Pasifika Fusion 2025 was more than a two-day celebration of Pacific excellence in education and the arts.
It was a powerful reminder of the impact that regular, meaningful community engagement can have when it comes to building trust and connection between Police and our Pasifika communities.
Held at The Regent on Broadway in Palmerston North last month (25-26 June), the event brought together 18 secondary schools and 618 students – the biggest year yet.
The event showcased student brilliance across essays, speeches, debates, wearable arts, visual arts and live cultural performances.
The festival theme this year, PI meets AI, explored the growing influence of artificial intelligence and its potential challenges and opportunities for Pacific cultures in the modern world – a timely reflection of identity, innovation and resilience.
Police staff from across Central District played an active and visible role throughout the two-day festival, including our District Pacific Liaison Coordinator Jodie Haitana-Sturm.
Police staff were warmly welcomed at the festival. L-R: Jodie Haitana-Sturm, Leah Sutton (a Te Wānanga O Aotearoa Social Work student supporting staff at the event), Constables Nikita Joyce and Dee Scadden and Youth Kaiawhina Shannon Saunders.
“Officers engaged with students and families through visibility patrols, stage giveaways, physical fitness challenges and interactive kōrero,” says Jodie.
“The support received from Police staff, especially those who popped in to lend their tautoko, did not go unnoticed.
“Every smile, conversation and shared laugh helped build stronger relationships in the very moments that matter most.”
The warmth and familiarity seen in many of the student and whānau interactions were the result of long-term, relationship-based initiatives, such as Te Ara Tika Driver Licensing, Love Me Not education in secondary schools, Pasifika celebration days and fun-focused events like Rainbow's End Youth Trips.
“These positive, consistent community initiatives reinforce that police are present in the good times, not just the hard times, and are here to uplift and support,” says Jodie.
“Our Pasifika and Māori staff played a particularly special role, simply by being visible and engaged.
“For many rangatahi, seeing someone who looks like them in uniform sparks a thought – maybe one day, that could be me. These are the quiet but powerful moments that plant the seeds for future careers in policing.”
L-R: Robbie, Sergeant Mel Kingi and Constable Fala Matua wearing lei and ula.
One of the most treasured gestures during the event was the wearing of lei and ula by police officers.
“This small but meaningful expression of cultural respect helped soften our presence, build approachability, and signalled that police were part of the celebration - not policing it,” says Jodie.
“Feedback from past years made it clear just how much this matters, and this year was no exception.”
The evening concert was livestreamed for the first time providing overflow viewing access for whānau.
The livestream reached over 12.4k views across Aotearoa, Australia, Singapore, USA, Samoa and beyond - representing over 2,100 hours of watch time and 3,300+ global viewers tuning in across the two days.
Behind the scenes, the festival owes its smooth execution to the tireless work of the Pasifika Fusion Steering Group, planning committee, school coordinators and the dedicated volunteers who worked nonstop to bring it all together. Their commitment ensured every detail, from stage lighting to livestream logistics, honoured the students and families present.
Jodie had the honour of judging the Wearable Arts category, and it was no easy task.
“The standard of creativity, technical skill and cultural storytelling was breathtaking,” says Jodie.
“These garments were more than fashion - they were moving narratives of heritage, ancestry and innovation.
“Pasifika Fusion 2025 reminded us that trust is not built overnight - it’s built over time, through presence, partnership and shared purpose.
“By showing up, supporting our youth and celebrating alongside them, we continue to reinforce that police are not only visible but reliable, relatable and ready to walk beside our communities.”