Local talent highlighted at Aranui Affirm 2006

From bagpipes to soul music and Pacific food, Aranui is staying true to its cultural roots for this year's Affirm Aranui Family Festival at Wainoni Park on Saturday, 9 December, from 10am to 4pm.

The Affirm festival raises awareness in Aranui's diversity and its youth, says Affirm coordinator, Rachael Fonotia.

Ms Fonotia says Aranui usually conjured up a picture of brown faces for many outside the area, when some of the oldest residents were of Scots and English descent. She had opted bagpipes to help highlight this.

New community awards have also been created by the Aranui community for presentation to five successful youth from Aranui during Affirm. "It's to recognise our young people when they do well and support them to strive for more," Ms Fonotia says.

Some of the new touches this year will be a Zimbabwean dance group, a celebrity flag footy game where you get a chance to meet some of the Crusaders and Canterbury Flames, and a mechanical bucking bull for the more adventurous.

Music will be provided by such bands as Pacific Underground's Soul Defined, Ebony Fields, Infrared, and Restoration. Pacific and Maori cultural groups will also perform throughout the day.

Community stalls have been divided into - the health zone and the educational services zone. In the health zone will be a stand that advises on safe tattooing, but it's the ethnic food stands that will no doubt attract the largest numbers.

The event is funded by the Eureka Trust, and supported by the Aranui Community Trust, Housing New Zealand Corporation, Christchurch City Council and Lion Foundation.

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