Mt Albert campus came alive for the inaugural Pacific Day on Tuesday.
A large turnout of kaimahi, ākonga and guests from the community, including visiting high school groups, were kept entertained by a busy programme of music, food, performances, and activities organised by Unitec’s Pacific Centre.
The day began with a blessing and a kava ceremony conducted by senior lecturer, Jone Tawaketini.
This was followed by an address by Head of School for Healthcare and Social Practice, Dr Linda Aumua, who spoke about the growth of Pacific capability at Unitec over 30 years; reflecting on the proud achievements and milestones, from when there were very few Pacific staff to today, where kaimahi from such backgrounds are at every level of the institution.
Steering the programme was guest MC, Dr Falaniko Tominiko, the Pacific Centre’s former director, who brought his signature island humour and banter, which kept the laughter flowing throughout the day.
The activities proved popular including a coconut husking and scraping competition, weaving demonstrations, kava tasting in the Fale, and Tuvalu dancing with senior administrator, Molia Alama and her dance group.
There was also a Pacific Quiz competition facilitated by Pacific Success Navigator Rokosiga Morrison, which had ākonga visiting the various Pacific nation stalls to interrogate the experts and available information to find the answers.
The TALA talking series held in Te Puna saw ākonga inspiring others by sharing their student journeys in an open mic format.
Event coordinator, Venusi Taumoepeau said the event was “a reflection of Unitec’s commitment to its strong Pacific community”, going on to thank his team of volunteers wearing the bright coloured Pacific Day t-shirts, who ensured everything ran smoothly.
“It was truly humbling to witness so many people come together to uplift and celebrate the Pacific community,” he explained. “They handled everything with such dedication and grace and went above and beyond to ensure the success of the event. Mālō ‘aupito!”