SIVA AFI ONLINE FESTIVAL 2022
Saturday 19 March 2022 - Wāhine Toa Afi Competition
Sunday 20 March 2022 - NZ Schools Siva Afi Competition.
Replays available for viewing.
Thank you
Thank you for joining us for the first Siva Afi Online Festival 2022 held over the 19th and 20th March. If you missed the event, or would like to watch a replay of either days, you’re welcome to do so below. Feel free to share with family and friends.
Watch festival replays here
Day One
Day Two
Festival Programme
Aotearoa, ia tū fa’atasi!
Welcome to our very first SIVA AFI ONLINE FESTIVAL March 2022.
Words cannot completely express my gratitude to everyone who made this online event a success. It was a mammoth undertaking by our team of performers, filming crew and families, all while navigating the effects of COVID-19 in the community.
In December 2021 we were grappling with what the current COVID-19 restrictions meant for our community. While adhering to Ministry of Health’s guidelines in keeping our people safe, we were very fortunate to be able to continue offering our FREE Siva Afi workshops with an open to all Kaupapa.
SIVA AFI ONLINE FESTIVAL is our testament in committing to our Kaupapa of inclusion and celebrating our communities together.
To the Honourable Carmel Sepuloni and Creative New Zealand, we thank you for the Wave Initiative Program, enabling our festival to reach new heights and increase our reach locally and internationally. The festival’s digital platform meant those participants unable to travel and attend the festival in person were still able to submit their competition piece online. It also gave us the opportunity to invite judges from overseas as panel members for the competition.
Faafetai lava to Shona McCullagh, Ataahua Papa and Auckland Arts Festival as Siva Afi is again represented in this prestigious platform for the Arts in Auckland.
The generosity of the Creative Communities Scheme meant we could again support engagement and wellbeing in the community through whanau orientated activities and programs.
Māngere-Otāhūhū Local Board and Māngere Town Centre, your unconditional support has made Māngere the home of Siva Afi in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Alofa atu
One last thing from me, I would like to extend my aroha and alofa to all those who were unable to deliver for this year’s festival due to COVID-19. This includes the many performance troupes, individual artists, contractors, and creatives.
To our whanau in the Te Tairawhiti area, from the postponement and then cancellation of the Siva Afi Festival Gisborne October 2021 and now Auckland under RED Traffic Light System, we pray 2023 will bring blessings to you all.
To Jayden Luapo, Sophia Uele and the Tautua Dance Academy in Wellington – it was a tough decision to make but ensuring the wellbeing of all of your whanau was our priority. All your fans in Auckland and the rest of Aotearoa will need to be patient for another 12months for Tautua Dance to debut at our 2023 festival.
From Tau Afine Niue, Saintz Dance Academy, Aunuanua Dance Troupe, Tiare Nui Dance Collective, Siva Afi Whau, Siva Afi Mangere, Siva Afi Tairawhiti and Siva Afi Otara, thank you again for your support and sacrifices.
Thank you again to everyone for tuning in and don’t forget to check out PolyX – Polynesian Night Markets online sales and PRE-ORDERS, happening right now.
Ia manuia ma soifua, i le alofa ma le agalelei o le Atua
Tauanuu Amo Ieriko
Siva Afi Online Festival Director
Words from the Festival Director
Our MC & Judges
We’re incredibly grateful to our MC’s and Judges for taking part in our first online festival in 2022.
Tom Natoealofa
A familiar face on our TV screens and in the Pacific community, Tom Natoealofa has maintained his passion for the arts with appearances in numerous theatre plays and on screen. An accomplished musician and musical director, Tom returns to the stage for the third year as our Siva Afi Online Festival co-host.
Louisa Tipene Opetaia
Louisa Tipene Opetaia is a communications specialist with 20 years of experience in public relations, marketing, and media. As a Mistress of Ceremonies (MC) she has hosted fashion shows, beauty pageants, awards nights, film festivals and the Hawai’i stage at the Pasifika Festival. Louisa lives in South Auckland and works as the Cultural Affairs Coordinator at the United States Consulate General.
Competition Winners 2022
Congratulations to all our competitors in both the Wāhine Toa Afi Competition and the NZ Schools Competition.
NZ Junior Schools Competition
Junior Champion for 2022
Name: Simone Tino
School/ Club: Randwick Park School/ Siva Afi Mangere
Age: 12 years
Island/ Iwi/ Village: Samoa
Awards: Top 3 Juniors Division – NZ Schools Siva Afi Competition 2021
Top 3
Name: Emillie Pritchard Lovett
School/ Club: Sir Douglas Bader Intermediate School/ Siva Afi Otara.
Age: 10years
Island/ Iwi/ Village: Samoa
Awards: Junior Champ – NZ Schools Siva Afi Competition 2021
Name: Ezra Falani
School/ Club: Freyberg Community School/ Siva Afi West
Age: 8 years
Island/ Village: Samoa :Mulifanua,Sataoa, Vailima and Vaimea.
Iwi: Ngati Maniapoto
Awards: Junior Champ – NZ Schools Siva Afi Competition 2021
Name: Simone Tino
School/ Club: Randwick Park School/ Siva Afi Mangere
Age: 12 years
Island/ Iwi/ Village: Samoa
Awards: Top 3 Juniors Division – NZ Schools Siva Afi Competition 2021
NZ Senior Schools Competition
Senior Champion for 2022
Name: Jayden Suni Aunese-White
School/ Club: St Pauls College / TahiMana
Age: 13 years
Island/ Iwi/Village: Samoa/ Kiwi
Samoa Villages: Fusi Safata, Satufia Satupaitea
Awards: 1st in Second Division. Gisborne Boys High School Siva Afi Competition 2020
Top 3
Name: Lena Vaaimamao
School/ Club: Avondale College/ TahiMana
Age: 14 years
Island/ Iwi/ Village: Samoa
Name: Jayden Suni Aunese-White
School/ Club: St Pauls College / TahiMana
Age: 13 years
Island/ Iwi/Village: Samoa/ Kiwi
Samoa Villages: Fusi Safata, Satufia Satupaitea
Awards: 1st in Second Division. Gisborne Boys High School Siva Afi Competition 2020.
Name: Marcelo Reyes-Tokuma
School/ Club: Mt Albert Grammar/ TahiMana
Age: 14 years
Island/ Iwi/ Village: Samoa/ Peru
Awards: GBHS Siva Afi Comp 2020.Top 3 NZ Schools Siva Afi Comp 2021
Wahine Toa Competition
Champion for 2022
Name: Iorina Tafili
Wellington Siva Afi
Villages (Samoa): Falevao/ Safotu/ Leulumoega
Top 3
Name: Fa’aolo (Olo) Suataga
Wāhine Toa Siva Afi & Siva Afi Māngere
Villages (Samoa): Niusuatia Safata & Safune Savaii.
Awards: Top 3 WTA Competition 2021
“I have learnt so many things of my culture like Siva Samoa, traditional choir, etc. But I just wanted to learn something different. Learning this form of art, it’s a pleasure to me. I’m so proud to be one of the young Pasifika women who represent the Siva Afi nowadays. Women are strong. Women can lead! Eāu Le ina’ilau a tamaita’i, a Samoan proverb which basically means that women can achieve anything and get things done wholeheartedly!”
Name: Fransesca Tua
Siva Afi Mangere
Island/ Village: Samoa
”Talofa lava, I am Fransesca Tua and I come from the islands of Samoa. Growing up I watched a lot of Polynesian cultural centre videos and took my first glance at siva afi. It was then, that sparked an interest in this performing arts. Back in 2020 I was able to watch a real live siva afi performance here in NZ. And this really inspired me to take on this challenge and pursue this form of art. I love the thrill and excitement it gives the audience as well as the adrenaline I get from performing.”
Name: Iorina Tafili
Wellington Siva Afi
Villages (Samoa): Falevao/ Safotu/ Leulumoega
lorina is in the final year of gaining her Bachelor of Creativity at Whitireia Performing Arts, Porirua, Wellington. Her passion for Siva Afi has grown more over the past couple of years since starting in her Siva Samoa classes in 2020. Iorina is excited and grateful for the opportunity to take her skills gained to the next level.
