Tuesday, 6 March 2012, 9:03 pm Press Release: Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development 6 March 2012Kiribati will be there in threedays time!Kam na mauri. Helping thePasifika Festival celebrate 20 years will be a Kiribatiweaver who has been participating in the Festival for adecade.Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development(ATEED) Event Producer Ole Maiava says Louisa Humphrey (UeenKiribati) has been attending the Pasifika Festival since2002 and has an innovative approach to her weaving.“Ms. Humphrey is a traditional weaver of mats, hats,baskets, using pandanus leaves. The difference is pandanusdoesn’t grow in New Zealand, so she improvises with flaxleaves. “Her skills will be evident in the dancingcostumes and the traditional fishing hats unique toKiribati.”Sample traditional foods unique to Kiribatisuch as te katini ben (made from the sap of the flowers andflesh of the coconut), te tuae (dried pandanus fruit), tekamaimai (coconut toddy) and te baan (pancake with gratedcoconut and toddy).Lock it in your calendar, dust offyour sunnies and be part of Pasifika Festival2012.EndsNotes• Interviewsavailable with Ms. Humphrey• This year Pasifikacelebrates 20 years of celebrating Pacific culture inAuckland • Friday 9 March, 7pm – 9pm, the PasifikaFestival Opening Night Concert will feature guest artistsand performances from 10 different cultures• Saturday10 March, 10am – 5pm, Pasifika Festival Day will see thepark transformed into 10 villages from Samoa, Tonga, Fiji,Cook Islands, Tokelau, Niue, Tahiti, Kiribati, Tuvalu andAotearoa. Each village will offer food, art, dance andmusic.• Entry is FREE, and for the first time the parkwill be fenced with six entrances located on Great NorthRoad (x2), Motions Road, Stadium Rd, and near WesternSprings Stadium and Auckland Zoo.• Visit: aucklandnz.com/pasifika formore information