Pacific women from Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands share their crafts, knowledge and experience in Genetic Pasifika, a three-week community event at the Artstation Gallery starting 21st February. Following on from the success of Genetic Pasifika 2004 this year's Genetic Pasifika brings together a wider and more diverse range of crafts, workshops and events with a strong local Pacific Island contingent.

Image: Finau Mara from Fiji weaving

Read on for details on the workshops, evening events, exhibitions and lectures...
Pacific women from Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands share their crafts, knowledge and experience in Genetic Pasifika, a three-week community event at the Artstation Gallery starting 21st February. Following on from the success of Genetic Pasifika 2004 this year's Genetic Pasifika brings together a wider and more diverse range of crafts, workshops and events with a strong local Pacific Island contingent.

Image: Finau Mara from Fiji weaving

Read on for details on the workshops, evening events, exhibitions and lectures...
Highlights include; Pollywood shorts with Craig Fasi, Pacific Poets and Poetry with Rev Mua Strickson-Pua, screenings of Lala Rolls' documentary 'Children of the Migration' and a variety of traditional and contemporary Pacific Crafts and Adornment Workshops. The inaugural Genetic Pasifika was established as a way for Pacific Island women attending the Pasifika Festival to gain greater cultural and economic benefits during their Auckland visit. Genetic Pasifika offers the craftswomen an opportunity to share, sell and teach their crafts in the two weeks leading up to the Pasifika Festival.

Curator Brenda Railey likens Genetic Pasifika to a conversation that encourages Pacific Island and Auckland communities to exchange craft skills, knowledge and understanding. Community participation and the sharing of culture is key to the Genetic Pasifika experience.

The Auckland public is invited to visit Artstation and join in the fun and festivities. Local Pacific Island groups; crafts people and schools will be among the many community groups invited to take part in Genetic Pasifika.

Traditional and contemporary pacific art and craft also meet at Genetic Pasifika. The best of traditional Pacific Island crafts like tapa, tivaevae and weaving are presented alongside some vibrant contemporary pacific art exhibitions and workshops. The West Auckland mamas lead a colourful plastic basket workshop and local artists and crafts people including Sylvia Marsters, Alicia Courtney, Wiremu Diamond Wilson, Rhonda & Lois Jameson, will exhibit their work around the Artstation building. (Craft classes will incur a small workshop and materials charge).

The way craft connects and informs cultures is central to Genetic Pasifika. By bringing Pacific and Auckland communities together through craft Genetic Pasifika offers a lively and exciting opportunity to develop ongoing dialogues, networks and friendships, as well as a chance to learn new skills and celebrate Pacific culture.

EXHIBITIONS 21 February - 10 March
Tuesday 8 March 7-8 pm

Sylvia Marsters
Sylvia, a Cook Is artist, is well known for her vibrant and colourful canvas' of Pacific flowers. She will exhibit new work featuring tropical fish.

Lois & Rhonda Jameson
A mother and daughter team who are passionate about clay. Rhonda, a ceramic artist, produced the design for the Onehunga Community Centre mosaic mural. Inspired by their work on the mosaic mural, Lois and Rhonda will be exhibiting new ceramic work.

Wiremu Diamond Wilson and Alicia Courtney Wiremu and Alicia's adornment, jewellery, and weaving art practice is inspired by Maori and Pacific material culture.

SPEAKER SERIES
Entry by gold coin donation

Tuesday 8 March 7-8 pm
Creating a New Tradition: Quilting in Tonga
Phyllis S. Herda,
Anthropology ,
Auckland University

Tonga has a long tradition of textiles (tapa and fine plaited mats) being valued as items of significance and wealth. Recently Tonga women have expanded this textile repertoire to include machine made quilts and an identifiable Tongan style of quilting is emerging. Tongan quilts are now a prominent feature of grave decorations. In addition, they are displayed and presented at a wide variety of functions both in Tonga and in Aotearoa.

This lecture will examine Tongan quilts, the social and political occasions in which they are ritualised as well as the diasporic effects on quilt-making, their display and presentation.

Wednesday 9 March 7-8 pm
Filipe Tohi,
Artist Filipe was born in Ngeleia Nukualofa, Tonga and has lived in New Plymouth since 1978. He started as a carving tutor at the Rangimarie Maori Arts and Crafts Centre, New Plymouth Prison and Taranaki Polytechnic in New Plymouth before becoming a full time artist in 1992. Tohi is a sculptor of wood, stone and steel with an international reputation. Filipe explores and is fascinated, consumed and inspired by the patterns and history of tufunga lalava, the traditional Tongan lashing system used to bind together houses and canoes. He describes lalava as his people's DNA and his exploration of lalava sequences has lead to his documentation of over 3000 patterns.

Filipe will present lalavaology.

Speaker Series 8-9 March Gold coin donation Donations received will go toward the equipment hire costs of Genetic Pasifika.

EVENING EVENTS
Monday 21 February 7-9 pm Pacific Hip Hop presented by Mua Strickson-Pua. Hosted by Dkamali. Includes a surprise line-up of DJs and young artists from the North. Also featuring the debut of four video clips.

Tuesday 22 February 7-8.30pm The Genetic Mix presented by Craig Fasi (70 minutes) Savage by Craig Fasi, Uso's by Popo Lilo, How to Cook a Taro by Jason Taouma, Na Wawine Na Malanga Te Amonga (The Women that carried the heavy load) by Nia-val Ngaro, Te Tala O Mama's (XL in Danger Island) by Nia-Val Ngaro, The other side of Paradise by Markerita Urale, Moon Lighting by Ryan Monga, Measina Samoa by Lisa Taouma, Taro X by Twayne Laumua.

Wednesday 23 February 7-9pm Pasifika Poets Collective (PPC) presented by Mua Strickson-Pua
PPC presents an exciting line-up with Sofi Ulugia-Pua, Nite Fuamatu, Doug Poole, Paki Cherrington, Tigi Ness and Nick Bakulich.

Thursday 24 February 7-9 pm Unsere neuen landsleute (our new countrymen). A slide show of 35 images of the German present in Samoa from 1914. Sourced in 2000 at the Linden Museum, Stuttgart, Germany these images capture everyday life in GermanSamoa. It offers a snap shot of a time when Germans were Samoan and Samoans were Germans.

Friday 25 February 7-9pm Children of the Migration (78 minutes) A documentation film by Lala Rolls Directors comments: "The children of the Pacific Island families who migrated to New Zealand in the 1950's, 60's, 70's and even 80's have grown up. They have changed the cultural landscape of New Zealand. Their presence has shaped New Zealand's identity both nationally and internationally as a Pacific Nation. This is a record of the times, trails and triumphs of these migrant families. With David Sa'ena and Vela Manusaute giving subtle guidance and with wonderful archive footage bringing recent history to life, we journey through the some of the politics and some of the stories of some of the Pacific Islanders in New Zealand."

Workshops

Tapa (Class limit 12)
Monday 28 Feb 1.15-3.15pm & Thursday 3 March 6-8pm This is a tapa making class where you will be shown the process of how tapa is made. You will then make your own kupesi (make your own pattern) which you will then rub on to tapa (materials approx. $20.00).

Tivaevae cushion (Class limit 12)
Tuesday 1 March 6-8 pm, Wednesday 2 March 1.15-3.15pm & Friday 4 March 1.15-3.15pm The mamas will instruct you on all the basics so you can produce your own small piece of tivaevae (materials approx. $6.00).

Woven plastic kit (Class limit 12)
Tuesday 1 March 1.15-3.15pm & Wednesday 2 March 6-8 pm Ever wanted to weave in plastic! The mamas will show you how. This is hard work for soft fingers! (small material cost).

Weaving (Class limit 12) Monday 28 February 6-8pm & Thursday 3 March 1.15-3.15pm This is a small project which will allow you to get started with the basics of weaving with pandanus (materials approximately $20.00).

Flax flowers (Class limit 12)
Friday 4 March 6-8 pm & Monday 7 March 1-15-3.15pm The mamas will take you through the basics of making two different patterns (small material cost).

Niue Fan (Class limit 12) Tuesday 8 March 1.15-3.150m Make your own fan. The mamas will show you the basics of making a small decorative fan (materials cost approx. $20.00).

Adornment Workshop (Class limit 12)
Thursday 24 February 4-7pm $25.00 pp & Saturday 5 March 9-4pm $50.00 pp (Bring a lunch to share) Designed to introduce the practical elements of designing and constructing adornment/jewellery inspired by Pacific and Maori material culture. Bring your own beads, shells, feathers, gems etc.

Pili with Beads (book a 30 minute session) Saturday 26 February & Saturday 5 March 9am-5pm Fee: $10.00 (plus materials) Kids make your own gecko with beads. Sarah has been working and is fascinated with beads since she was 7 years old. This is a one-on-one session.

FREE - OPEN HOUSE Thursday 10 March 9am-5pm The Mamas will assist you finish your project. 'Threading together the Tapestry of the Pacific'

Curated by Brenda Railey
1 Ponsonby Road
Newton
Ph: (09) 376 3221
Email: artstation@aucklandcity.govt.nz

Website: www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/artstation
Gallery Hours are Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and Sat 10am-4pm unless stated otherwise in this brochure

For all workshop enquiries contact
Brenda Railey (021) 054 3335