Kolokesa Uafā Māhina-Tuai

Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e Lea Faka-Tonga: Tongan Language Week 2018

Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e Lea Faka-Tonga: Tongan Language Week 2018

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Si‘oto‘ofa (My sincere love)

In acknowledgement of the 2018 theme for Tongan Language Week, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki would like to be of service to our Tongan community, by enriching Aotearoa with a selection of works from our collection. The works have been selected by independent curator and author Kolokesa Uafā Māhina-Tuai are based on the Indigenous Tongan understanding of arts, which is divided into three genres: 'nimamea’a'  or fine arts, 'tufunga' or material arts and 'faiva' or performance arts. 

‘Ofa atu (With sincere love)

Nimamea‘a

The following two artworks illustrate one of the most well known of the Tongan fine arts – Nimamea’a koka’anga (barkcloth making).

<p><strong>Kautaha Koka&lsquo;anga (Tongan women&rsquo;s barkcloth-making collective)</strong><br /> <em>Ngatu Tā&lsquo;uli</em> c1990<br /> Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Chartwell Gift Collection, 2013</p>

Kautaha Koka‘anga (Tongan women’s barkcloth-making collective)
Ngatu Tā‘uli c1990
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Chartwell Gift Collection, 2013

Tufunga

<p>Tufunga tāmaka (material art of stone-cutting)</p> <p><strong>Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi</strong><br /> <em>Veimaka - Water stone</em> 2003<br /> Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 2005<br /> Currently on display in <a href="/whats-on/exhibition/seeing-moana-oceania-a-new-wave"><em>Seeing Moana Oceania</em></a></p>

Tufunga tāmaka (material art of stone-cutting)

Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi
Veimaka - Water stone 2003
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 2005
Currently on display in Seeing Moana Oceania

Faiva

The first two artworks show faiva ta‘anga, faiva hiva, faiva haka and faiva tukipitu or the performance arts of poetry, song, dance and bamboo stamping-tube playing.

<p><strong>Morris</strong><br /> <em>A Night dance by women, in Hapaee</em> 18th century<br /> Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki</p>

Morris
A Night dance by women, in Hapaee 18th century
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki