We were fortunate to attend the Friday session of Polyfest this year and see many forms of Polynesian music and dance on display. Here is what the students experienced 

Being at Polyfest is an amazing experience. We can see a glimpse of customs from the different pacific islands with the costumes which are different in Europe. Moreover, the food is so delicious, the atmosphere was so good with friends and family supporting. The performances from all over the Pacific Islands were really interesting for someone like myself who is not used to seeing them.
Antoine Ludot, French International student

This year was the first time I had ever gone to Polyfest so it was a new experience for me. It was different to what I had expected. I enjoyed watching live performances from different cultures and also the food that we could eat. I liked being surrounded by a diversity of cultures. Unfortunately, the weather was very hot and sunny on the day we went but it was still fun.
Amanda Lowe

This year was my second time going to Polyfest. The area where the Maori and diversity stages were seemed to be the busiest, and no wonder because the performances were amazing, not to mention the grilled kebabs that were sold there. Although it was extremely hot and everyone was sweaty at the end of the day, overall it was an enjoyable experience, especially the watermelon + ice cream.
Margaret Lowe

This year I got to go to Polyfest 2019. For me I found it a burst of culture. Something i’m not usually used to. I was able to try foods i’ve never heard of before and watch performances that were spectacular.
Lisa Martin

Polyfest was great despite the events that happened in Christchurch on that day. The mass amounts of cultural food were enough to feed the crowd twice over, the vast amount of people from different cultures attending livened up the event and brought a cheery aura to the general space while the many different cultural music playing on the stages shared tales of triumph and woe. Polyfest is definitely an event you must go to at least once if not every year, not only to enjoy the crowd and food but to share the love for the diverse Polynesian culture and people.
Caleb Hollands

Polyfest was all the fun that it lives up to be. There were thousands of people and what seemed like more types of food than there were cultures at Polyfest, all unique in their own way and it was interesting to be in a place with such acceptance and support for the many many different ethnic cultures around New Zealand despite the devastating atrocity that occurred on the day of the 15th of March. Polyfest was a great place for people of all walks of life to gather and support each other while experiencing each other’s cultures. It was really great to see that no matter what our backgrounds and beliefs, we are all New Zealanders and as a whole we are stronger than that of the terrorist that destroyed so man lives on that day.
Caz Chiba