The Bay of Plenty Fijians Community are celebrating Fiji Language Week and Fiji Independence Day in Te Puke from October 7-14.

The celebrations begin with a flag raising ceremony at 8am on Saturday, October 7, at the Te Puke Memorial Hall.

“Fiji community leaders, the Te Puke community board and other community leaders are invited,
 says organiser Patrick Rounds. “Following that is morning tea at the hall.”

At 10.30am on Saturday, everyone is invited to a community beach clean-up at Motiti Reserve in Papamoa, with a barbecue and community picnic.

“And we’ve been approached by a number of day care centres to go tell the story of Fiji during the week,” says Patrick.

“Then on Saturday, October 14, we’re having a community sports and family fun day at Te Puke Sports Club, 65 Atuaroa Ave. At the end of the day at 3pm we are having some cakes and kava ceremony and talking about the story of Fiji independence and our journey here to the Bay of Plenty.”

Patrick says around 400 seasonal RSE workers and the local Fijian community will be celebrating together.

“This has been funded by the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund. For Fijians new to the bay, this is where to go, come for a fun day.”