The Fono at Polyfest 2025: Celebrating Culture and Community Health

Despite being rained out on Friday, The Fono brought energy and connection to ASB Polyfest 2025, where we were blessed to welcome over 600 young people from 17 different schools to our vibrant space.  

Although our scheduled two-day presence was shortened to just Saturday, our team made the most of this special opportunity to connect with our community. 

Our village of care came alive as families discovered our new mobile dental and medical clinics, where our team provided free dental checks for our youngest community members and flu vaccinations to keep everyone strong through the winter months. Parents and caregivers shared how much they appreciated having these essential services available in a familiar cultural setting.  

This positive response was echoed by our own team members, with Tess, one of our dentists who is working on The Fono's new mobile dental clinic, sharing: "It was great to see so many people of all ages showing a genuine interest in the new mobile dental clinic. We saw over 20 people in the chair, and we can't wait to take it out to the community!" 

While health services were a major focus, the atmosphere was definitely lively. The sounds of DJ Algoodie created an energetic backdrop while visitors participated in our interactive scavenger hunt, designed to share important health knowledge in a fun, engaging way. Young people who completed our Youth Survey received special merch from The Fono and OCA as a small token of appreciation for their valuable insights. 

The significance of our presence was highlighted by visits from special guests including Miss Samoa NZ Precious Tusega, Li'amanaia Lorenzo Kaisara from the Otara-Papatoetoe local board, and Val Lafolafo from the Ministry of Pacific Peoples, who all acknowledged the important role The Fono plays in bridging cultural wisdom with modern healthcare. 

Throughout the day, our Youth team connected meaningfully with many young people, sharing pathways to wellbeing while OCA representatives provided information about upcoming courses that can help build stronger futures. 

As we reflect on this special day, we're reminded of why we do what we do – caring for our Pacific communities and empowering them to thrive.