“Mama Tupou” is a legend and pioneer of ASB Polyfest. Tupou Manapori,80, has been to every Polyfest event since it began in 1976 as the Auckland Secondary School Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival.

“Mama Tupou” was a founding member of Polyfest and continues to be an integral part of the event as the co-ordinator for the Cook Island Stage.

She explains how Polyfest has helped a generation of Māori and Pacific youth to find their identity.

I can still remember the first Polyfest. The year was 1976 and it started in pretty humble fashion.

A close-up look at one of the many traditional headpieces you can expect to see on the Cook Islands stage.  Auckland Girls Grammar Cook Island Group 2023. Photo / Thomas Wandstraat

I was working at Hillary College at the time as a teacher – Hillary College (now Sir Edmund Hillary College), Mangere College, Aorere College and Seddon College (now Western Springs) – attended and performed. It cost 50 cents to attend.

We started small because we felt the importance of the event was for our children, the New Zealand-born Pasifika youth, to know about their culture, their identity and their language.

That was the purpose: to give our Pasifika and Māori youth an event they could build their identity around. That remains the purpose of Polyfest today.

We have come a long way since those days.

In 2025, we are anticipating close to 75 schools and 280 groups will perform. More than 10,000 Pasifika youth will take to the stage and around 100,000 people will attend with 200 stallholders.

Polyfest is now heralded as the biggest secondary school cultural dance festival in the world.

Everyone who has played a part in building this event should be proud of that.

ACC will be among the 200 stallholders. Alongside NZ Rugby League, they will be talking to our youth about preventing and managing concussion in sport. It is important work and I encourage our rangatahi to engage with the supporters of our event.

I am a proud Cook Islander and the 50th anniversary will be a special walk down memory lane.

In recent years we have had plenty to overcome – events like Covid-19, the Christchurch terror attack (which happened during the 2019 event) and the Auckland floods.

During this time our people have shown incredible resilience and strength.

I can’t wait to connect with all the people who have made it special over the years and to keep building for our future.

The theme or kaupapa for the 2025 event is fitting. It is “Legacy – A treasure handed down” (He oha nō tua, he taonga tuku iho!).

St Pauls College Niuean Group celebrates backstage in 2024. Photo / Thomas Wandstraat

I have seen my children and grandchildren grow up at this event.

There is no doubt that Polyfest has been a defining festival for shaping our next generation of Polynesian and Māori people.

It has helped our youth of tomorrow to showcase their cultural languages, their dances, and learn about leadership skills.

They were taught leadership, passion and pride in their culture, which helped in every aspect of their life.

It is very important that Pacific and Māori people don’t forget our roots, and where we come from.

ASB Polyfest – The Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival