http://scenicsunday.blogspot.com/I am doing to this post as I have fellow bloggers expressing an interest.
Pasifika is not an original word. In fact my Polyenesian friends tell me they are Samoan, Tongan, Cook Islanders, Tokolaus, Fijians, and so on until they come to New Zealand. Once they landed in New Zealand, they are told they are Pasifika. I tell my young students that I am an Islander too. They look with disbelief and I compare my brownish olive Chinese skin, and I am not much different from some of them. I point to my world map and tell them I am a Borneo Island. They love me for being part of them.
I must remember to wear my last year's Pasifika T shirt, and wear my Sarawak Sarong.
These are photos taken from previous years Pasifika. After a long holiday in Australia, and with the water engineer away for a similar period, I didn't feel like going. Besides, I went with my friend Ngarimu to spread the good news of recycling, and he didn't call me up this year.
The Prince of Tonga himself graced the occasion. My Tongan Student Ma'ata cnfirmed that that the young man seated at the gazebo was her prince. His loyal subjects sat on the ground behind him.
The Tongan brass band played when I was there to see if I could see my student Ellinna performing.
They are wearing their mat lava lava (sarong) on top of their fabric lava lava. This is a very formal occasion.
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5 comments:
I was just wondering where the maoris of New Zealand come from and how long have they been settling in NZ.
Hi Ann
Great Scenic Sunday shots :-)
Great fun! Enjoyed this considerably – thank you for sharing…
…rob
Image & Verse
Very interesting and I enjoyed the photos.
There are many theories of the History of the Maoris. Nobody knows for sure as some are discredited.
a general consensus among scholars now is that the Polynesians originally moved into the Pacific from the West, spread eastwards, and that the Māori came most recently from the eastern Pacific (that is Tahiti or the Marquesas). They began to arrive in New Zealand about 1000 years ago.* The New Zealand Encyclopedia, 4th Edition. David Bateman
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