The art work is 2 video works combined, Toroa / Toloa and Tau’a’alo. 

In Tonga, the Southern cross constellation is known as Toloa. The name, which means wild duck, comes from the shape – interpreted as a flying bird. Toloa was used by navigators travelling around the Tongan archipelago and wider Pacific to orient themselves, and find their way South.  

Sione Faletau’s Toroa / Toloa is a digital sound scape. Faletau has taken the audio wave forms generated by a recording of the Fangufangu1. The ongo fakafa‘ahikehe minor sound of the fangufangu nose-flute 2plays the first two kupu verses of a 25-verse long voyaging sung and danced poetry called Me‘etu‘upaki.  

The first two kupu verses of the Me‘etu‘upaki are prayers to the gods of peau / ngalu waves (or tahi sea) Lulu, and matangi winds Lātū for divine protection and favourable voyaging conditions. The remaining verses articulates the knowledge and skills of navigators to have traversed the great moana ocean from Kiribati and Tuvalu, through Futuna and ‘Uvea, Sāmoa and Fiji to Tonga where they celebrated their safe voyage with kava, singing and dancing.  

Faletau has taken the audio wave forms and manipulated them into patterns informed by Tongan kupesi. The audio waves rotate at 3.5 degrees every second: a reference to the 3.5m wingspan of the toroa3. 

The other audio that is featured in the artwork is titled Tau’a’alo. This is a chant used by Tongans to alleviate stress and to work together to achieve a common goal. This is a metaphor for connectedness and working together. The performers of this song are from the village Holonga, Vava’u which Faletau has connections to. He was drawn to this audio because it has significant meaning to the artist. 

About the Artist

Dr Sione Faletau 

Tonga -Lakepa, Taunga 

Tamaki Makaurau - Otara  

Dr Sione Faletau is a recent graduate from The University of Auckland Elam School of Fine Arts. He is a multidisciplinary artist based in Otara , South Auckland. His practice has been through different mediums and continues to evolve. His interest lately has been in kupesi or patterns - using sound waves as a medium to create kupesi. Now he is exploring the materiality of projections, reflection and light. 

Faletau’s contribution to Matariki is a culmination of art works put together that speak to the use of stars and the ocean as navigational tools. The Matariki / Mataliki cluster of stars are seen all over the Pacific at this time of the year. Which marks different ceremonies and celebrations. Here is a celebration of new beginnings and discovery for many Pasifika communitites to engage and learn more about Matariki.