Help name our new Pasifika Community Centre

Talofa Lava, Kia Orana, Malo e Lelei, Fakaalofa Lahi Atu, Bula Vinaka, Mālō ni, Mauri, Talofa, Namaste, Gude and Halo Olketa. Warm Pacific greetings.

Palmerston North City Council and the Pasifika project group invite you to help shape the identity of the new Pasifika Community Centre – currently under construction and due to be completed later this year. 

The upgraded centre will be a place where Pasifika and wider communities can gather, connect, celebrate culture, share knowledge, support one another, and strengthen community wellbeing. It will be a welcoming space that reflects the diversity, strengths, values, and aspirations of Pasifika peoples. 

We are seeking community suggestions for a name that: 

• promotes belonging, connection, and community
• recognises the shared vision and aspirations for Tagata Pasifika
• recognises and acknowledges the special relationship Pasifika communities share with Mana Whenua
• recognises and acknowledges Pasifika peoples, cultures, values and identities
• reflects the journey, experiences, and aspirations of Pasifika communities across past, present and future generations
• is meaningful, easy to remember, and suitable for future generations. 

Background 

The current facility is known as the Pasifika Community Centre. The name reflects:

• Pasifika: People of the Pacific, including the diverse nations of Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia, connected through shared histories, values, and relationships.
• Community: The collective strength of people, families, villages, and communities working together towards shared goals and aspirations.
• Centre: A place at the heart of the community that connects, enriches, and empowers Pasifika people. For many, it is a "home away from home". 

Suggest a name by Monday 7 September

We welcome your ideas and look forward to hearing what you believe best reflects the purpose and future of this important community space.

You can suggest a new name or tell us you’d like to keep the current name.

Please provide as much information as you can to help us understand your suggestion.

Click here to view form.

What happens next? 

All naming suggestions received will be considered by the project group, Rangitāne o Manawatū, and Palmerston North City Council. 

Suggestions will be reviewed alongside community feedback and assessed in accordance with Palmerston North City Council naming guidelines and other relevant protocols. 

Suggestions will be treated as confidential unless you indicate that you are happy for your name to be associated with your submission. 

Please note that submitting a name does not guarantee it will be selected. However, every suggestion will contribute to the naming process and help shape the identity of this important community space.