Rhythm, Roots & Reconnection: The Heartbeat of Aktive Zone

Every night of the week, the New Lynn Community Centre transforms into something bigger than a venue. It becomes a village — full of movement, laughter, rhythm, and pride. Aktive Zone is more than a program; it’s a living, breathing community where West Auckland’s children, youth, and families come together to move, connect, and celebrate who they are.

From hip hop to siva Samoa, from siva afi to Tongan and Fijian group items, Aktive Zone welcomes all — every skill level, every age, every island. Collaborators from across West Auckland join forces here, creating a space where cultural exchange and mutual upliftment are the norm. It’s a whole ecosystem built on the belief that wellbeing is inseparable from identity and belonging.

On any given evening, you might see a three-year-old twirling alongside his older siblings, a Niuean-Samoan-Tongan teenager leading a dance circle, or parents sitting proudly on the sidelines, reconnecting with a culture they themselves may have grown up distant from. The energy is unmistakable — vibrant, joyful, grounded.

But the most powerful work happens behind the scenes — in the relationships built and the roots restored. For many Pacific youth growing up in Aotearoa, culture can feel distant or diluted. Aktive Zone helps change that. It brings culture into real life — not through textbooks, but through movement, shared laughter, repetition, and pride. These are not just dance classes — they are spaces of healing and reconnection.

Cultural wellbeing is a critical part of how Pacific young people understand themselves. It is what grounds them when the world feels unsteady. Knowing who you are — your language, your values, your genealogy — gives you a sense of identity that can carry you through pressure, uncertainty, and change. That’s what Aktive Zone offers: a way back to that knowledge.

As Jo Armstrong, founder of Aktive Zone, shares:
“Once young people know their roots, and know their why — everything else falls into place.”

Jo started Aktive Zone with a simple dream: to give her kids and others in the community a safe place to be themselves. “I think back to when we started with 20 people on a field,” she says. “Now, we’ve become a multicultural centre for our Pacific community. My ‘why’ is about collaboration — all cultures coming together, being proud of where we come from. Merging our Māori and Pacific identities and thriving in a safe space.”

Now, that dream has grown into something far larger. Youth from across Auckland now gather here — not just to move, but to become leaders, cultural holders, and mentors themselves. They learn from elders and each other, perform at major events like the Super Rugby match between Moana Pasifika vs Blues game, and carry their cultures onto national stages.

Salia, a young participant, says it best:
“Wellbeing is important for our generation because of the negativity that comes through. Doing things like Samoan siva helps me stay grounded.”

Jesse, now a youth mentor, reflects:
“Being a part of Aktive Zone and MaieSitete Siva has really helped me connect more to my culture. I’m Niuean, Tongan, and Samoan — and learning from the adults through dance has helped me understand my language and customs in a way I never had before. It’s amazing being able to give that back to the next generation too.”

And the community backing it all is just as important. Parents, aunties, uncles, elders — they come together here too. They don’t just drop their kids off; they stay, they support, they celebrate.

“Our events are about more than celebrating youth,” Jo says. “They’re about honouring our parents, our children, and the whole village that makes this possible. Thank you to everyone who gives a little of their week so your young ones can create memories that last a lifetime.”

Behind the drums and dances is a bigger mission: to build intergenerational pride, protect cultural knowledge, and nurture whole-person wellbeing — mind, body, and spirit.

This movement is proudly supported through the Olaga Lei initiative, which empowers 12 Pasefika-by-Pasefika organisations to strengthen community wellbeing. It is part of the Le Moana West Collective’s wider vision to create systemic change for Pacific peoples in West Auckland — by Pacific communities, for Pacific communities.