Pasifika Forum

Wednesday 15 March 2023
4.30PM – 8.00PM
Mangere Arts Centre
– Ngā Tohu o Uenuku

A community event open to all interested in an exchange with some of the best in Siva Afi and Polynesian performing arts. For those that have been attending Siva Afi workshops in Auckland in the past or currently, we invite you to come learn tips and tricks from our visiting tutors from the USA and NZ. The workshop will be followed by a Talanoa/Q&A session with our panellists from Hawai’i, Colorado and NZ.

Open workshop for students of Siva Afi – 4:30pm to 6pm

Students of Siva Afi must bring their practice stick to the workshop as equipment will not be provided. Students will be sorted into groups and assigned a tutor for the workshop. 

Workshop tutors: Vaimatina and Lā’ie Drumming Core under the guidance of David Galea’i. 

Refreshments – 6:30pm to 7pm

Refreshments will be provided before the Q&A session. 

Talanoa (Q&A) with panellists – 7pm to 8pm

An open question and answer session with our pacific performing artists from the USA and NZ aimed at those interested in pursuing pacific cultural dance as a career. Find out what it takes to grow an ecosystem in which collaboration with like minded artists creates opportunities for talented people to establish their own professional groups. 

Enjoy an exciting display of siva afi from our experts from the USA. 

Performance – 8pm to 8:15pm

Meet the panellists for Talanoa (Q+A)

  • Jeralee Galea’i

    Jeralee started siva afi at a young age and was crowned 2019 Open Women’s World Fireknife Champion in Lā’ie, Hawai’i. Jeralee will be showcasing at the annual Pasifika Festival in Auckland Saturday 18th March, with the support of the US Embassy NZ.

  • Sierra Kawailele

    Sierra has been learning siva afi since 2017 and is a regular performer in the United States where she resides. She was crowned Toa Afi Open Women’s Champion at the Orlando Siva Afi competition in 2022.

  • Iorina Tafili

    Iorina only recently took up the art form of fire dancing and in her first competition last year took out the Wāhine Toa Championship at the Siva Afi Festival.

  • David Galea’i

    Three- time World Fireknife Champion (Hawai’i, US). Aside from being an extremely skilled and talented performer, David is a true ambassador of the arts, through his fire knife school, Vaimatina, located in Lā’ie on O’ahu.

  • Ellen Akiona

    Ellen is from Hale’iwa, O’ahu, Hawai’i and currently resides in Aurora Colorado. She has been a student of Hula since the age of three. Ellen is a member of Kalama Polynesian Dancers where she teaches students Hawaiian hula.