Colourful Pasifika culture comes to life

A celebration of Wanganui's Pasifika community is being held this weekend.

The Colours of Pasifika festival will take place in the Sarjeant Gallery, where there will be an exhibition of Pasifika art as well as many Pasifika-themed events.

The festival is a collaboration between the gallery and Frangipani Pan Pasifika Trust, an organisation which assists Pasifika people in Wanganui.

Silo Naqasima from the trust said it was the first year it had been involved in the festival, and she was grateful to the gallery for coming on board.

She said the artworks were done by a variety of Pasifika groups in Wanganui, including children as young as pre-school age.

The exhibition will run over the weekend.

Ms Naqasima said Wanganui's Pasifika community was growing, and it had a large proportion of young people.

Greg Donson from the gallery said he was delighted to be able to host the exhibition and the programme of events.

"It's a fantastic way to engage with Wanganui's Pasifika community," he said.