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 ...
And just like that, our TAUTAI FALE-SHIP Home Residencies have come to an end. This year we delivered 20x FALE-SHIP residencies ...
Ioane is a Samoan multi-disciplinary artist living in Tāmaki Makaurau. His work is informed by his Samoan heritage and includes performance, film, painting, installation and sculpture.
Ashleigh is multi-disciplinary artist who specializes in sculpture.
Tyla is a tatau practitioner, known for her unique ability to combine the contemporary with the traditional in her art.
Christopher is an artist of Samoan (Siumu, Falelatai, Safotu), Niuean and German, descent currently based in Pōneke.
Introducing fashion and textile designer Rawiri Brown. His work aims to highlight the skilled craft and creative process of the medium.
Fa’amele is a self taught artist, pacific contemporary jeweller and a maker of all things creative.
Michel is one of the very few professional Pasifika comic artists. With a growing international fanbase, he enjoys sharing his stories with people from all over the globe.
Talofa lava! Introducing sound and video practitioner Salvador Brown.
Melissa Gilbert, a multi-faceted creator, who taps into themes of identity, healing and spiritualism.
Tuafale’s practice aims to document and share community stories, generating a living archive. Her kaupapa has been described as one that is based on koha – often made with and gifted back to the communities she is engaged with.
Keva has grown her brand Papa Clothing creating inclusive clothing that is inspired by the women in her family and their connections to the Pacific.
Chris’s works have evolved over the years and still retain the essence of the vaka, the land and sea with flow movement, lines and form.
Jasmine explores the concepts of the Pacific body and indigenous Samoan narrative through print, photography, moving image and tapa (Siapo) making.
James explores how Moana artists position ourselves around decolonisationcan and reposition the trajectory to centre tipuna rather than colonisation.
Follow Sani’s journey this week as he shares his residency experience and explores the challenges of lockdown through improvisation, experimentation and pure resilience.
Follow Lyncia’s Fale-ship journey this week as she explores the ways in which she improvises and creates movement at home instead of in the studio.
Follow Elisabeth’s Fale-ship journey this week as she takes us behind the scenes of her incredible stop-motion clips and clever use of wordplay.
Follow Iata this week as he shares the visual language of hiapo through his incredible process of creating tatatau Niue during his Fale-ship residency!
Talitali fiefia! Introducing the mother and daughter duo Tui Emma Gillies and Sulieti Fieme’a Burrows and their Fale-ship experience!
Follow Natasha Ratuva as she shares her home workspace, creative process and reflects on her Fale-ship experience.
We are excited to launch the highly anticipated TAUTAI FALE-SHIP Home Residency digital series!
FALE-SHIP 2020 ROUND UP
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
FALE-SHIP: Ioane Ioane
Talofa lava! Introducing Ioane Ioane!
Samoan | Magiagi, Faatoia Upolu and Puapua Savai’i
Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa
@ioaneioanenz
Ioane is a Samoan multi-disciplinary artist living in Tāmaki Makaurau. His work is informed by his Samoan heritage and includes performance, film, painting, installation and sculpture. Ioane has won a number of significant arts awards throughout his career and his works are held in both private and public collections.
“I would describe my works or my mahi as things that occur in the space between. We all have or desires and fears and aspirations and challenges and when you go to exhibition you only see the glamour bit of it… but there’s a lot of discipline, hard work, hard mahi and sacrifices that goes in the lives of artists and that’s good to share that with people.”
Ioane Ioane
The concept surrounding Ioane’s Fale-ship is the significance of the Pe’a and Malu. In addition to this, the importance of one’s aiga. During his Residency his niece received her Malu and his mother celebrated her 90th birthday. Ioane documented these notable events to convey how they have informed his creative process throughout the weeklong Residency.
“The Malu and Pe’a are symbolically linked to the mental and spiritual welfare/health of Samoans. The constellation of stars of the malu and the vessel of the pe’a births the holistic matrix of life.”
IOANE IOANE
Watch Ioane’s short film which takes us on a personal journey into his life as an artist, father, uncle and loving son. He records his artistic process, from early sketches to the final product. We see beautiful images from his niece’s malu ceremony in Samoa, one of the people he has dedicated his Fale-ship to. Ioane also includes a mini vlog of his week, from exercising to spending time with his loved one’s and planning his mother’s 90th – to whom he also dedicated his Residency to.
Q+A Talanoa
Ioane and Lonnie sit down and talk in depth about what inspires him and his work.
Lonnie – “What is inspiring you right now?”
Ioane – “Would be my mother. But she’s always been a support, supporting mechanism for me and my brothers… so a lot of the mahi that I am doing, like I was talking to you about the concept of the malu. I see the malu as a constellation of stars that guide the waka and the waka is symbolic of our men who have the helm of it tattoed on their body, the pe’a. So the men are the waka and they need the stars to guide them towards their destination. Our mother was like that for us and still is.”
Talanoa Q+A facilitated by:
LONNIE HUTCHINSON
Multi-disciplinary artist
Samoan | Māori (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kuri and Ngāi Tahu)
Tamaki Makaurau, Aotearoa
@lonnadonna
FALE-SHIP: Ashleigh Taupaki
Kia ora koutou! Introducing Ashleigh Taupaki
Ashleigh is multi-disciplinary artist who specializes in sculpture. Raised in West Auckland, she now lives and works in Wellington. Ashleigh is currently studying a Master of Fine Arts at the University of Auckland, and primarily makes hard material sculptures that respond to indigenous Pacific concepts of space and place. Ashleigh also does a lot of photography, drawing, and writing that often gets left in the research pile, but it is vital to her practice because it is a raw and felt documentation of the stories and places she encounters.
Ashleigh takes us on a journey through her various previous works and exhibitions. She also shares images from Ranui, where she was going to carry out her Residency before she relocated to Pōneke. We gain an insight into the types of materials and ideas Ashleigh channels in her practice.
“This project was about loss of cultural memory and recognition through migration and its subsequent intergenerational acculturation, but also sought to highlight the importance of intergenerational connections and oral tradition within Samoan culture to reimagine and recollect that which has been lost.”
Ashleigh Taupaki
Ashleigh’s final works from her Fale-ship:
Each drawing is partnered with a poem except the hibiscus poem. These works are about recapturing the stories and talanoa she exchanged with her grandmother during lockdown, she listened to her grandmother describe the plants and she drew what she imagine. These works emphasize the importance of intergenerational connections and oral traditions ingrained in Samoan culture.
moso’oi 
moso’oi poems 
laumaile 
laumaile poem 
ioa 
ioa poem 
hibiscus poem
Q+A Talanoa with Ashleigh and Naawie
Ashleigh and Naawie sit down to chat about the importance of oral histories to Pacific peoples and how it has influenced her art practice
Naawie: “When your Fale-ship Residency is eventually launched online what would you like people to take away from your work?”
Ashleigh: “I guess just helping people understand how important Pacific oral traditions are to Pacific peoples.”
Ashleigh Online:
@ashleigh.taupaki
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
NAAWIE TUTUGORO
Multi-disciplinary artist
Kanak, Anglo-Argentine, Pākeha & Mystic | Poindimé (New Caladonia)
Waiheke Island, Aotearoa
IG: @astonishing_coco_puff
FB: Naawie Tutugoro
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
FALE-SHIP: Tyla Vaeau
Talofa lava! Introducing Tyla Vaeau!
Samoan
Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa
IG: @tylatatau
Tyla is a tatau practitioner, known for her unique ability to combine the contemporary with the traditional in her art. She emphases the importance of talanoa when it comes to her practice, her tattoos are more than just pictures, they symbolise one’s background and their identity. For Tyla, tatau is everything that is important to her such as art, family, community and history all in one. Tyla is widely renowned for her practice and is the first fafine to have been gifted the ‘au, a customary tatau tool.
Get an insight into Tyla’s tatau process, she explains the importance of talanoa and how working from home has brought a deeper meaning to her practice. She shares with us some images from her home sessions.
“Moving tatau “back” home has felt like an important move forward. The significance of place has also been evident as the many Pasifika families that come to receive tatau at our fale share their connection to Grey Lynn, a suburb that has a rich Moana history.”
Tyla Vaeau
Fale-ship Tatau Portrait Series
Part 1: Annalina Crosbie
Elisefoe, Upolu
Annalina shares her experience of receiving tatau from Tyla!
“My dad was born in the village of Elisefoe
in the island of Upolu, Samoa, which is where my nana, his mother, is from.
This is where the Tusitala family is from, which is my father’s last name &
my middle name. My Pa (grandfather) is from the village of Fugalei just outside
of Apia on the island of Upolu, Samoa.
Me and my aiga have a special bond – one that I treasure the most in this
world. They are the first people I run to with good news and bad news, the
first people I want to share my success with, and the best people to laugh
with. They are my strength and the reason that I am who I am. I got my tatau to
acknowledge this, and to carry me forward – chest first – into my journey
ahead. My Grandparents and I had a really special relationship too. Both were
battling cancer for years before they passed, Nana in 2009 & Pa in 2018,
just days before my birthday. To have the same markings on my chest that were
on Pa’s Pe’a as well as markings for my Nana somewhat grounds me. It makes me
feel whole. I am a result of how my aiga have loved and nurtured me, and this
tattoo reminds me daily that I can achieve anything with my village behind me.
Fa’afetai lava Tyla for revealing my markings. They mean more to me than words can express.”
Part 2: Saskia Strand-Saseve
Lotofaga and Apia
Saskia explains to Tyla the many meanings behind her tatau.
“My tatau represents the strength I have found through other wxmen, while also representing and reminding me of my ancestors, and their strength, power and traditions.”
Part 3: Hiram Fa’alia Vaeau
Salea’aumua, Safune
Hiram describes how his tatau has changed and expanded over the years.
“My sleeve tatau represents my connection to my aiga and culture. It started as a taulima by Tyla and grew to cover my arm over a few years, as my sleeve expanded so did my appreciation for tatau and my want to understand more about my Samoan heritage. The sleeve was completed when Tyla ka’d my hand using the ‘au, to receive these markings from my older sister makes it even more significant. I am proud of the work she is doing and feel fortunate to be on this journey with her, working alongside her in our family studio.”
Q+A Talanoa with Tyla and Leafa
Leafa: “When you’re tattooing…do you feel the hand of your ancestors?”
Tyla: “Yeah, I definitely…when I’m tattooing I know that I’m not working alone… especially when I’m working with the traditional tools.”
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
LEAFA WILSON
Performance artist/ Curator/Art Writer/ Director – Olga
Sāmoan | Gafa: Vaimoso/Siumu/Fasito’otai
Hamilton, Aotearoa
IG: @bungaswehr | @olgaartspace
For further information please email us.
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
FALE-SHIP: Christopher Ulutupu
Talofa lava! Introducing visual artist Christopher Ulutupu!
Samoan | Niuean | German
Pōneke, Aotearoa
IG: @tulisi88
FB: Christopher Ulutupu
Christopher is an artist of Samoan (Siumu, Falelatai, Safotu), Niuean and German, descent currently based in Pōneke. He holds an MFA at Massey University and a Bachelor of Performance Design (Hons) from Massey University and Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School. Ulutupu has developed solo projects at a number of galleries across Pōneke and Tāmaki Mākaurau. He also participated in the inaugural Hobart Biennale in 2017.
Christopher draws from and reflects upon personal relationships and experiences during his creative process. This theme is consistent across his bodies of work, the viewer can always identify a sense of identity and belonging in his chosen subject matter.
“My art practice is autobiographical by nature, referencing personal experiences of what it means to be a Samoan/Niuean/German artist, growing up in Aotearoa”
Christopher Ulutupu
Final Works
Beach
‘Beach‘ Filmed at Tahunanui Beach, Christopher’s sister recreated the popular Tiktok dance trend to ABBA’s ‘Lay All Your Love On Me’.
“This project is about Pacific diasporic identity, which cannot exclude the influence of Fanau. Their participation is integral to my process, and the quality of this new work – without their presence my ideas will become hypothetical; resulting in a very different work.”
Christopher Ulutupu
Church Steps
‘Church Steps’ Christopher’s sister channels the 1980s as she lip syncs in a wedding dress on the steps of a church in the centre of town. Here we see where Christopher is employing themes and influences from film noir, the scene alludes to Gothicism through the subject matter yet is playful and irreverent.
Saltwater Pools
‘Saltwater Pools’ The final video work from Christopher’s Fale-ship. He films his sisters Ashley and Fame relaxing and conversing at the tourist hotspot, the saltwater pools. Here we gain insight into his family life, memories and experiences.
Q+A talanoa with Christopher & Leafa
Leafa and Christopher sit down and talk about collaborating with whanau and the importance of sharing lived experiences.
Leafa: “How important is it to showcase the lived experiences of Moana artists?”
Christopher: “I think it’s super important… I guess under our current global climate, the marginalised need avenues to be able to voice those opinions and I think it’s important that initiatives like this help promote those voices.”
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
LEAFA WILSON
Performance artist/ Curator/Art Writer/ Director – Olga
Sāmoan | Gafa: Vaimoso/Siumu/Fasito’otai
Hamilton, Aotearoa
IG: @bungaswehr
IG: @olgaartspace
FALE-SHIP: Rawiri Brown
Kia ora koutou! Introducing fashion and textile designer Rawiri Brown.
Ngāriki Kaiputahi | Ngāti Raukawa
Cook Island Māori
Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa
IG: @morethread
Having over 15 years working in the fashion industry Rawiri aims to highlight the skilled craft and creative process involved in garment and textile making which is often overlooked and relegated to people’s bedroom floors.
Rawiri is drawn to design and textiles due to its close relationships with evocation, nostalgia, ceremony, tradition, ability to imbue power or authority through textiles’ everyday objects and applications.
Get a glimpse into Rawiri’s creative process as he shares his ‘messy workroom’ and the inspiration behind his capsule collection entitled ‘Happy Endings’.
“I am drawn to the medium’s ability to evoke memories, imbue meaning and help form or alter perceptions and identities with functional objects”
Rawiri Brown
Watch this compilation video of Rawiri’s artistic process! These little snippets draw inspiration from his experience with the current climate. Entitled ‘Happy Endings’ has an overarching theme of an idealised utopia masking actual reality. Tongue and check references of his hometown’s logo and what parallels of life was like for himself in 2007’s Global Financial Crisis. He then shares with us the ways in which he experiments with his found objects to make beautiful and sustainable garments.
We are excited to share Rawiri’s final work! Made as a response to today’s current climate with tongue and cheek references to his hometown Rawiri Brown presents the capsule collection ‘Happy Endings’ created during his Fale-ship residency!
“Employing a hyper saturated colour palette to the point of almost looking garish; incorporating found materials to reinforce narrative and using textiles considered tacky, or cheap to produce a collection with high end finishings and craftsmanship.”
Rawiri Brown
Q+A talanoa with Rawiri & Leafa
Leafa and Rawiri sit down to talk about the processes behind developing a fashion collection.
Leafa: “So can you tell us a bit about your creative process during your Tautai Fale-ship?”
Rawiri: “I love coming up with the ideas and concepts behind a new collection…aesthetically at the moment I like juxtaposition of using already sourced or discarded things that aren’t considered valuable and turning them into something desirable.”
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
LEAFA WILSON
Performance artist/ Curator/Art Writer/ Director – Olga
Sāmoan | Gafa: Vaimoso/Siumu/Fasito’otai
Hamilton, Aotearoa
IG: @bungaswehr
IG: @olgaartspace
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
FALE-SHIP: Fa’amele Etuale
Talofa lava! Introducing multi-disciplinary artist Fa’amele Etuale.
Samoan | Chinese
South Auckland, Aotearoa
IG: @faameleetuale
Fa’amele is a self taught artist, Pacific contemporary jeweller and a maker of all things creative.
O lo’u igoa o Fa’amele Etuale, I am of Samoan and Chinese descent. I live and make Art in my beautiful home of Otara, South Auckland.
My father comes from Laulii Suaniu Tala’ave Filipo, my two beautiful mothers come from Leufisa and Malie their names were Teleise Grace Filipo and Lainaimalae Filipo. I am the Eldest of 8 siblings, I am married to Gasu Apelu Ilemaleota Etuale who is from Tufulele I have 4 beautiful children.
Fa’amele emphasises the importance of documenting and trailing her designs before making the finished work! She gives us an insight into her home studio and her step-by-step creative process, from her sketches to her final lei designs!
“There’s a process, and the process for me is the most important part about creating the work.”
Fa’amele Etuale
‘The Promise’
‘The Promise’ is both relatable yet deeply personal to Fa’amele. It is a testament to the shared experience of migration from the Islands to Aotearoa and Australia. She captures the feelings of excitement, the unknown and of course the notion of ‘promise’. This painting holds meanings beyond just this for Fa’amele, it is also a dedication to her late mother-in-law Fili, who inspired her everyday. Swipe right to read more about this beautiful and significant artwork.
“I heard my own voice, it blocked out all the noise of whatever is happening on social media, whatever people are doing, whatever people think. Everything around me just closed.”
Fa’amele Etuale
Q+A with Fa’amele and Marie
Fa’amele and Marie discuss the importance of being true to oneself and making art that is important to you and your loved ones.
@mariefilipomusic – “So when your residency launches online, what do you want people to take away from it?”
@faameleetuale – “I want to tell all the artists out there, that don’t have a voice, that don’t have a platform…that there are people out there, like myself, that are here…Never let anyone tell you to stop doing what’s in your heart. That’s all I want people to take away from my Fale-ship.”
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Marie Filipo
Musician, Motivational Speaker
Samoan/Chinese
South Auckland, Aotearoa
IG: @marie_filipo | @mariefilipomusic
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
FALE-SHIP: Michel Mulipola
Talofa lava! Introducing comic book artist Michel Mulipola.
Sāmoan
Māngere, South Auckland
IG: @bloodysamoanart | FB: @bloodysamoanart
www.bloodysamoan.com
www.bloodysamoan.com/o-le-aiga-comics
Michel is one of the very few professional Pasifika comic artists. With a growing international fanbase, he enjoys sharing his stories with people from all over the globe.
Michel Mulipola is a Sāmoan comic book artist/pro wrestler/semi-pro gamer born and raised on the mean streets of Māngere, South Auckland. His grandfather’s villages are Lefaga, Iva and Manono and his grandmother’s villages are Papa Sātaua, Faleasiu, Vaimoso and Sinamoga.
He has illustrated works for the WWE, Marvel Comics, 2K Games ANZ, SIS Show, Sky TV, Pasifika Heroes Books and NZ School Journals amongst many other things.
Michel’s art practice of illustrating comic stories is one that is popular amongst consumers but rarely practiced by Pasifika artists. In fact, he is one of the very few professional Pasifika comic artists and if you Google “Samoan comic artist,” he is featured in the top results. Pasifika people are naturally gifted storytellers telling their stories through different mediums, Michel’s medium happens to be comic books. Comics are often misunderstood as an art style, superheroes or a genre but in reality, it is a storytelling medium
Get an insight into Michel’s creative workspace and daily surroundings that inspire him. He also shares with us some awesome snapshots from his previous works as well as a sneak peek into the new works he created as part of his Fale-ship residency!
“The opportunity to share my process of making comics and breaking down its nuances and intricacies is why I applied to take part in Tautai’s Fale-ship Home Residency programme”
Michel Mulipola
Check out Michel’s twitch time-lapse, depicting the creation of his comic he created for his Fale-ship, ‘O Le Aiga Samoa.’ Head to our youtube to see the full time-lapse or to Michel’s twitch account for the full livestream where he explains how he designs his comics and where he gets his inspiration!
“In sharing my process so publicly on Twitch, I aimed to demystify the comics artform and make myself available to any artists or casual viewers who wish to pick my brain on the creative process”
– Michel Mulipola
Q+A with Michel and Leafa
Michel chats all about his experiences at Comicon in San Diego and what inspires him to be an illustrator!
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
LEAFA WILSON
Performance artist/ Curator/Art Writer/ Director – Olga
Sāmoan | Gafa: Vaimoso/Siumu/Fasito’otai
Hamilton, Aotearoa
IG: @bungaswehr
IG: @olgaartspace
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
FALE-SHIP: Salvador Brown
Talofa lava! Introducing sound and video practitioner Salvador Brown.
Samoan | European
Westmere, Aotearoa
IG: @salvadorbrown
www.salvadorbrown.com
He is now based in Auckland after growing up in London, where he was a member of Ngāti Ranana-Maori Cultural Group, Maramara Totara-London based Taiaha Roopu and Beats of Polynesia Dance group. Salvador first blew the pū (conch) at the age of 4 and has had a love affair with Taonga Puoro ever since. Photography and Videography are his second love, shooting stills on film sets to documenting SaVĀges and Sisters.
Salvador was raised surrounded by the Pasifika arts scene as a child of one of the Pacific Sisters, who he often collaborates with. He participated in the Inaugural London SaVĀge K’lub in 2011 and went on to document them for the Queensland Art Gallery’s 8th Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art in 2015. Horomona Horo is currently mentoring him as he develops a research project “Fagu Tagi – Bottled Sound” a comparative study of Maori and Samoan musical instruments for the Pacific Sisters.
Highlights of his artistic practice include Kaiwhakatangi at the opening celebrations for the acclaimed Pacific Sisters: Fashion Activists exhibition at Auckland Art Gallery. Acti.VA.tor for In*ter*is*land Collective in London for the Oceania exhibition at the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris (2019) and Workshop leader at Volkenkunde Museum Netherland Maori Week with his London whanau Te Kohanga Reo o Rānana in 2018.
Get an insight into Salvador’s creative workspace in Westmere and the process of diving into the digital moana to create the sound bed work ‘DigiTā VāSā’.
“…diving into our cultural practices and processes has helped me understand myself in the world we live in.”
Salvador Brown
Salvador takes us on a visual journey, sharing the process behind creating his final sound bed work ‘DigiTā VāSā’
CREDITS:
Shot on the Waitematā (Obsidian Waters) | Acknowledgements to the mana whenua
Pūtātara named Te Kupenga ā Kiva | Brought to life by Thomas Carroll, Tahiarii Pariente and Kanaloa
Tatau
Gogo by Emine Jones-Burke
Atualoa by Mokonuiarangi Smith
Fe’e by Croc Tatau
Camera operated by Kerry Brown
Sound design and video editing by Sālvādor Brown
Returning to his geographical home of Auckland and deepening his connection to his ancestral home of Samoa, Salvador responds through the sound bed ‘DigiTā VāSā’ created during his Fale-ship residency!
<< Recommended listening on headphones
in a quiet calm space, close to water if possible >>
Sounds:
Tā Tatau – Mokonuiarangi Smith
Pūtātara named Te Kupenga ā Kiva – Brought to life by Thomas Carroll, Tahiarii Pariente and Kanaloa
Mamapū named Lonetona – Made from Ofe (Bamboo) brought to life by Sālvādor Brown
Early morning Manu (Birds)
Digital Sounds: Pink noise, Brown noise, Arcade synthesizer, Arcade Bass guitar, Digital Glitches, Electro Magnetic Interference
Q+A talanoa with Salvador & Marie…
Salvador chats with Marie about the digital moana and how his whānau inspires him.
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Marie Filipo
Musician, Motivational Speaker
Samoan/Chinese
South Auckland, Aotearoa
IG: @marie_filipo | @mariefilipomusic
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
FALE-SHIP: Melissa Gilbert
Mālō e lelei! Introducing Melissa Gilbert, a multi-faceted creator, who taps into themes of identity, healing and spiritualism.
Tongan, Samoan, Fijian and Palagi
Central Auckland
IG: @meliciousmelmel & @gap.tooth.boo
FB: Melicious Mel Mel
www.meliciousmelmel.com
Her multi-cultural background heavily influences her work and how she sees the world. She does everything from smearing paint on canvas to hot gluing feathers on self-made regalia to covering herself in fake blood just to tell her stories. She tenaciously teaches herself new skills, to create bigger and better work that touches its viewers. Her residency took place right in her backyard in Grey Lynn, Auckland.
Melissa provides insight into her artistic process. She captures her academic research and how this is both reflected in and informs her creativity.
” It feels like some of the most important work I do includes a mixture of calamity and luck to create…”
Melissa Gilbert
Take a behind scenes look into Melissa’s final video work ‘Atua Otua Kalou’ she created for Fale-ship residency. With help from her friend Shanie, Melissa has documented her creative process – from research, to making, to experimenting with space, light and sound.
Filmed by @shanieprasad
Watch Melissa’s final work ‘Atua Otua Kalou‘
moving image, running time 02:13, Dimensions 1920 × 1080, 2020, Filming by Shanie Prasad.
In my FALE-ship work I’ve focused on my journey with spiritualism and shamanism. Shamanism, for me, is about healing.
In my academic studies of the practice of shamanism, there is a common thread of the initiation experience across multiple cultures. The prospective shaman passes out and is pulled down to Puluto (or the cultures version of the underworld) and shown images of their physical body being ripped apart in front of their eyes and put back together again. This happens so they may learn how to heal themselves and ultimately others. They then gain consciousness and begin practicing as a shaman with the new acquired knowledge.
The words “Atua”, “Otua”, “Kalou” translates to God in Maori, Samoan, Tongan and Fijian. The first section of the video is depicting meditative chanting that helps the shaman submit to the force that takes them under. The second half of the moving image depicts the shaman conversing with their ancestors in Puluto (show through the text). I also paid respects to the Maori concept of Te Kore with the deep shadows and ambiguous audio. The aesthetic of the ancestor covered in blood, also pays homage to Lilith, the divine feminine.
Q+A with Melissa and Marie
Marie discusses challenges Melissa faced during her residency and how maintaining a positive mindset is the key to success!
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Marie Filipo
Musician, Motivational Speaker
Samoan/Chinese
South Auckland, Aotearoa
IG: @marie_filipo | @mariefilipomusic
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
FALE-SHIP: Tuafale Tanoa’i
Talofa lava! Introducing DJ, Documenter and Performance Installation Artist Tuafale Tanoa’i aka Linda.T!
Samoan | Lufilufi, Sasa’ai, Leauva’a
Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa
IG: @tuafale1962 | Twitter: @LindaT12dec
www.lindat.art
Her practice aims to document and share community stories, generating a living archive. Her kaupapa has been described as one that is based on koha – often made with and gifted back to the communities she is engaged with.
Tuafale shares an insight on her 2 part documentary short called Chasing Chaka 2018: A Healing Adventure (a rough cut) created during her Fale-ship residency.
Part 1 of Tuafale’s documentary short – Chasing Chaka 2018: A Healing Adventure (a rough cut).
“It was an enjoyably intense experience. I was glad to be home to focus on different aspects of the build & the many choices which shrunk as time disappeared. Reflecting on my builds – there’s been a definite covid tinge to them.Having a week to focus on one project has been a gratifying gift.”
– Tuafale Tanoa’i
Enjoy Part 2 of Tuafale’s documentary short – Chasing Chaka 2018: A Healing Adventure (a rough cut).
“Chaka Khan is one of my favourite musicians that I’ve been playing as a DJ since the 70s! And I thought…wouldn’t it be cool to go find her perform and see her live!”
Tuafale Tanoa’i
Q+A with Tuafale & Marie
Marie sits down with Tuafale to chat about her Fale-ship journey and driving force behind her travel adventures and getting to see the “Queen of Funk” aka Chaka Khan in real life!
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Marie Filipo
Musician, Motivational Speaker
Samoan/Chinese
South Auckland, Aotearoa
@marie_filipo | @mariefilipomusic
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
FALE-SHIP: Keva Rands
Ni sa bula vinaka, Aloha, Talofa lava, Kia orana! Introducing fashion designer and creative mind behind Papa Clothing, Keva Rands.
Fiji, Hawaiʻi, Sāmoa and Tongareva
Avondale, Auckland
IG: @papa__clothing
ww.papaclothing.co.nz
Keva’s Fale-ship highlights how one can always be learning and developing and how she maintains her sustainable practice.
From sewing and cutting on her dining room table, Keva has now grown Papa Clothing to have a new studio space in Avondale, creating inclusive clothing that is inspired by the women in her family and their connections to the Pacific.
Learn about the kaupapa of Papa Clothing and follow Keva’s process as she creates the ‘Mama Dress’ during her Tautai Fale-ship residency.
Keva has generously made her ‘Design Checklist for Small Labels’ a free resource!
DOWNLOAD IT HERE
– Keva Rands
“Papa’s goal is to uplift our Queer and Pacific communities, and this is reflected back through all of Papa’s imagery and behind the scenes team members and collaborators.”
Q+A with Keva & Rosanna
Rosanna sits down with Keva to talk about how her Fale-ship enriched her creative process and her inspiring new creative space in Avondale.
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Rosanna Raymond | @rosannaraymond | Sistar S’Pacific
Cult.VA.tor, FAB.ricator, Acti.VA.tor
NZ Born Samoan/Palagi
– Keva Rands
“It’s been really amazing being able to talk to other people, ask questions, get definite industry-standard answers on what everything I’m doing is supposed to look like.”
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
FALE-SHIP: Chris Van Doren
Fakaalofa atu! Introducing distinguished sculptor Chris Van Doren.
Niuean / Sāmoan / Dutch | Alofi North
North Shore – Auckland, Aotearoa
IG: @chris.van.doren.artist
Chris’s works have evolved over the years and still retain the essence of the vaka, the land and sea with flow movement, lines and form. Growing up in Aotearoa also influenced his practice, such as the beaches, landscapes, beautiful sunsets and memories of swimming in the Moana.
Tamaki Makaurau based artist Chris Van Doren has taken part in numerous exhibitions and symposiums across Asia-Pacific and has been a three-time finalist in Aotearoa’s World of Wearable Arts. Chris is currently a resident artist at Corban’s Estate Arts Centre, he uses methods and skills he developed in his background as a panel beater to work with unconventional materials when creating his sculptures.
Chris gives us a behind the scenes look into where he draws inspiration for his large scale sculptures. From sketches to miniature sculptures, we get an exciting glimpse into his creative process and workspace.
Chris shares motion images from his workshop of his progress on the Niuean katoua he has been carving. We get insight into the tools and techniques he uses when sculpting.
“I feel my creative process stems from when I made a workspace under our family house in Waiuku when I was a young man. I created things like huts in the forest, from material sources found in the neighborhood, like bits of wood and steel from empty houses and other things I could find..”
– Chris Van Doren
Chris shares a montage his concepts, ranging from previous works to his works in progress. Here he highlights his techniques and methods he employs to achieve a smooth and effortless finish to all his sculptures!
Final Works
Titled “FIRE” this video focuses on the process of making a traditional Niuean Katoua club. He began sculpting the Katoua in the first lockdown and was able to take the time during his Fale-Ship to complete it. Watch Chris make this incredible and rare piece of Niuean taonga here!
This video features many Chris’ large and small scale works he has created over the years. Chris communicates his deep knowledge and skill for sculpting traditional art forms. Here we see a number of his works in progress come to life.
Rosanna and Chris talk about his unique source of inspiration during this Q+A Talanoa!
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Rosanna Raymond | @rosannaraymond | Sistar S’pacific
Cult.VA.tor, FAB.ricator, Acti.VA.tor
NZ Born Samoan/Palagi
Falefa/Tāmaki Makaurau
West Auckland, Aotearoa
FALE-SHIP: Jasmine Tuiā
Talofa lava! Introducing multidisciplinary practitioner Jasmine Tuiā.
Matautu and Gagaifo, Anoāma’a Falefā and Malifa Apia, Samoa.
West Auckland, Aotearoa
IG: @jasminetuia
Her practice explores the concepts of the Pacific body and indigenous Samoan narrative through mediums of print, photography, moving image and tapa (Siapo) making.
Influenced by histories, conversations, and land cases from the village of Matautu Lefaga Samoa, her work talks on the re-representation and reclamation of Pacific identity, as well as reinforcing the importance of indigenous voice.
“Being at home has reminded me of the importance of family dynamics and community kinships in the making and collecting of materials for my works – especially with my tapa/siapo practice…When preparing to dye tapa, I am accompanied and supported by my younger siblings. When I’m in my room writing or researching, my family’s noise somehow helps me focus and keeps me grounded. The same when I’m embroidering tapa; I either have to be in the kitchen with my parents making dinner, or be in our living room listening to music, while my younger brothers try to show me a tik tok dance. These are some of the things I acknowledge and enjoy in my process.”
– Jasmine Tuiā
Jasmine shares her creative workspace in West Auckland, her process experimenting with eco-dying and stitching of tapa and the family dynamics of working from home and how that has influenced her work.
Become fully immersed in Jasmine’s creative process as she works on stitching and dyeing her siapo, surrounded by the sounds of West Auckland and her family.
“Reflecting on our Samoan practices of Siapo, this residency explores how my making connects me to our Samoan Siapo narratives and textile practices through remembering and nurturing family oral stories.”
– Jasmine Tuiā
Bird song, pop music faintly playing and the crunch of dried leaves under foot. ‘sounds around home’ audibly captures Jasmine’s creative workspace and process. Sit back and enjoy the sounds of West Auckland.
Check out this video collage ‘West Akl” featuring Jasmine’s home, the back drop to her creative process and where she gathered materials to eco-dye her siapo.
Jasmine shares her completed siapo featuring her Aunty Shirley, accompanied by a piece of writing titled ‘Return to Paradise’ inspired by her village of Matautu Lefaga.
Rosanna sits down with Jasmine to chat about how creating at home has sparked conversations with her younger siblings in this Q+A Talanoa…
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Rosanna Raymond | @rosannaraymond | Sistar S’pacific
Cult.VA.tor, FAB.ricator, Acti.VA.tor
NZ Born Samoan/Palagi
Falefa/Tāmaki Makaurau
West Auckland, Aotearoa
“…my little brother, he’s three, and he’ll just come ask me questions about the tapa, the siapo and why I do it. And then when I answer something he’ll ask more questions…which is really nice cause then I’ll just tell him stories my great grandma has told me, even though he doesn’t understand it. I just hope somewhere in there it’s just engrained in his mind. That would be the highlight, just having conversations while making.”
– Jasmine Tuiā
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
FALE-SHIP: Jaimie (James) Waititi
Kia ora koutou! Introducing multi-disciplinary artist Jamie (James) Waititi.
Maori (Te Whanau a Apanui, Te Rarawa, Ngapuhi) with French Canadian, English, Scottish, American, Norwegian descent
Waihau Bay, Aotearoa
@sissyboijay
James explores how we as Moana artists position ourselves around decolonisation and how we can reposition the trajectory to centre our tipuna rather than colonisation. This is called ReIndigenisation or ReMaorification / ReMoanafication.
With an obsession with ancient Maori stories, James is developing an understanding of a time when narratives of humankind were believed to have lived alongside the gods.
James was introduced to these stories through paintings, carvings, weaving and literature at a very young age and continues to find modern methods of storytelling to share this understanding with others; be it through regalia, performance, sound and digital media.
“The purpose of my submission is to speak to the process it took to reach my contribution for FAFSWAG’s 22nd Biennale of Sydney online exhibition CODESWITCH. My diptych digital works were made for computers or walls. The larger frames allow the artwork to encompass the viewer and seduce a sense of freedom in space; a sense of escapism. There is something nostalgic about escaping home, away from diaspora and back to the foundations of your cultural make up. I have returned home and with that the final layer of my work appeared and the work itself had new meaning.”
Jaimie (James) Waititi
‘Contemporary cultural motifs‘ | Jaimie Waititi 
‘The progression of the Banana Tree and Fanta with time and place’ | Jaimie Waititi 
‘a Mariah Sunset in a Corned Beef landscape’ | Jaimie Waititi 
‘Banana Palms in a Fanta Sky‘ | Jaimie Waititi
ReMoanafication – Wisdom: Ka mua, ka muri
“Our wisdom can only be knowledge for our kin if we process the information we have been fed before passing it on. Otherwise what is the point? When information is regurgitated through us unfiltered, what is the point? What is the point of a filter that doesn’t filter? If it is not for our kin, why do we exist?”
Jaimie (James) Waititi
ReMoanafication – The D and why I am done with it
“The grass is green where you water it and we are done looking over the fence and for me this is the essence of where my understanding and practice thrives. I thrive in ReMoanafication and that is why I am done with The D.”
Jaimie (James) Waititi
Rosanna and James connect over lockdown in this Q+A talanoa discussing creative processes and the importance of showcasing the diversity of Moana artists.
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Rosanna Raymond | @rosannaraymond | Sistar S’pacific
Cult.VA.tor, FAB.ricator, Acti.VA.tor
NZ Born Samoan/Palagi
Falefa/Tāmaki Makaurau
West Auckland, Aotearoa
Listen in as James discusses the idea of ReMoanafication and how we can reclaim sovereignty without acknowledge colonisation…
“By claiming ReMoanafication I want to take that acknowledgement back to us as navigators! Constantly navigating the Pacific Ocean and that sense that we were always travelling between the islands and we were one, and that sense of unity…”
– Jaimie (James) Waititi
James discusses the importance of understanding hidden histories and where the transition between pre-colonial to colonial changed the way that we consider ourselves in particular Queer Moana people.
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
FALE-SHIP: Sani Muliaumaseali’i
Talofa lava! Introducing international opera singer, creative director and exponent of art Sani Muliaumaseali’i
Samoan | Upolu – Vaiala, Fasito’outa / Savai’i – Pu’apu’a
Whakatane, Aotearoa
Follow Sani’s journey this week as he shares his residency experience and explores the challenges of lockdown through improvisation, experimentation and pure resilience
Sani has appeared in Opera and most forms of music theatre, film, radio and television in many parts of the world including touring with the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and the Longborough Opera. Recent credits include the Olivier award-winning production of Porgy and Bess and Britten’s War Requiem (2018) for the English National Opera and Dutch National Opera in 2019.
In 2011, Sani co-founded the GAFA Arts Collective (GAC), London’s first Samoan arts collective and he is the creative director & producer. The collective is a cross-cultural and disciplinary group of London-based artists primarily focused on Samoan Art practice and culture reflecting ancestral roots. In 2016, The GAC were granted the honour of representing Samoa at the Festival of Pacific Arts.
Sani is also a theatre-maker and writer. In 2018 Sani wrote the play ‘Talune’ in remembrance of the Samoan victims of the flu pandemic of 1918. It premiered at NZ House in London to much acclaim. His other theatre works include ‘The Third Country’ for the Royal Court in 2015, his play with songs ‘Kava Girls’ was ‘Pick of the Edinburgh Fringe’ 2014, and Baba the Bad baboon’ 2017, a musical for younger audiences is now an audio book. Sani’s writing for the stage takes strength from his Samoan/Pasefika heritage.
Sani shares his creative workspace in Whakatane and takes us on the journey to create the CARPARK OPERA, a theatre piece developed in response to Covid and the Aotearoa lockdown.
Carpark Opera
Sani Muliaumaseali’i presents CARPARK OPERA – a live entertainment option in response to the COVID 19 pandemic. A series of free live music concerts in the Bay of Plenty in NEW WORLD car parks akin to the drive-in movie concept.
CARPARK OPERA would be the first concert in the CCS (Carpark Concert Series), designed to safely bring communities together to enjoy and to be inspired by live music.
“…the concerts have been parked. COVID is teaching us to be resilient. No funding was proving to be my own mini COVID, but the lack thereof, sharpens my creativity and resourcefulness. The experience has spawned new collaborations, connections and new material, which I courageously share as my Fale-Ship.”
– Sani Muliaumaseali’i
Get an insight into Sani’s rehearsal process from warm-up techniques to the final run-through of the song ‘Make Them Hear You’ from Ragtime.
Q+A with Sani and INF
Sani shares the challenges he faced working away from his London base and the freedom of creating during lockdown in this Q+A Talanoa with @infmusic …
INF: “What were some of your highlights and challenges you came across during the residency?”
SM: “…Lockdown. No noise. I didn’t have to be anywhere, I didn’t have to be anything. I didn’t have to be the singer or the producer… I could just sort out goals – who I really wanted to be post-covid…”
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Amon ‘INF’ Tyson | @infmusic | @infmusicnz
Artist, Director, Creative. 1 of 5 members of SWIDT
Songwriter/Producer – SWIDT
Samoan/Niuean
312 Onehunga, Aotearoa
swidt.co.nz
Recorded LIVE in his bathroom Sani performs a stirring rendition of ‘Make Them Hear You’ from the musical Ragtime developed during his Fale-ship Home Residency.
“My reSILIence kept me safely creating at home during COVID. Resilience by nature is improvisation, experimentation, toughness and ultimately transformative. We will need all of these traits if we are to entertain any type of future.”
Sani Muliaumaseali’i
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For more information please email us
#Tautai4lyfe
FALE-SHIP: Lyncia Muller
Mālō e lelei! Introducing Tongan choreographer and dancer Lyncia Muller
Tongan | Nuku’alofa, Fatai, Lakepa
South Auckland, Aotearoa
@cia_muller | Lyncia Muller
Follow her Fale-ship journey this week as she explores the ways in which she improvises and creates movement at home instead of in the studio.
Tamaki Makaurau based creative Lyncia Muller is passionate about dance, theatre and her cultural roots. Lyncia is a graduate from the Unitec Institute of Technology in Contemporary dance and the Pacific Institute of Performing Arts (PIPA). With a strong background in Urban, Pacific dance and Contemporary dance, she looks forward to contributing to this evolving arts industry. Lyncia has created dance and theatre works that have been performed at the Basement theatre, Pacific Dance Festival, and Auckland Art Gallery.
Lyncia gives us a glimpse of her creative workspace where she explores the poetry of Selina Tusitala Marsh and interprets her own rendition in her new choreographed dance titled ‘Promise Corners’.
“I love improvisation as it gives me the freedom to explore movement and to listen to my body.”
– Lyncia Muller
A sneak peak behind the scenes into Lyncia’s improvisation choreography – an integral part of her process and final development!
Watch Lyncia’s final choreographed piece titled ‘Promise Corners’
Song: Ladi6 – Ikarus
Q+A with Lyncia and INF
“I think it’s really exciting for me but… I think it’s more nerve wracking, for people to see my creative processes, my vulnerability and how I create choreography.”
– Lyncia Muller
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Amon ‘INF’ Tyson | @infmusic | @infmusicnz
Artist, Director, Creative. 1 of 5 members of SWIDT
Songwriter/Producer – SWIDT
Samoan/Niuean
312 Onehunga, Aotearoa
swidt.co.nz
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For more information please email us
#Tautai4lyfe
FALE-SHIP: Elisabeth Kumaran
Talofa lava! Introducing Samoan/Chinese multi-medium artist Elisabeth Kumaran.
Sāmoan/Chinese
Vailele, Ulutogia, Aleipata, Vailoa Palauli and Southern China
@elisalani |Elisabeth Kumaran
Follow her Fale-ship journey this week as she takes us behind the scenes of her incredible stop-motion clips and clever use of wordplay.
Elisabeth was born in Aukilani (Auckland), raised in South Auckland (Otara, Manurewa) and now resides in Mangere with her husband. She is a multi-medium artist who primarily works with words to create wordplays using the Samoan and English languages. Elisabeth is also co-founder of the ManaRewa Arts Collective where they mentor visual artists who live in (or have connections with) Manurewa to develop and grow in their art practice.
Elisabeth takes us on a journey as she explores her creative space, process and inspiration behind her work from home! Join her as she highlights her creative processes and final stop-motion videos created during her Fale-Ship residency.
Watch Elisabeth’s vlog compilation as she takes us on a journey exploring her creative ideas, processes and inspiration behind her works!
“I think it’s fundamental as an artist to surround yourself with a supportive network of people; whether that’s your aiga, your friends or other creatives who inspire you with creative talanoaga (conversation).”
ELISABETH KUMARAN
We’re excited to share this series of Elisabeth’s final stop-motion videos created during her Fale-ship residency! She reflects on her Samoan culture using everyday objects which are animated through her clever use of wordplay.
Q+A with Elisabeth and INF
“This time has been a real taonga to me. I’ve had this va or this space to reflect on myself as an artist and develop my art practice.”
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Amon ‘INF’ Tyson | @infmusic | @infmusicnz
Artist, Director, Creative. 1 of 5 members of SWIDT
Songwriter/Producer – SWIDT
Samoan/Niuean
312 Onehunga, Aotearoa
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For more information please email us
#Tautai4lyfe
FALE-SHIP: Iata Peautolu
Fakaalofa lahi atu! Introducing Niuean Māori artist Iata Peautolu!
Niuean/Maori
Tauranga, Aotearoa
@fekaiata | Iata Peautolu
Born and raised in Hamilton, Iata is a multidisciplinary artist who is known for his tamoko and tatatau practice. Inspired by his Maori and Niuean lineage his exhibition ‘Son of A Savage’ featured a combination of imagery from both connections, and also highlighted his skills as an illustrator and painter. The iconography in his work investigates migration and navigation practices from the Pacific, which he uses to develop his visual narratives within his work.
Iata takes pride in his dual heritage which is reflected within his work from tatatau, painting, illustration to graphic design. He draws his creativity from his urban upbringing in Hamilton and the art culture that continues to evolve in this modern world. Iata is a contemporary Polynesian artist whose ambition is to showcase the beauty, strength, dignity and mana of his people through his lens.
Follow Iata this week as he shares the visual language of hiapo through his incredible process of creating tatatau Niue during his Fale-ship residency.
A sneak peek into Iata’s creative process and driving force behind his dedication to Niue tatatau!
Tune in as Iata shares his creative workspace and the process of marking his client with a Hiapo inspired tatatau Niuean sleeve
“…my mahi, it really is a contemporary take on our beautiful hiapo that is a real taonga, a real treasure for us as Niueans…”
– Iata Peautolu
Q+A Talanoa with Iata and INF
So cool to see Pacific creatives inspiring each other!! Watch as INF and Iata connect over the emotional reward of sharing art, being Niuean and Yohji Yamamoto!
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Amon ‘INF’ Tyson| @infmusic | @infmusicnz
Artist, Director, Creative. 1 of 5 members of SWIDT
Songwriter/Producer – SWIDT
Samoan/Niuean
312 Onehunga, Aotearoa
swidt.co.nz
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For more information please email us
#Tautai4lyfe
FALE-SHIP: Tui Emma Gillies & Sulieti Fieme’a Burrows
Talitali fiefia! Introducing the mother and daughter duo Tui Emma Gillies and Sulieti Fieme’a Burrows!
Tongan | Falevai, Vava’u / NZ
Northland & South Auckland, Aotearoa
Instagram | Facebook | Tui’s Website | Sulieti’s Email
Tui Emma Gillies & Sulieti Fieme’a Burrows are New Zealand based Tongan artists specialising in tapa art. Their work mixes can be challenging, confronting and controversial, but always with respect to the roots of the medium and the ancestors who practised it before them.
They have received grants from Creative New Zealand towards collaborative art projects and were the recipients of the Creative New Zealand Heritage Art Award in 2018. They have exhibited and presented their work across the globe and sold works to private buyers, including The Royal Academy of Art in London (during Oceania) The National Gallery of Victoria Melbourne, The University of Hawaii Hilo and Auckland Museum. Sulieti was recently made an MNZM in the New Zealand New Year’s honours.
Specialising in tapa art, the pair shares a deep dive into their creative processes throughout their Fale-ship residency.
Tui & Sulieti share insights into their creative processes and context behind their new artwork after coming out of lockdown!
Watch this behind-the-scenes time lapse of Tui & Sulieti creating their incredible new work!
– Tui Emma Gillies
“How do Pacific Islanders deal with isolation? The answer is simple: Fāmili”
The final tapa piece completed by Tui & Sulieti during their Fale-ship residency, a new artwork entitled Fāmili
Detail of Fāmili | Tui Emma Gillies & Sulieti Fieme’a Burrows 
Detail of Fāmili | Tui Emma Gillies & Sulieti Fieme’a Burrows
Q+A Talanoa with Tui, Sulieti & Benji Timu
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Benji Timu | @thelifestyleofbenji | @BenjiTimu
Filmmaker/Architect
Sāmoan/Kuki Airani/Niue | Letogo/Aitutaki/Mangaia
East Auckland, Aotearoa
BT: “How important is it to showcase the lived experience of Moana artists?”
Excerpt from Talanoa
TG: “I think it’s really important, we’ve got a lot of stories to pass down, …stories that we’ve been told from our elders and ancestors, and their stories need to be shared and told so they’re not lost…”
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For further information please
27/07/2020
FALE-SHIP: Natasha Ratuva
Ni sa bula vinaka! Introducing photographer, digital artist and poet Natasha Ratuva.
Natasha Ratuva | @dotnut2014
Fijian | Naioti, Kadavu
Tribal and ancestral affiliation: Navutu
Central Auckland, Aotearoa
Follow as she shares her home workspace, creative process and reflects on her Fale-ship experience.
Born and raised in Suva, Fiji. Natasha was also raised in Australia, U.S, NZ and the U.K. Her parents, both Fijian intellectuals, activists, philosophers, academic, art lovers both contemporary and traditional in their approach to raising her and her brother.
This heavily influenced the lens with which she perceived creativity. The art that she creates today is largely inspired by being raised as an Indigenous Fijian woman in a post-colonial society. She loves to celebrate the oneness of indigenous peoples by interrogating the geo-political borders that colonialism has structured around us.
Natasha’s creative expression is also stirred by her search for identity which she wishes to pass down to future generations. Above everything she aims to center her Moana family, connections to land, ocean, lineages and how they have overcome, survived and continue to prosper.
Get an insight into Natasha’s creative workspace and inspiration behind her new artworks!
– Natasha Ratuva
“Our resilience is impenetrable because our joys and struggles are part of a bigger circle of stories that keep us forever bound and woven into Moana.”
Check out these amazing new artworks created by Natasha during her Fale-ship residency!
Mana Moana | Natasha Ratuva 
Peace Making Moana | Natasha Ratuva 
Peace Making Nourished | Natasha Ratuva 
Peace Making Vanua | Natasha Ratuva 
Resilience | Natasha Ratuva
Q+A Talanoa with Natasha Ratuva & Benji Timu
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Benji Timu | @thelifestyleofbenji | @BenjiTimu
Filmmaker/Architect
Sāmoan/Kuki Airani/Niue | Letogo/Aitutaki/Mangaia
East Auckland, Aotearoa
BT: “How does it feel to be showcasing your work from home?“
Excerpt from Talanoa
NR: “It feels relieving, the comfort factor of being in my own space… It also feels very intimate… even sacred.”
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For further information please Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
About: Fale-ships
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