SIVA AFI - A RESILIENT AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY

Amazing to see two students from our siva afi workshops doing their thing for this new song release by artist Katerina ‘TREE’ Manu and Wayne ‘WAYNO’ Laai

Portia Meredith-Numia (Mangere workshops)

Portia is a 18-year-old student at Massey High School, representing the Tielu, Taua, Leilua and Pereira families and villages of Togafuafua, Matautu, Siufaga, Siumu and Moataa. Portia was Top3 at Wahine Toa Afi Competition - SIVA AFI FESTIVAL 2024.

Teuea Arun (Whau workshops)

Teuea is from Nanumea, Tuvalu. He started off by attending workshops at Mangere in 2022 and has been doing siva afi for almost 1.5 years now and competed in his first international competition in March in the inaugural Masters Of The Flame Aotearoa - SIVA AFI FESTIVAL 2024.

Suni Aunese White (Whau workshops)

Suni is a member of Tahimana and attends St Pauls College, representing the villages of Fusi Safata and Satufia Satupaitea. He is also a siva afi tutor AKTIVE ZONE. Suni was placed Top3 in the International Youth Siva Afi Competition - Intermediate Category - SIVA AFI FESTIVAL 2024.

With less then 24hours of our workshop registrations opening, it was then closed and straight to waiting list! What a massive show of interest and support for our community programs. We are grateful and humbled by this, Jan 2024 we closed registrations after a week, but now closed after one day :) #LETSGO!!!! 41% Donation so far! Let's bring it home! :) CHEEEHOOOOO!

Hadassah is a member of the only all female siva afi troupe in the South Pacific Wāhine Toa Siva Afi. Based in Māngere (the Home of Siv Afi in Aotearoa), Auckland NZ.

We welcome Hadassah to our tutoring team and we look forward to have participants experience the passion and commitment Hadassah brings to siva afi.

Video Credits

Hero – Hadassah Tagoa’I-Vaoa

Directed/ Produced – Ben Mikha

Music – Nifo Oti by Vaimatina (feat. LJ Tui) 2017.

Japeth (JP) is of Samoan, Cook Island and Tahitian descent. Hailing from Falelatai, Upolu/Patamea Savai’i in Samoa. Aitutaki/Mangaia/Rarotonga in the Cook Islands and Taha’a in Tahiti.

As a child and into his teens he performed in many Cook Island groups, he was never far away from the sound of the pāte so naturally he was able to pick up the sticks and play along.

20 plus years later he now lends a hand to help drum when needed for Wāhine Toa Siva Afi Drumline.

Kea Kids interviewing some of our workshop kids who competed at Siva Afi Festival 2023

Siva Afi Aotearoa would like to thank you all for your amazing support!

We continue to light the path for our youth and whanau to be resilient, to engage positively and to share in a friendly and safe environment of growth and opportunities for all.

Watch this space for further updates from our workshops as well as our annual SIVA AFI FESTIVAL, set for Friday 7th and Saturday 8th March 2025.

Our open siva afi sessions (Fridays), we were joined by a travelling group from Kona, Big Island, Hawaii, who were kind enough to run some drill sessions with our young siva afi warriors who are prepping for an upcoming competition.

With your support, we continue to connect and engage, not only with our local communities but also with visiting international teams.

We look forward to starting our workshops this coming August with Siva Afi Whau (West) and Siva Afi Mangere (South).

Ia Manuia ma Soifua.

Siva Afi Aotearoa

www.sivaafiaotearoa.co.nz

With 4 workshops completed we would like to once again thank you all for your support and generosity to ensure we continue to provide FREE active programs in the community that are inclusive, intergenerational and accessible to all.

Due to the massive response from the community during our registration process, which meant we had to close registration after just 12hours of opening and then opened up our waiting list which continuous to grow to date.

For a record number of registrations this Semester we welcomed the following registered numbers, 60 with Siva Afi Mangere, 40 with Siva Afi Whau and 16 with Siva Afi Drumming. As I mentioned, our waiting list is at 40 and counting.

Please email your EOI to join our workshop waiting list to workshop@polynesianentertainers.com

Thank you Poe Tiare Tararo of BOOSTED XMOANA and the team at CREATIVE NEW ZEALAND for your support.

Here are some images from the participants and tutors doing their mahi.