Planning Underway for Pasifika Festival in the Bay 2025!

Our dedicated festival committee held their first planning meeting for the 2025 Pasifika Festival in the Bay, bringing together key team members to ensure next year’s celebration will be another memorable community event.

The initial planning session included Dre, Mel, Beks (our Stall Holder Manager), Tracey (Performing Group Manager) and Jo’el representing Ōtūmoetai School as our venue host. Several other vital team members – Karen, Alva, Angie, Tay, Vetekina, Blessing and Jakob—will be contributing their expertise in upcoming meetings.

Save the date! Pasifika Festival in the Bay 2025 will be held on Saturday, 1 November at Ōtūmoetai College, starting at 10am.

For those interested in participating:

Stall holder information will be distributed during Term 3
Performing groups can expect communication packages very soon

We’re excited to continue building on the success of our previous festivals as we celebrate the vibrant Pasifika cultures that enrich our Bay of Plenty community. The official festival poster will be released shortly, so watch this space for updates!

Chee Hooo! Sio ho hoeee!

Want to keep up with our blog?

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Mel Cottingham

Chairperson | New Zealand born British/Niue

Mel is the chairperson of the Pasifika in the Bay Trust. She loves all things Pacific, in particular working with amazing people to initiate and deliver successful Pacific programmes and events. Mel enjoys her dream job, reading, hanging out with her nieces and nephews, travelling with friends and family, and is adamant to snowboard until she can’t. She is currently thinking about taking up golf.

Current Masters in Education (Victoria University of Wellington), TeachNZ Study Award

Grad Dip Teach Prim, Level 6 Te Aupikitanga ki te Reo Kairangi, Bachelor of Management Studies

New Zealand Institute of Directors Courses including Governance Essentials, Risk Essentials, Finance Essentials, Strategy Essentials

Experience in Tertiary and Primary – Kura Auraki, Reorua, ESOL

Lived Experiences in the Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Niue, UK and South Korea

Nieces and Nephews in Early Childhood Centre, Primary, Secondary Boarding and University

Mel is the chairperson of the Pasifika in the Bay Trust. She loves all things Pacific, in particular working with amazing people to initiate and deliver successful Pacific programmes and events. Mel enjoys her dream job, reading, hanging out with her nieces and nephews, travelling with friends and family, and is adamant to snowboard until she can’t. She is currently thinking about taking up golf.

Current Masters in Education (Victoria University of Wellington), TeachNZ Study Award

Grad Dip Teach Prim, Level 6 Te Aupikitanga ki te Reo Kairangi, Bachelor of Management Studies

New Zealand Institute of Directors Courses including Governance Essentials, Risk Essentials, Finance Essentials, Strategy Essentials

Experience in Tertiary and Primary – Kura Auraki, Reorua, ESOL

Lived Experiences in the Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Niue, UK and South Korea

Nieces and Nephews in Early Childhood Centre, Primary, Secondary Boarding and University

ALVA TALOPAU

Treasurer | Niue Born and Raised

Alva is the Treasurer of the Pasifika in the Bay Trust with over eighteen years of experience as a business owner in the financial services industry. Together with her husband Alex, they’ve raised three high achieving young adults. Alva is passionate about supporting and empowering young people to reach their full potential. Alva loves playing board games, spending time with family and friends, baking, cooking and makes a mean chop suey.

Current Masters in Education (Victoria University of Wellington), TeachNZ Study Award

Grad Dip Teach Prim, Level 6 Te Aupikitanga ki te Reo Kairangi, Bachelor of Management Studies

New Zealand Institute of Directors Courses including Governance Essentials, Risk Essentials, Finance Essentials, Strategy Essentials

Experience in Tertiary and Primary – Kura Auraki, Reorua, ESOL

Lived Experiences in the Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Niue, UK and South Korea

Nieces and Nephews in Early Childhood Centre, Primary, Secondary Boarding and University

ANNETTE LABAN

Secretary | New Zealand born Samoa/Tokelau/German

Annette is the Secretary for Pasifika in the Bay Trust and hails from the islands of Samoa and Tokelau, with German ancestry. She is a trained Primary School Teacher, with a Bachelor of Business Studies majoring in Marketing, and recently completed her Masters in Education. Her passion is to actively seek new ways to support Pacific people and is excited about creating her own opportunities. She enjoys catching up with family and friends, arts and crafts and loves the outdoors.

Current Masters in Education (Victoria University of Wellington), TeachNZ Study Award

Grad Dip Teach Prim, Level 6 Te Aupikitanga ki te Reo Kairangi, Bachelor of Management Studies

New Zealand Institute of Directors Courses including Governance Essentials, Risk Essentials, Finance Essentials, Strategy Essentials

Experience in Tertiary and Primary – Kura Auraki, Reorua, ESOL

Lived Experiences in the Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Niue, UK and South Korea

Nieces and Nephews in Early Childhood Centre, Primary, Secondary Boarding and University

EMMA PACKHAM

Trustee | New Zealand born Kiribati/British

Current Masters in Education (Victoria University of Wellington), TeachNZ Study Award

Grad Dip Teach Prim, Level 6 Te Aupikitanga ki te Reo Kairangi, Bachelor of Management Studies

New Zealand Institute of Directors Courses including Governance Essentials, Risk Essentials, Finance Essentials, Strategy Essentials

Experience in Tertiary and Primary – Kura Auraki, Reorua, ESOL

Lived Experiences in the Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Niue, UK and South Korea

Nieces and Nephews in Early Childhood Centre, Primary, Secondary Boarding and University

Planning Underway for Pasifika Festival in the Bay 2025!

Want to keep up with our blog?

LATEST FROM THE PASIFIKA IN THE BAY

What an Incredible Pasifika Festival in the Bay!

Pasifika Festival in the Bay – Site map & Location

Pasifika Festival in the Bay 2025

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