The community-minded Aucklander who's fallen in love with Invercargill
“I say to everybody, if I had known about this place when I was single I would have moved down here a long time ago.
Leu Wasasala wishes she discovered Invercargill earlier.
Four years ago Wasasala moved from Auckland to Invercargill, initially prompted by church reasons.
But there’s no turning back now. Invercargill has become home.
“I say to everybody, if I had known about this place when I was single I would have moved down here a long time ago.
“I love it, and my husband loves it too. We wish we had come down here sooner.”
Wasasala has integrated herself into the community quicker than many people who have lived their entire lives in the southern city.
That community involvement started through the Church but has grown much wider.
She comes from a family of seamstresses and has gone about passing on her skills to support the community.
“Initially it really started off really about mental health. I came across a lot of people that’s got some anxiety and mental issues.
“So, I started a course called ‘Unlocking the creation in you’ and that was really about people unlocking some new skills.
“Sometimes people aren’t aware what they are capable of until they give something ago.”
That led to Wasasala’s next community assignment. She launched a Pasifika Wearable Art and Fashion Show in Invercargill.
The first event was held at the Scottish Hall with 20 models taking to the stage to display the work. The next event was held at the former Appleby Tavern building - which is now home to the Inspire Community Church - and that saw over 50 models take to the stage.
On Thursday night the third edition will be held, this time at the Invercargill Workingmen’s Club with over 100 people expected to take to the stage.
This year it is called Ngā Whetū Katoa Matariki Māori & Pasifika Wearable Art and Fashion Show 2023.
It comes after Wasasala teamed up with Sharne Parkinson, who is the key figure in organising the popular Matariki @ Queens Park event.
“Sharne came [to Pasifika Wearable Art & Fashion Show] last year. She loved it and contacted me.
“And I went to the Matariki [at Queens Park] for the first time and I loved it. We could both see the possibilities, so we thought; ‘let’s collaborate for this year.
“We wanted to have it at Matariki. They trialled a marquee but it’s just way too cold.”
Wasasala said both events were all about the community and it made sense to work together. She would love to see more collaboration around community events in Invercargill.
“I hail from Auckland where everyone is pretty much integrated with one another and then I came down here and I saw pockets of various groups doing their own things, but not many doing things together.
“Initially [the fashion show] was about bringing the Pasifika community together, they haven’t quite caught on to the vision, and that’s okay. But for Sharne and I it was first of all about providing a platform for young people to be able to run with and be proud of.”
The hope is to grow the event further next year to include other international communities to get them to showcase their wares as part of the event.
Tickets for the Matariki Māori & Pasifika Wearable Art & Fashion Show 2023 cost $10 with a start time of 6pm.
