Siva Afi International Competition in Tahiti

This year will be the first time Tahiti is holding an International Siva Afi competition and we are sending eight competitors to represent New Zealand. The competition is held over two days, 28th and 30th November and our competitors will be in the junior, senior and group categories. Our youngest competitor is just ten years old.

Each competitor has already self-funded and paid for their flight to Tahiti.

The funds we raise through this campaign will be used for the following costs:

• Accommodation in Tahiti
• Transport while in Tahiti
• Registration fees for the competition.

In March this year the organisers of the Tahiti competition came to learn from the New Zealand competition and brought two competitors with them. To tautoko our Tahitian whanau we are sending the director of Siva Afi Festival Aotearoa with the New Zealand team, as he was asked to assist with logistics and support on the days of competition.

Our New Zealand team have intensified their training for the past month and meet several nights a week to practice their routines and group choreography. Everyone is very excited about the opportunity to compete in Tahiti, against both local and other international talent.

OUR SIVA AFI COMPETITORS ARE:

JUNIOR COMPETITOR

Bailey Armstrong-Frost

INTERMEDIATE COMPETITORS

Kyan Armstrong

Suni Aunesse-White

Moa Junior Lua

SENIOR COMPETITORS.

Amo Ieriko

Teuea Arun

Portia Meredith-Numia

Justyce Levi Uepa (Australia/NZ)

DUO COMPETITION.

Amo Ieriko & Teuea Arun

Portia Meredith-Numia & Suni Aunesse-White.

GROUP COMPETITION.

Amo Ieriko, Bailey Armstrong-Frost, Kyan Armstrong & Teuea Arun

Portia Meredith-Numia, Moa Junior Lua & Suni Aunesse-White

These competitors represent the following Siva Afi Clubs:

o  Tahimana Polynesian Fire Warriors (Auckland)

o  AKTIVE ZONE (Auckland)

o  Uso Le Afi (Wellington)

How the group came together.

The team traveling to Tahiti are the result of six years of siva afi workshops and engagement in Auckland and Wellington. The team have previously competed in the annual SIVA AFI FESTIVAL which is the only international Siva Afi competition in Aotearoa.

Part of the team had recently returned from the first Australian Siva Afi competition in Brisbane where Portia Meredith-Numia placed third in the open women’s division, Moa also placed third in the boys division and Justyce placed top Five in the open men’s division.

Siva Afi in NZ has seen a massive growth in such a short space of time. The attendance by NZ competitors overseas is a testament of the continuous support from whanau and the community for this art form to flourish. NZ is seen to hold its own amongst the best in the world.

Siva Ailao Samoa

Portia has been invited to perform a siva samoa on the first night of the competition. This will be an opportunity to showcase the traditional ‘ailao’ siva before the introduction of the afi or fire which became the Siva Afi Ailao art form we now know.

Advisors

Two core members that run the SIVA AFI FESTIVAL will be travelling to Tahiti as advisors and assisting with certain aspects of the competition.

The Tahiti competition will be attended by competitors from Hawaii, Australia, New Caledonia, and across French Polynesia.