Events & Festivals in Kiribati

Nationwide celebrations marking the start of the new year with church services, family feasts (kam bubura), and community gatherings. Expect traditional dancing, singing, and sharing of local foods like babai (swamp taro) and fresh seafood.

A day celebrating youth contributions with speeches, cultural performances, and sporting competitions. Schools and youth groups perform traditional dances, sing songs, and showcase local arts and crafts.

Competitive outrigger canoe (wa) races between islands, showcasing traditional boat-building skills and navigation techniques. Includes demonstrations of sailing canoes and cultural performances.

Community health awareness events with traditional fitness demonstrations, local food cooking shows featuring healthy I-Kiribati cuisine, and educational workshops about traditional medicinal plants.

Major religious observance with all-night church vigils, sunrise services, and communal meals. Features special hymn singing (te kaimatoa) and biblical reenactments in local communities.

Celebration of Kiribati's fishing heritage with demonstrations of traditional fishing techniques, seafood cooking competitions, and educational exhibits about sustainable fishing practices.

Showcase of traditional I-Kiribati dance forms including the te kamei (standing dance) and te bino (sitting dance). Features dance groups from different islands demonstrating unique regional styles.

Celebration of traditional culture featuring dance competitions, handicraft exhibitions, and storytelling sessions. Highlights include demonstrations of traditional navigation skills and outrigger canoe displays.

Multi-day celebration of Christian music featuring choirs from different denominations and islands. Includes traditional hymn singing competitions and contemporary gospel performances.

Community clean-ups, tree planting ceremonies, and educational workshops about climate change adaptation. Features traditional knowledge sharing about sustainable living on atolls.

Week-long sporting competition featuring volleyball, soccer, weightlifting, and traditional games like 'te rawe' (local wrestling). Teams from different islands compete for national honors.

National celebration marking independence from Britain in 1979. Features flag-raising ceremonies, parades, cultural performances, and speeches by government officials. The highlight is the traditional dance competition.

Display and sale of traditional I-Kiribati crafts including woven mats (te kora), shell jewelry, model canoes, and pandanus leaf products. Artisans demonstrate their techniques throughout the event.

Celebration of local agriculture with displays of giant babai (swamp taro), breadfruit, coconut varieties, and traditional preservation methods. Includes cooking demonstrations using local ingredients.

Cultural demonstrations for visitors including traditional navigation lessons, outrigger canoe rides, and storytelling sessions about Kiribati's history and legends.

School presentations, cultural performances, and educational exhibitions about global issues affecting Kiribati, particularly climate change and sea-level rise.

Church services and cemetery visits to honor deceased family members. Families clean and decorate graves, then gather for prayers and remembrance ceremonies.

Seasonal markets selling handmade Christmas decorations, gifts, and traditional foods. Features woven star ornaments, shell crafts, and special holiday treats like coconut candies.

All-night church services featuring extensive hymn singing (te kaimatoa) in beautiful I-Kiribati harmonies. Different church denominations hold competing services that last through the night.

Family-centered celebrations beginning with church services followed by extensive feasting (kam bubura). Features gift exchanges, visiting between households, and community singing.

Watch night services in churches across the islands, featuring prayers, hymns, and testimonies as communities give thanks for the past year and pray for the coming one.