'i sending biggest group to Pasifika Festival

8:02 am on 20 March 2018

The Hawaiian village at this weekend's annual Pasifika Festival in Auckland will include its largest group of performers yet.

75 performers of the non-profit group, Na Maka O Pu'uwai Aloha Foundation, will join in events on Sunday.

Members of the foundation will take part in this week's Pasifika Festival in Auckland

Members of the foundation will take part in this week's Pasifika Festival in Auckland Photo: http://www.namakastudio.org/

The Hawaiian village co-ordinator Keonilei Leali'ifano said the group had been teaching Hawaiian culture and language, through the hula dance, for almost 20 years.

Mrs Leali'ifano is running the Hawaiian village for the second time and she said working with the president of the group, Mandi Scott, had been helpful as it could be intense organising such a big group.

"She's basically organised her group completely and hasn't really asked for much from me except how she can help us and contribute to the village and so on and she's bringing 75 performers and then another 75 supporters, family and friends," Mrs Leali'ifano said.

"This will definitely be our biggest group of performers, because prior to this it was 50."