Pacific Culture in Porirua

Pacific languages, cultures and identity are essential to the health, wellbeing and lifetime success of our Pacific peoples and their communities in Aotearoa.

Pacific Strategy Language Weeks Night Markets Aniva residency


Ola Kamataga - Beginning of Life 2024-2027

One of Porirua City’s many strengths is its diverse population.

Acknowledging and celebrating diversity means people feel a strong sense of belonging, connection, safety, and confidence to express who they are and what is important to them.

Our strategy Ola Kamataga: Beginning of Life 2024–2027 commits to delivering on the strategic vision “Celebrating the success of our Pacific People living in Porirua’ – #Starts with us – Our Story | Our People | Our History”.

It is an aspirational and progressive Pacific strategy that celebrates and recognises the cultural fabric that encompasses the ethnic-specific nations of the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Niue, Rotuma, Samoa, Tonga, Tokelau, Tuvalu. The strategy also acknowledges the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.

E le’e se’ua e tōtō ai (Fiji, Rotuman)
The rain will stop: no storm lasts forever

Pacific Landing page image, top image 2024

Totō hau tōkiga nei, aua na tupu aga e fāi mai (Tokelau)
Plant a seed today, for future generations.

Pacific Strategy 2023, image, graphic

Download the Ola Kamataga – Beginning of Life 2024-2027 here





Pacific Language Weeks

Pacific languages, cultures and identity are essential to the health, wellbeing and lifetime success of our Pacific peoples and their communities in Aotearoa. Each year we celebrate Pacific Language Weeks in Porirua.

Pacific Language Weeks 2024: Rotuma, Samoa, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Fiji, Niue Tokelau, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.

Click here to see the 2024 Flag raising ceremonies in Porirua.

Photos and videos from 2024 Pacific Language Weeks in Porirua


A fia vave o’o lou va’a, alo na o oe, ae a fia Tuli mamao le taunu’uga, tatou aloalo faatasi.
If you want your canoe to go fast, go alone. If you want your canoe to go further, let us go together.




Pacific Night Markets

Come along and check out these fabulous night markets.

Kia orana, Noa’ia, Talofa lava, Mālō e lelei, Tālofa, Ni Sa Bula Vinaka, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Mālō ni, Mauri, Halo Olketa, Halo Olgeta, Tēnā koutou katoa and warm Pacific greetings.

Each month in 2024, there'll be a Pacific Night Market – a great event where the community can enjoy a range of delicious food and goods for sale and much, much more at the Cook Islands Hall in Cannons Creek, from 5.30–8.30pm.

For the Market Schedule, find the event on Facebook

MarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember

pacific night market landing page images 2024


Māori & Pacific Collections at Porirua Libraries

Visit our collection of digital resources & newly published Māori and Pacifica titles:

Te Reo Māori, Fäeag Rotuạm , Gana Samoa, Te Taetae ni Kiribati, Te Reo Māori Kūki ’Airani, Lea Faka-Tonga, Te Gana Tuvalu, Vagahau Niue, Pijin, Tok Pisin, Te Gagana Tokelau, and Vosa Vakaviti. Visit the online collection here.



City Centre Library entrance

Porirua Library Craft Group – Te Fale Vānanga

Nau mai, haere mai!

Come along and join us at Te Fale Vānanga for coffee, crafts and kōrero! At Te Ngahere o te Mātauranga - Porirua City Centre Library

Bring a craft of your own or learn one of our crafts of the month from around Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa / the Pacific Ocean.

14 May|11 June|9 July|13 August|10 September|8 October|12 November|10 December





Aniva residency at Pātaka

After a successful residency in 2023, Pātaka Art+Museum has again partnered with Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa to offer the Aniva Artist in Residency programme.

This residency is specifically for artists to develop their arts practice and engage with the Porirua arts community – it’s an opportunity supported through our Pacific Arts Strategy to celebrate, connect and invest in Pacific Arts for the benefit of Aotearoa.

Find out more

Aniva 2023 exhibition



Celebrating the success of our Pacific people living in Porirua – Starts with us Our Story | Our People | Our History