KALISOLAITE ‘UHILA
FALE-SHIP HOME RESIDENCY 2021

Conceptual, relatable and thought provoking, award-winning performance artist Kalisolaite ‘Uhila explores everyday life, making durational performance works that are often informed by his Tongan heritage. Through his performances he often seeks to promote a sense of understanding and togetherness. For his Fale-ship residency he utilises documentation to explore the connectedness he experienced during lockdown, working with the niu (coconut) as his focus.  

Ko Sia Ko Veiongo Toku Maunga, 
Ko Vava’u Toku Awa, 
Ko Tahi Pasifiki Toku Moana, 
Ko Holonga Toku Iwi, 
Ko Taulepa Toku Hapu, 
Ko Tonga Ta’eapa Uesiliana Toku Marae, 
Ko Api ko Onehaka Toku Wahi Noho, 
Ko Lomipeau Toku Waka, 
Ko Fusipala ‘o Pangai Toku whaea, 
Ko Sione Helehele Toku Matua, 
Ko Kalisi Langi- Uhila Toku Wahine 
Ko Lavinia Mo Melino Toku Tamariki 
Ko Kalisolaite ‘Uhila Toku Ingoa, 
No Reira, Tena Koutou, Tena Koutou, Tena tatou Katoa. 
A drifter from the ocean… maumau-taimi on land. 
what inspires me is my wife and kids they are my purpose in my everyday life. 
The world is my studio and I create when I’m awake and when I’m asleep I dream of my why? 

Exploring connectedness and the idea of the ‘essential’ led Kalisolaite to create his work ‘Coconut is Life / Niu Life’. He employs the niu (coconut) itself as the vessel of this exploration as he and his family prepare traditional Tongan dishes that utilise every part of the treasured fruit. In this video work, Kalisolaite takes us through the process of preparing the niu and making the food he loves and reminds him of home.  

Check out Kalisolaite’s highlight video as he reflects on his Tautai Fale-ship Residency! 

Being at home, surrounded by his wife and kids, Kalisolaite was challenged to work differently. Primarily a solo performance artist, Kalisolaite instead embraced his surroundings and the connectedness to his family, allowing their presence to enrich his Fale-ship residency.

“…you know being locked down and not much things are accessible for us, it kind of makes us think more of improvising or emphasizing what we have and just accepting things, instead of sometimes taking things for granted.”

– Kalisolaite ‘Uhila

@kalisolaite

For further information please email us 
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

ELSIE ANDREWES
FALE-SHIP HOME RESIDENCY 2021

Surreal, warm and entwined with the past, Elsie’s digital illustrations draw on memories of her childhood homes. Inspired by the concept of ‘Memory Palaces’ and her parent’s collection of antiques, books and music, handcrafted mats and masi kesa, Elsie weaves her childhood memories together to create surreal yet familiar images of home. 

“I am an artist and digital illustrator based in Whangarei, Northland. I was born in Fiji, descendant from the mountain village Koroboya to a Fijian Mother and Pakeha (NZ European) Father. We lived in Vatukoula, a gold mining town until we immigrated to Aotearoa in 2000. 

My interest in visual arts started early in my youth, having been lucky to be brought up surrounded by my father’s collections of antiques, artwork and music from around the world, and my mother’s own archives of books, handcrafted mats, masi kesa, and storytelling. These influences heavily inspired me in my practice, drawing from the detailed patterns of the masi, photographs of the iconic Fijian sunset, Motown music from the 60s and books. 

I create my works in the comfort of my bedroom. It’s where I keep my books, photo albums and diaries. The light is also best there. The bedroom acts as a library of memories and inspiration for me.”  

In the comfort of her bedroom, Elsie draws inspiration from her surroundings filled with imagery and literature. Old family photo albums and books on palms influence Elsie’s pencil sketches which are later transformed into majestic digital illustrations.  

Enjoy this window into Elsie’s creative process and creative workspace! 

Dreamy architectural drawings in pop-tropical hues of pink and orange reflect Elsie’s memories of her childhood homes. For her residency Elsie created a series of three digital illustrations of her childhood home drawn from her memory. The remembered homes float in a space somewhere between imagination and reality. 

Check out Elsie’s highlight video as she reflects on her Tautai Fale-ship Residency!  

Although Elsie’s creative space is her bedroom, creating work for the Fale-ship drew her closer not only to the past, but also to her current environment. Looking at the landscape as a source of knowledge for her indigenous ancestors, Elsie was inspired to look further into her own place and environment to discover what knowledge and lessons it held.  

“I have always created art in the comfort of my own home, my bedroom. However, this experience allowed me to really focus and hone in on developing a personal passion project that I’ve now held on for some time now – that ended up being an emotional journey as well.” 

– Elsie Andrewes

Video by NoSix

@elsieandrewes_illustration

For further information please email us 
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

TEREMOANA RAPLEY
FALE-SHIP HOME RESIDENCY 2021

Pioneering, staunch and interdimensional, Teremoana is an iconic figure in the entertainment industry, expressing her thoughts and feelings through music and lyrics, vibrations and frequencies. We are honoured to showcase and support Teremoana on her Fale-ship journey where she asks the question ‘What is my creative space?’

An award-winning beat-making ex- rapper; Teremoana has spent the past decade touring as deejay selector and back-up emcee for NZ-born Samoan rapper King Kapisi. She was inducted into the Aotearoa Music Hall of Fame alongside politically conscious rap group Upper Hutt Posse in 2018. An award-winning beat-making ex- rapper; Teremoana has spent the past decade touring as deejay selector and back-up emcee for NZ-born Samoan rapper King Kapisi. She was inducted into the Aotearoa Music Hall of Fame alongside politically conscious rap group Upper Hutt Posse in 2018. 

She has simultaneously spent over 25 years producing both mainstream and indigenous television content; managed international and domestic entertainment tours; set up and ran a family screen-printing business; designed and delivered social change initiatives for both local and central government and, after raising her four sons, continues a 30+ year musical journey with her highly anticipated debut album, Daughter of a Housegirl. Her live shows are designed for festivals, theatre, galleries and outdoor settings. The sets will range from an acoustic three piece and deejay to a full band, choir, a video-wall and live actors. 

The show will tour on the premise of the completion of a tivaevae, a traditional colonial introduced practice of large hand-embroidered blankets depicting the flora and fauna of her mother’s homeland, the Cook Islands. 

These images are an insight into the life of a Black Moana Oceania woman growing up in Aotearoa, as a mother, a grandmother, a sister and as the Daughter of a Housegirl; Teremoana re-examines colonisation within the context of privilege. 

Her haunting first single What’s going on, was released just before the country went into lockdown in the year that shall not be named. Her next single Moving on is due for release in November 2021. Her album release is pegged for Auckland Arts Festival 2022. 

Over a series of diary-style videos, Teremoana reflects on her experiences and creative process throughout the residency. The collage of moments provides intimate insight into the reality of musicians working under lockdown conditions, and the drive to continue to create despite current circumstances. 

Check out Teremoana’s highlight video as she reflects on her
Tautai Fale-ship Residency!  

Teremoana’s Fale-ship highlights the importance of the creative process. Through her video diaries we see glimpses into her creative space and what she is watching on her iPad, these surroundings feed into her process. Having the vā to self-examine and reflect on her thoughts and feelings was the foundation of Teremoana’s residency. 

“The process of creativity, the value, is just as important as the end part… Everything I do comes from a space of expressing myself, so while it can turn into a space where there is a transaction there, the first and foremost focus for me is expression of my thoughts and feelings.”

Teremoana Rapley

@teremoanarapley

For further information please email us 
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

SIONE FALETAU
FALE-SHIP HOME RESIDENCY 2021

Geometric forms, mesmerising movement and a neon glow. Sione presents the Tongan worldview in an exciting and fresh way, digitally exploring the semiotics of sound in his work. With a focus on Tongan values and concepts, Sione translates the intangible into unique sonic visualisations that utilise the kupesi (patterns) of his culture.

“My name is Sione Faletau I am of Tongan descent. I am from the villages of Taunga and Lakepa in Tonga. My art practice is multidisciplinary, and I have many strands I can utilize to explore ideas through the mediums of performance, video, drawing, sculpture, and installation. But as of late my art practice has moved more into the digital realm where I work digitally to explore semiotics of soundscape and design. Creating kupesi (patterns) from audio wave spectrums of sound. This form of data or information gives me material I can manipulate to become kupesi. Much like how tufunga manipulate material to create their art.” 

CONTENT WARNING: Flashing Effects

Kupesi Fatongia, 2021

During his Fale-ship Sione created two works, each the explores different Tongan concepts one looks at his everyday life and the fatongia (responsibility) to his family and the tauhi vā (nurturing of relationships) that takes place within the home. The second work explores the Tongan concept of ongo (sound) and its connection to loto (heart).  

CONTENT WARNING: Flashing Effects

“In this work I had taken the audio recordings of making my daughters coco pops in the morning. Extracting the audio wave spectrum giving me sound as a material I can create kupesi from. For this piece I was looking at the everyday rituals that occur and the fatongia I have to my daughter as a father. Fatongia in the Tongan language means obligation or responsibilities. In the process of making this work I thought of this as time and space, shared with my daughter, making her cereal in the kitchen, and marking time through interaction that we have in this space. Zoning into the sounds we created occupying the space made me realize the everyday routines can be made into something unique and special. It made me think of the vā (space) and the Tongan concept of tauhi vā or the nurturing of relationships. In this act or fatongia to my daughter by simply making her favorite cereal coco pops I am nurturing the vā or space between myself and my daughter by playing my role as a father to her providing for her and feeding her.”

Overtone of Nafa Exploration, 2021 

Utilizing the Tongan concept of ongo meaning sound, hearing, and feeling which is connected to the loto meaning inside, desire and heart I see these entities as inseparable, and they all have a hand in creating each other. Using sound to create feeling and from feeling to create sound I found these instances interesting and exploring and experimenting with these concepts I can see develop into a larger body of works

CONTENT WARNING: Flashing Effects

“Exploring the resonance of water and lali produced ongo fakafa‘ahikehe, the minor sound which was an interesting aspect in this part of the residency. It has brought forth another layer to the reality we live in and how sound plays an important role in nature and society. I look to further develop these works. I am grateful for the Tautai Faleship residency in giving me time and space to explore these new nuances and strands within my art practice.”

SIONE FALETAU

Check out Sione’s highlight video as he reflects on his 
Tautai Fale-ship Residency!  

For his Fale-ship, Sione explores the concept of the visual representation of talanoa. Since the pandemic began in 2020, Sione has had to adapt his artistic practices and processes to adjust to his home environment from his studio environment. Sione explains while he was imagining ways to develop his practice from home, he was drawn to the idea of visually representing talanoa.  

CONTENT WARNING: Flashing Effects

“I thought about talanoa, how we talk and how I could give talanoa a visual representation. And I guess through the means of recorders and things it gives me that representation of talanoa through these digital waves. So I thought of this way to bring talanoa into the digital realm and I thought of the songs and the poetry and oratory as those forms of talanoa.” 

– Sione Faletau

@sionefaletauartist

For further information please email us 
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

MARINA ALEFOSIO
FALE-SHIP HOME RESIDENCY 2021

Punchy and lyrical Marina weaves words as a way to look back on memories and struggles from a fresh perspective. As a storyteller Marina is multi-disciplinary, using poetry, performance, short stories and rap as her vessel. Marina’s Tautai Fale-ship remembers her late grandmother, drawing from her legacy of love. 

Marina Alefosio is a proud Aotearoa-born Samoan storyteller hailing from the villages of Mulifanua, Falefa, Faleasiu and Leauva’a. She is a passionate artist who has performed for the last 11 years in spoken word poetry and music, continuously learning new methods and modes of storytelling with the aim of supporting youth and communities to develop their sense of voice and purpose. She was part of the critically acclaimed South Auckland Poets Collective from 2010-2015 and continuously supports emerging artists and theatre groups through mentoring, workshops and more recently was part of the winning team Godmothers for the 2021 JAFA Slam Poetry teams competition. 

Being outside, collaborating with others and simply doing life were the nurturing pillars of Marina’s residency. Documented through vlog style video diaries, Marina shares her Fale-ship journey taking us through the process of developing her poetry performance. 

For her 2021 Fale-ship Residency, Marina explores her own creative process and focuses on what factors enable and enrich her creativity. She draws inspiration from her Samoan roots, her aiga, and treasures the sacred feagaiga (covenant) brother-sister relationship she holds with her older brother Aveloa Alefosio (filmmaker). 

“I can’t believe how much my wellbeing has improved; it reminds me of another time in my life where I just got to work on my craft in a residency I did in Canada. And I remember writing down that ‘It felt like I could finally hear myself breathe’… It reminds me that it gives me a sense of fulfillment to do art.” 

– Marina Alefosio

@marina_the_poet

For further information please email us 
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

TAI NIMO
FALE-SHIP HOME RESIDENCY 2021 

Fun, warm and vibrant, Tai’s work speaks to her own experience, embracing and celebrating her culture in the hopes that it will inspire others to do the same. Doing her Fale-ship in lockdown encouraged Tai to hone her skills and expand her knowledge by exploring digital mediums. 

“I am of Tongan, German descent on my father’s side and Cook Island, Pakeha on my mother’s side. My conceptual practice is centred around being ‘Afakasi’ (mixed) and my creative practice is Illustration, stop-motion animation and traditional drawing. I’m currently located in Tauranga, Bay of Plenty and this is where my Fale-ship Residency is taking place (although my heart will always be for Mangere). I’m in my final year of undergraduate studies (BFA) at UoA Elam, School of Fine Arts. I’m extremely passionate in creating work that reflects my mixed heritage and how I navigate my identity in today’s environment.” 

– Tai Nimo

Using illustration and stop-motion, Tai navigates her Afakasi identity through her art. A sense of nostalgia and memories of childhood are explored through the colourful palette of her self-portraits. Proudly presenting herself and her culture through bold lines and flowing movement. 

‘In Between’

Tai Nimo, 2021

“In Between – is a series of self-portraits I illustrated based around the different forms my cultural identity has taken during different stages of my life.  I chose to incorporate the bright ‘Lunch Box’ colours as a reference to my inner child, as a way of acknowledging her and the struggles she faced growing up as an Afakasi.” 

Check out Tai’s highlight video as she reflects on her Tautai Fale-ship Residency!  

Tai reflects on her Fale-ship experience in the Bay of Plenty in contrast with her upbringing in Mangere, South Auckland. The Fale-ship Residency allowed her time to reflect upon her childhood growing up as an Afakasi kid, and how she proudly embraces her cultural identity today. 

Video by @NoSix

@taiz.art | @tai.nimo

For further information please email us 
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

‘ISOPE ‘AKAU’OLA

FALE-SHIP HOME RESIDENCY 2021 

‘Isope ‘Akau’ola is an emerging talent offering a distinctly Tongan perspective to choreography and performing arts. The sincere nature of ‘Isope’s work reflects his Fale-ship experience. Sharing a bubble with his loved ones created an environment of collaboration, reflection and learning.

“Mālō e lelei ko hoku hingoa ko ‘Isope ‘Akau’ola and I hail from the villages of Lotofoa and ‘Utulau in the beautiful kingdom of Tonga but I was born and raised in Tamaki Makaurau. My residency is currently taking place in Mt Roskill/Puketāpapa. I am currently in my second year, studying towards my Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts majoring in Contemporary Dance. My passion for dance originated from a love of Pasifika dance and theatre. As a child of the Pacific diaspora, I have found parallels within my own identity and the art that I want to create. I also aspire to develop a practice for myself as a New Zealand-born Tongan artist.” 

‘ISOPE ‘AKAU’OLA

‘Manatu ki ‘Api’

Thoughtful, fresh and evoking loto-māfana, ‘Isope reflects on the value of tauhi vā (nurturing relationships) and holding space through choreography and moving-image. Inspired by the visual language of music videos, ‘Isope’s work shares the perspectives of his mother, a proud Tongan from Mt Roskill and himself, a child of the Pacific diaspora. Interweaving visual symbolism and gestural motifs, ‘Manatu ki ‘Api’ asks ‘What is home? What can I call home? and What remains of home within us?’

‘Isope presents his final work: ‘Manatu ki ‘Api’ (Remember Your Home) 
Featuring: Fisioko ‘Akau’ola, Mj Pelarion, Pepetua ‘Akau’ola, ‘Isope ‘Akau’ola 

“I have lived in the same state home in Mt Roskill for my whole life. Mt Roskill is currently going through a huge redevelopment phase where state homes are being demolished in favour of new houses and the people who live in them, majority being Pacific and Maori, are and have been evicted. For children of the Pacific diaspora we are constantly in search of home. We are not from here but we walk this land. When home is being demolished and you are forced to move out or when home is seas away, what is home? What can we call home? and What remains of home within us?” 

‘ISOPE ‘AKAU’OLA

Music/Sound Credits: 
Angi e Matangi – Holonga Kava Club 
Multi-stage fitness test (MSFT) 

Check out ‘Isope’s highlight video as he reflects on his Tautai Fale-ship Residency!  

‘Isope shares his experience of creating during lockdown. He was able to collaborate with his bubble to produce his final work ‘Manatu ki ‘Api’ filmed at his home and neighborhood of Mt Roskill. The idea of ‘hope’ is present throughout his work and a relevant concept to the world we live in today and the uncertainty that surrounds us.  

“I would love for people to take away a sense of hope. I think hope is such a beautiful thing to have and to hold on to. I think there’s hope for the community and there’s hope for people like me, and there’s hope for the world that I’m imagining or the world that we are imagining together.”  

– ‘Isope ‘Akau’ola

Video by @NoSix

For further information please email us 
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust is thrilled to announce the recipients of the Fale-ship Residency programme 2021!

The 2021 Fale-ship Residency recipients are:  Elsie Andrews (visual arts), Etanah Falagā Talapā (visual arts), ‘Isope ‘Akau’ola (dance), Kalisolaite ‘Uhila (performance art), Kasi Valu (writer), Marina Alefosio (music/poetry), Sione Faletau (visual/sound art), Tai Nimo (visual arts), Warren Paea (photography), Teremoana Rapley (music).

In 2021, residency artists are also supported by Tautai’s new Fale-Ship Ambassadors: New Zealand Herald VIVA, Basement Theatre, The Big Idea.

Recipients will be showcased across Tautai’s platforms between October – December 2021, activating and nurturing the vā both digitally and physically throughout the community. 

We are so excited to see what these incredible Tagata Moana creatives have to share over the course of the coming months! Make sure to like this page and follow our Instagram to see each Fale-ship as they launch across our channels.

Tautai.org  #tautai4lyfe

Tautai’s Fale-ship Residency Programme returns in 2021 to support 10 creatives to make and develop new work from home.

Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust is thrilled to announce the recipients of the Fale-ship Residency programme 2021. A Moana evolution of the word fellowship, the TautaiFale-ship residencies centre on the everyday making and thinking of Pasifika creatives operating in their own creative centres.

Initially developed by Tautai in response to Aotearoa’s 2020 Covid-19 lockdown, the Fale-ship Residencies provide support for a two-week residency for ten Tagata Moana creatives living in Aotearoa. The Residencies are open to all Pacific practitioners from across the arts and are granted by a selection panel of industry leaders.

The 2021 Fale-ship Residency recipients are: Elsie Andrewes (visual arts); Etanah Falagā Talapā (visual arts); ‘Isope ‘Akau’ola (dance); Kalisolaite ‘Uhila (performance art); Kasi Valu (writer); Marina Alefosio (music/poetry); Sione Faletau (visual/sound art); Tai Nimo (visual arts); Warren Paea (photography); and Teremoana Rapley (music).

Each artist receives a grant of NZD$2,000 to support the development of new or existing projects in their own creative centres. Residencies will take place over September 2021 and at the conclusion of their residency, each of the 2021 Fale-ship Residency recipients will be showcased across Tautai’s platforms between October – December 2021, activating and nurturing the Vā (the energy between) both digitally and physically throughout the community.

In 2021, the Fale-ship Residencies are also supported by new ambassador organisations: New Zealand Herald VIVA; Basement Theatre; and The Big Idea. Ambassadors are committed to supporting Tagata Moana Indigenous authorship through diverse and collaborative platforms.

Tautai Director Courtney Sina Meredith says, “The Fale-ships form part of a deeper kaupapa to bolster the creative expression of Moana artists during this time of great change. We worked hard to adapt our programme during the initial 2020 lockdown with meaningful offerings that I felt had the potential for real impact across the sector.”

The Tautai Fale-ship Residencies are generously supported by Creative New Zealand and Foundation North.

Meet the 2021 Tautai Fale-ship Residency recipients

Elsie Andrewes Visual arts

Elsie Andrewes is a digital illustrator based in Whangarei, Northland and is of Fijian and Pākeha descent. Her family immigrated to Aotearoa in 2000. Her interest in visual arts began through early exposure to her father’s collections of antiques, artwork and music from around the world, and her mother’s own archives of books, handcrafted mats, masi kesa and storytelling. These diverse influences heavily inspire Elsie’s practice, which draws from sources ranging from the detailed patterns of masi and photographs of the iconic Fijian sunset, to Motown music and literature. 

Etanah Falagā Talapā Visual arts

Born in Te Awakairangi (Hutt Valley), Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington), Etanah Falagā Talapā is a multi-disciplinary artist who hails from Afega and Falealili, Sa’anapu in Samoa. She currently lives in Petone, Te Awakairangi i tai (Lower Hutt). Etanah’s creative practice operates at the intersections of public installation, digital art, photography and mixed-media. Her work is inspired by her Pasifika community, her aiga and the people and landscape of her community, Awakairangi (Hutt Valley). Etanah graduated with a Bachelor of Design in Spatial Design from Massey University in 2018, has held a Tautai Oceania Internship at Tauranga Art Gallery and was an artist mentor in a youth-led programme at Taita and Naenae Clubhouse. She is currently Curator, Exhibitions and Public Programmes, at Enjoy Art Gallery, Poneke.

‘Isope ‘Akau’ola Dance

‘Isope ‘Akau’ola is a Tongan (‘Utulau and Lotofoa) performance artist who was born and raised in Tāmaki Makaurau. He is currently studying towards a Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts majoring in Contemporary Dance. ‘Isope’s passion for dance originated from a love of Pasifika dance and theatre and he has worked with various artists and groups including Aloali’i Tapu, Sau e Siva creatives and Tanya Muagututi’a. As a child of the Pacific diaspora ‘Isope has found parallels within his own identity and the art that he wants to create and aspires to develop a practice for himself and his voice as a New Zealand-born Tongan artist.

Kalisolaite ‘Uhila Performance art

Kalisolaite ‘Uhila was born in the Kingdom of Tonga and lives and works in Tāmaki Makaurau. His practice revolves around performance, making durational performance works that are often informed by his Tongan heritage. Tradition, masculinity and cultural bias are ideas that Kalisolaite explores. Through his performance works he often seeks to promote a sense of understanding and togetherness. Kalisolaite received a Bachelor of Visual Arts from Auckland University of Technology in 2010, followed by a Masters of Performance & Media Arts in 2016. He has received multiple residencies for his practice, including the Montalvo Arts Centre Residency, California (2018); Youkobo Art Space Residency, Tokyo (2018) and ZK/U & Ifa Galerie Residency, Berlin (2016). In 2014 he was selected as a finalist in the Walters Prize for his 2012 work Mo’ui Tukuhausia. In 2020 he was awarded the Harriet Friedlander Residency by the Arts Foundation of New Zealand.

Kasi Valu Writer

Kasi Valu is a Tongan (Mau’ufanga, Lapaha) multidisciplinary performer, playwright and poet based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington). Kasi was born and raised in Grey Lynn, Tāmaki Makurau and moved to Wellington to pursue a career in performing arts studying at Toi Whakaari. Through writing and its translation into performance, Kasi explores the experience of being a child of the Pacific diaspora and aims to highlight the importance of art and storytelling for the next generation. Inspired by his community, Kasi creates in order to return the love that has supported him.

Marina Alefosio Music/poetry

Marina Alefosio is a proud Aotearoa-born Samoan storyteller hailing from the villages of Mulifanua, Falefa and Leauva’a. Marina has trained and performed as a performance poet, participating in and leading community and youth groups in performance and poetry workshops. She was a member of the critically acclaimed South Auckland Poets Collective and has performed both locally and internationally. Marina is inspired by her own children and the next generation, and wants to grow the Pasifika youth sector through creative methods such as spoken word poetry and scriptwriting.

Sione Faletau  Visual/sound art

Based in Ōtara, Tāmaki Makaurau, Sione Faletau is a multidisciplinary artist of Tongan decent, from the villages of Taunga and Lakepa. Sione explores the mediums of performance, video, drawing, sculpture, and installation, but more recently has shifted his practice towards the digital art realm. He explores the semiotics of soundscape and design, creating kupesi (patterns) from audio wave spectrums of sound. Inspired by his Tongan culture and heritage, Faletau uses art as a vehicle to deepen his understanding of self, his people, and the Moana at large. His previous works notion to traditional stories, myths and concepts inherent in Tongan culture and he has exhibited at a number of galleries and institutions. With a Masters in Fine Arts from Elam, Sione is currently completing his Doctoral studies.

Tai Nimo Visual arts

Māngere-based creative, Tai Nimo is a digital artist of Tongan, Niuean, German descent on her father’s side and Cook Island, American and Pākeha on her mother’s side. Inspired by her diverse cultural heritage, Tai creates works that reflect her identity and environment – her mediums include illustration, stop-motion animation and traditional drawing. Since Aotearoa’s first lockdown in early 2020, Tai has adapted to creating from home, sourcing new inspiration and embracing the environment around her. Tai is currently completing her undergraduate degree in Fine Arts at Elam.

Teremoana Rapley Music

Teremoana Rapley is an award-winning musician and a stalwart of Aoteroa’s Entertainment Industry. She has collectively received the Taite Music Prize twice; first in 2016 with Upper Hutt Posse and then again in 2019 with Moana and the Moahunters. In 2018, Upper Hutt Posse received the Legacy Award and she was also inducted into the Aotearoa Music Hall of Fame. Teremoana is the only musician to receive all four accolades in New Zealand music history. Over her career in music and television, Teremoana has worked across various disciplines including graphic design, moving image, costume-design, choreography, lighting design, set-design, sculpture, acrylic art and audio design. She is a multi-disciplinary and inter-dimensional creative, who provides space for an unhindered reconnection to her tupuna.

Warren Paea  Photography

Warren Paea is a Niuean visual artist currently living in Arch Hill/Grey Lynn and born and raised in Māngere East, South Auckland. He is a graduate of Elam School of Fine Arts and his practice spans photography, print and sound, with a particular focus on portraiture and street photography. Warren often takes candid and intimate photos of people, using the photographic medium to connect to or illustrate connections with various communities. His work captures and celebrates the depth of interconnectivity between people and explores the complexities of identity.

For further information please email us 
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

 2021 TAUTAI FALE-SHIP RESIDENCIES

<< APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED >>

Inspired by daily life, contemporary Tagata Moana art is in a constant state of flux and expansion. Making discoveries and stretching into what is possible, our artists are shaped by the people and places that give life to their creativity. Some of the best work is made around the busyness of family life: in the early morning, late at night when the kids have gone to bed, in living rooms surrounded by elders, and at home studios where Moana creatives feel grounded and connected to those that are most important.

We invite our community to share their practice as artists in residence over a two-week period, responding to global transformation through a localised lens. Experienced digitally but grounded in the physical, the 2021 Tautai Fale-ship Residencies place value on the everyday experiences of Moana artists operating in their own creative centres. In a model conceived in response to the 2020 lockdown, we now celebrate the Fale-ship residencies as a vital part of Tautai’s ongoing programme to champion Pacific creativity. 

This year we are excited to be collaborating with Fale-ship Ambassadors for the first time:

• Basement Theatre
• VIVA
• The Big Idea

Our Fale-ship Ambassadors are committed to supporting the indigenous authorship of Tagata Moana artists and each organisation brings a different strength to this opportunity. By expanding into our sector community – we are shaping a more expansive, meaningful, and collaborative platform.

This initiative aims to encourage connections through the digital Moana as we continue to navigate to a new sense of normal, acknowledging not only the challenges that we encounter but also embracing the opportunities presented through positive response to change. Flipping the paradigm of indigenous practitioners operating in mainstream centres for visibility, the Fale-ships take audiences with respect and alofa, to where our artists feel most powerful in their own sacred space.

APPLY NOW

Read the brief above. If you’re interested in the 2021 Tautai Fale-ship Residencies please submit your application by Monday 30 August at midday. Submit your proposal as a PDF or Word doc via the application form below. Or download the form here.

 Applications must include: 

• A short-written biography including your ethnicity/villages/identifiers and your practice. What inspires you? Where do you create and why?
• One-page outlining your two-week residency proposal. 
• 1 hi-res profile image of yourself and 5 hi-res images or links of your work (please label)
• A hi-res image of your creative workspace and the location of where the residency will take place (suburb and city) 

 For inspiration check out TAUTAI FALE-SHIP HOME RESIDENCES 2020 here.

Successful artists will receive NZD$2000, community connectivity, and a range of in-kind support from Tautai and participating Fale-ship Ambassador partners.  

<< APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED >>

And just like that, our TAUTAI FALE-SHIP Home Residencies have come to an end.

This year we delivered 20x FALE-SHIP residencies every week showcasing the brilliance of our Te moana nui a Kiwa artists living in Aotearoa!

Enjoy this beautiful tribute as we honour and celebrate our artists, our ancestors and community of people who awhi and support us everyday!

Mālō ‘aupito to our INCREDIBLE artists who shared their sacred spaces with us, we look forward to following your journeys into 2021 and beyond! Fa’afetai tele lava to our extraordinary Q&A facilitators for sharing time and holding space in the digital Moana.

This project was created during the unprecedented nationwide lockdowns in Aotearoa. Our artists shared their creative practices through a week-long residency, responding to a period of global transformation through a localised lens. Experienced digitally but grounded in the physical, the TAUTAI FALE-SHIP Home Residencies place value on the everyday experiences of Moana artists operating in their own centres.

2020 TAUTAI FALE-SHIP HOME RESIDENCY ARTISTS

Natasha Ratuva | Tui Emma Gillies & Sulieti Fieme’a Burrows | Iata Peautolu | Elisabeth Kumaran | Lyncia Muller | Sani Muliaumaseali’i | Jaimie (James) Waititi | Jasmine Tuia | Chris Van Doren | Keva Rands | Tuafale Tanoai (Linda.T) |
Melissa Gilbert | Salvador Brown | Fa’amele Etuale | Christopher Ulutupu |
Rawiri Brown | Tyla Vaeau | Michel Mulipola | Ashleigh Taupaki | Ioane Ioane

2020 TAUTAI FALE-SHIP Q&A FACILITATORS

Benji Timu | Amon (INF) Tyson | Rosanna Raymond | Marie Filipo | Leafa Wilson |
Naawie Tutugoro | Lonnie Hutchinson

View all the FALE-SHIPS here

For further information please email us 
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

We have launched the highly anticipated Tautai Fale-ship Home Residency digital series!

TAUTAI FALE-SHIP Home Residencies will feature 20 Moana artists each week over five months through our website and social media platforms between July – December 2020

FEATURING:
Natasha Ratuva | Tui Emma Gillies & Sulieti Fieme’a Burrows | Iata Peautolu | Elisabeth Kumaran | Lyncia Muller | Sani Muliaumaseali’i | Keva Rands | Jaimie Waititi | Chris Van Doren | Jasmine Tuia | Tuafale Tanoai | Melissa Gilbert | Salvador Brown | Christopher Ulutupu | Fa’amele Etuale | Rawiri Brown | Tyla Vaeau | Michael Mulipola | Ashleigh Taupaki | John Ioane

Moana artists make some of their best work at home; at the kitchen table, in living rooms surrounded by family, in bedrooms and garages, in home studios where we feel safe and connected to those around us. We are constantly creating and thinking of new ideas, informed by the people and places that give life to our creativity.

“Now is the time, more than ever, to celebrate and support artists in our own back yard.”

– Courtney Sina Meredith, Tautai Director

Artists will undertake a 1-week deep dive into exploring the creative processes behind their work and share an insight into their home practice as artists in residence, responding to a period of global transformation through a localised lens. Experienced digitally but grounded in the physical, the TAUTAI FALE-SHIP Home Residencies place value on the everyday experiences of Moana artists operating in their own centres.

This initiative aims to encourage meaningful connections through the digital Moana as we slowly navigate a new sense of normality due to the global pandemic of COVID-19.

Follow our wave as we navigate the digital Moana together:
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

For further information please email us
Tautai.org
#LocalThinking #LocalMaking #tautai4lyfe