About Us
Pasifika Market is extremely proud to announce its collaboration with the Pacific Arts Alliance who have a very strong passion and focus on promoting the development of Pacific Island Artists and Pasifika Market will work closely with the Founder of Pasifika Market She graduated with a Communication Studies degree majoring in Multimedia at the Auckland University of Technology and upon graduating formed the company, Tabua^ Communications. She then took on the role as the web developer for Genetic Pasifika working alongside Letila Mitchell, a very passionate individual involved in promoting the development of Pacific Island artists. It was this experience that planted the seed of what is now Pasifika Market. “Growing up in Fiji, you take for granted the beautiful and rich cultures that surround you which take many forms. It was only when I came to live in New Zealand that I realised what a luxury it was being exposed to this every day. “New Zealand is another great melting pot of cultures and I love seeing Pacific culture being brought alive so seeing the amazing talent and skill of these very kind and humble people during Genetic Pasifika made me feel so honoured to be part of it”. “It was then that I realised how important it was for me to use my skills to share this with the world.” “I wanted to provide a place, a market place, where everyone from around the world could learn about and put into their homes a bit of Island Culture while also giving these artists an avenue to share and sell their work. I also want Pacific Islanders everywhere to have easy access to their heritage and proudly showcase who they are and where they come from.” * Pauline's Fijian heritage is in the Lau Group of Fiji, whose mother is from a small, one-village island, Vanua Vatu while she also has close ties to Matuku, her grandfather's home island in Lau. ^The “Tabua” is a whale’s tooth and considered very sacred in Fiji.
Pauline Benson is a 26yr old part Fijian* /New Zealander who grew up in Fiji where she studied Journalism and History /Politics at the University of the South Pacific before coming to New Zealand to further her studies.
A special thank you to my father, Cliff Benson, for his love and support throughout my life.