The rhythms, flavours and traditions of Brazil will come alive in Mount Maunganui this Sunday when Saravá Fest returns for its second year.

The free festival at Coronation Park on November 15 from 10am to 6pm celebrates Afro-Brazilian culture through music, dance, food and workshops.

Organised by charitable trust Terreiro Mae Oxum, the festival aims to share Brazil’s rich African and indigenous cultural heritage.

The Saravá Fest will be held at Coronation Park on Sunday, November 15, from 10am to 6pm. Photo / Sarah Divah

Founder and co-organiser Sarah Rizzi said Sarava Fest was about more than entertainment.

“It’s also an opportunity to preserve ancestral knowledge, celebrate cultural identity and create a sense of belonging for people living far from their ancestral homelands,” she said.

Rizzi said her children inspired her to establish the festival.

“As an immigrant and a woman who keeps Afro-Brazilian culture alive in my everyday life through my religion, traditions and way of living, creating a festival like Saravá Fest is my way of leaving a legacy for future generations.”

Organised by charitable trust Terreiro Mae Oxum, the festival aims to share Brazil’s rich African and indigenous cultural heritage. Photo / Sarah Divah

She wanted children growing up in New Zealand to feel connected to their roots and proud of their heritage.

“Being able to share our culture here means having the opportunity to tell our story through our own voices, not through the lens of the colonisers.”

The festival has expanded with 21 exhibitors, new community partnerships, a dedicated children’s area and a space for workshops and cultural activities.

Music and dance will take centre stage, with Iara Band, a family group celebrating Brazilian music, and samba group Ziriguidum, Maracatu and Capoeira Abadá. Painho will open the festival with an acoustic performance of original songs and Brazilian music.

Music and dance will take centre stage. Photo / Sarah Divah

Visitors can try Forro, a traditional dance from northeastern Brazil, and Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian artform combining martial arts, dance and music.

Children can make peteca, a traditional Brazilian game of indigenous origin.

All workshops are free, although advance registration on the festival website is recommended.

Food will include traditional feijoada from Tropeiro Grill, Brazilian sweets from Sweet Tide and cheese bread from Matita Gourmet, alongside barbecue, açai and other specialities.

Families can enjoy Ere Village, a new children’s cultural area featuring face painting, colouring activities based on indigenous legends, storytelling and a bouncy castle. All activities are free.

Participants and performers at the 2025 Saravá Fest. Photo / Sarah Divah

The festival will open with a karakia honouring tangata whenua and acknowledging connections between Māori and Afro-Brazilian ancestral traditions.

Rizzi said the karakia recognised the first people of the land where she and her community had chosen to put down roots.

“I often think of it as the rain that allows a seed to grow and eventually bear fruit,” she said. “It is about receiving the blessing of those who came before us, so that what we plant today can grow strong and the harvest can be plentiful.”

She said Māori and Afro-Brazilian cultures shared values through their emphasis on ancestry, spirituality, community, storytelling and preserving traditions.

The free festival celebrates Afro-Brazilian culture through music, dance, food and workshops. Photo / Sarah Divah

Rizzi hopes visitors leave with a deeper appreciation of cultural diversity and the understanding that people can celebrate different backgrounds while finding a shared sense of belonging.

“You don’t have to abandon your roots, your history, the people you love or who you truly are to find your place in a new community,” she said.

“We can belong together while celebrating everything that makes us different.”

Saravá Fest is at Coronation Park, Mount Maunganui, on November 15, from 10am-6pm. Entry and workshops are free.