The Samoa Observer N.Z. Co. Ltd’s mobile phone service “Pasifika Mobile”, which aim is to “assist with fundraising activities” by Pacific churches around New Zealand, and other member organizations of Pacific communities, is under threat of being shut out of New Zealand’s biggest Pacific annual event, the Pasefika Festival.
This year the Pasifika Festival will be held on 8 and 9 March at Western Spring in Central Auckland. And last week the Samoa Observer was told by the festival’s Senior Advisor Commercial Partnerships, Sarah Leo Anderson, the paper would have to talk to two others “about media accreditation” and whether a “stall” would be available.
She advised though that there might be a problem with newspapers being involved in the festival since they were “rubbish.”
She said “whether or not you would be able to hand out newspapers at the event e.g., we must be mindful about rubbish on the park so you might not be able to hand out newspapers.”
Located at 333G East Tamaki Road in South Auckland, the Samoa Observer was established in 2007. It is the only Pacific newspaper with a permanent office in New Zealand complete with printing and darkroom facilities.
It publishes the weekly New Zealand Pacific and prints the monthly Niue Star, and late last year, it established its Pasifika Mobile service.
Word then that the paper may not be allowed to take part in the country’s biggest Pacific cultural event this year, the Pasefika Festival, is arguably a breach of the central concept on which the festival was established back in 1992.
According to the Pasifika Festival website, “the event came to life through a joint initiative venture in 1992 between the then Auckland City Council and the South Pacific Island Nations Development Association.
It said: “The festival aimed to bring Pacific Island communities closer together and to celebrate the richness and variety of their values, culture and lifestyles,”
It also said: “The village concept was introduced as a way of demonstrating each Pacific Island’s diversity - the village concept continues to be the core of the event to this day.”
And then “(in) 1993, the event incorporated a Pacific Island fashion show and theatre performances. Over 20,000 people attended in only the festival’s second year.
<!-- Right 300X250 -->
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
style="display:inline-block;width:300px;height:250px"
data-ad-client="ca-pub-2469982834957525"
data-ad-slot="8433753430"></ins>
<script>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script> {/googleAds}
“Between 1995 and 2000 an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 people attended each year” with “representations from 11 Pacific Islands (i.e. Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Hawaii & Aotearoa.”
And “in 2001 a record number of people attended the festival - this included an opening night concert, showcasing the Pacific talent scheduled to perform on the festival day. This initiative won the Creative New Zealand’s Creative Places Award in 2001.
“Between 2002 and 2004, community stallholder numbers exceeded 300 for the first time. It’s estimated that over $1 million changed hands during the 2002 festival.”
The event’s website goes on to say “the Pasifika Festival is one of the biggest multi-cultural events in New Zealand, and a wonderful chance to connect with huge crowds, whether you’re a performer wanting to make it big or you’re fundraising for your community.”
That was then.
Today, the event’s organizers are uncertain as to “whether or not” to allow participation to the Samoa Observer which already has in place a working “mobile phone service”, which aim is to assist with fundraising activities by members of the Pacific communities, including Pacific churches around New Zealand.
Instead, the Samoa Observer has been told it may not be allowed to take part since “we must be mindful about rubbish on the park, so you might not be able to hand out newspapers.”
What about the big media networks who also produce newspapers, magazines and marketing fliers, which are clearly a big source of “rubbish” all over New Zealand today?
Are they also being discouraged from selling and handing out newspapers in the park since they are “rubbish”?
Perhaps someone should remind those who are running the Auckland City Council and the South Pacific Island Nations Development Association today, about why this festival was set up seventeen years ago.
Perhaps they should be told: “The festival (is) aimed (at bringing) Pacific Island communities closer together and to celebrate the richness and variety of their values, culture and lifestyles.”
In addition, they should be reminded that the festival was seen then as “a wonderful chance to connect with huge crowds, whether you’re a performer wanting to make it big or you’re fundraising for your community.”
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-2469982834957525";
/* Bottom Articles */
google_ad_slot = "5910176767";
google_ad_width = 468;
google_ad_height = 60;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script> {/googleAds}