The Invercargill Royal’s Legends division team, which includes Southland farmers Vincent Travasas (83) and Guillermo Tolentino (88).
Photo: RNZ/Anisha Satya
Vincent Travasas has played basketball for three days straight.
“We just finished playing for 40-up, that was a battle for third – unfortunately we didn’t win.”
The Winton dairy farmer represented Invercargill at the Filipino South Island Games, a multi-day, multisport tournament held annually in Te Waipounamu.
Winton farmer Vincent Travasas joined the Invercargill Royals basketball team.
Photo: RNZ/Anisha Satya
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“I’ve been here in New Zealand for 20 years; we’ve been part of it every year, it’s just been part of our life, really.”
Travasas said the games, held in Ashburton this year, was formed as a “catch up” for the first of Aotearoa’s Filipino migrants.
“We wanted to get together, and bring the culture back, to help the culture shock and everything from when we came here.”
The event has ballooned into a major cultural event since its 2007 beginnings.
Tournaments in badminton, volleyball, chess, bowling, darts, and billiards were held at venues across Mid Canterbury over the three-day event.
Event chairperson Kristine Asuncion believed over 3000 people had travelled to Ashburton for the games.
Filipino South Island games chairperson Kristine Asuncion and treasurer Aline Ciron.
Photo: RNZ/Anisha Satya
“We managed to have 30 teams across the whole South Island [for basketball],” she said.
“We’ve got a legends division, open, under 17 and under 23, at a minimum of 15 participants.
“So, if you multiply that, plus their families, and their partners, and their children- and that’s just basketball.”
Event treasurer Aline Ciron said she had prewarned Ashburton restaurants to “prepare” for the influx of people to the town.
“People were [looking] for accommodation within the outskirts of the town.
“I think it’s a great help for local businesses.”
Asuncion said it also showed how the local Filipino population had grown and integrated into Ashburton.
“Mid Canterbury is very much a dairy farming community.
“We are very grateful for the Filipino community that decided to farm in the area, and know that they feel so privileged as well, that they get to enjoy the mountains, the sea, and being in the middle of everything.
“We would like to look after them, as a community; we would like to support them, their growth and their families and their children.”
That sentiment is echoed by Invercargill farmers Guillermo and Christina Tolentino, who also attended the games.
Invercargill couple Guillermo and Christina Tolentino.
Photo: RNZ/Anisha Satya
When they moved to Southland in the early 2000s, there weren’t many Filipinos around.
Even comfort foods were hard to come by then – rice only came in single-kilo packs, not the large sacks common in supermarkets now.
“Some foods here, especially meats, are always available. But vegetables [from] the Philippines, we can’t find those,” Guillermo said.
The pair served as a bridge for migrants interested in moving to New Zealand for farm work, helping establish a large Filipino community in Southland.
The community now runs cultural events and has an abundance of Pinoy food.
Guillermo said non-Filipino people in Southland had taken well to the fusion of Pinoy and Kiwi cultures in the area.
“We try to explain everything,” Guillermo said.
“The most famous [food] is the lechon, the spit roast whole pig. It’s yum, everyone likes it – just don’t look at your cholesterol and blood pressure after that.”
He hoped to encourage the community to put roots down in Southland, and to continue attending events like the Filipino South Island Games.
Ashburton mayor Liz McMillan said large events like the Filipino games were a “real boost for the Ashburton District”.
Ashburton mayor Liz McMillan.
Photo: Tegan Clark Photography
“While we don’t have exact figures, we do see strong demand for accommodation, busy cafés and restaurants, and increased spending in our local shops.
“Much like the Filipino community itself, the games bring energy, colour and excitement to our district.”
The town’s EA Networks Centre – where basketball and volleyball tournaments were run for the games – pushed venue visitor numbers to an all-time high.
“72,050 people [came] through the doors in May (Including 8,000 visits over the long weekend). Our previous highest monthly total was 61,814, set in 2024.”
According to the 2023 Census, the Ashburton district had the third-highest concentration of Filipino residents in New Zealand – 1605 residents who accounted for 3.8 percent of the population.
“Our Filipino residents are a highly valued part of our community and contribute in many meaningful ways to the district,” McMillan said.
“They are well recognised locally for their strong work ethic and contribute significantly to our agricultural sector, but also other industries such as nursing and aged care, education, trades, business ownership, and volunteering.”
Feeling the pressure – Ashburton’s legends team player Michael Boston (right) preps a shot as Randy Buenafe and the crowd watch on.
Photo: RNZ/Anisha Satya
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