What is Pacifika?


I wondered what the origin and meaning of Pacifika was so did some googling. I couldn’t find it in any dictionaries. There are a few references:

Pasifika (sometimes spelt Pasefika)

The term used to refer to the people, cultures, and language of Pacific groups who are now living in New Zealand. It replaces the term ‘Polynesian’ because the latter did not distinguish sufficiently between Māori and Pacific groups in New Zealand, or between Pacific peoples living in New Zealand and those who still live in the Pacific Islands.

http://leap.tki.org.nz/Glossary#P

Pasifika – Of Pacific Island origin

Māori terms are in italic.
http://www.mwa.govt.nz/glossary

But it’s obviously not a Maori word (and isn’t in the Maori dictionary online).

A modern made up word with odd spelling and not known outside New Zealand. Seems a bit PC.

And a bit loose – on Wikipedia New Zealand is included in Polynesia, which includes us in the Pacific Islands.

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