Nu’u Newsletter: Issue Six
Editor’s Note
Talofa lava!
Welcome to the sixth issue of Nu’u Newsletter.
I created this weekly publication with the intention of facilitating meaningful connections between Moana communities and creative opportunities for learning, collaboration and cultural nourishment. My hope is that Nu’u Newsletter draws you closer to the people, places and experiences that feed you. We eat better when we’re together.
Please email your Moana arts news to nuunewsletter@gmail.com.
Follow Nu’u Newsletter on Instagram and Facebook to stay in the loop.
Alofa tele,
Dani Kionasina
xx
See
- Fafangu: to awaken
Adriana Māhanga Lear
Opening Saturday 22 February 2025, 11am at Māngere Arts Centre Ngā Tohu o Uenuku.
Fafangu: to awaken re-vitalises and re-imagines Tongan concepts and practices of ongo (sound), relating to mate (death), putu (funeral rites), and fonua (people and place). The exhibition centres on the fangufangu, a bamboo nose-flute used to awaken chiefs and royalty from sleep in a practice called fakatakatōfā. In Fafangu: to awaken, the artist engages this practice as a heliaki (metaphor) for the awakening of ancient knowledges and practices, by walking backwards into the future. Across photography, video, sculpture, print, installation, sound and music, Adriana interrogates the colonial archive to examine the legacies of Eurocentricism and heteropatriarchy on Tongan sonic and musical art forms.
- Inflection Point
Shannon Novak | Taja Vaetoru | Lucas Grogan | Rozana Lee | Ben McCook-Weir | Andy Leleisi'uao | Aaron Lassey
March 1 - 22
Bergman Gallery | Auckland
3/582 Karangahape Road
(Entrance via 2 Newton Road)
The post-pandemic world stands at a crucial inflection point, reshaping societies, economies, and cultural identities. As the dust settles, the collective consciousness grapples with themes of resilience, transformation, and redefinition. Artists, thinkers, and communities navigate the intersections of past trauma and future possibilities, using creativity as a tool for reflection and progress. This exhibition delves into the raw energy of change, presenting works that reflect powerful, personal experience.
Cook Islands digital artist Aaron Lassey merges technology with artistry, crafting captivating digital portraits that reimagine Pacific art. His work provides a fresh perspective on the region’s creative expression while celebrating the often-overlooked presence of queer Polynesian men. By seamlessly blending the physical and virtual realms, Lassey’s art challenges traditional boundaries and reflects the evolving social landscape of a small Pacific nation.
Read
- Tagata Atamai Queer Poetry Pride Month Sale
Tusitala by Danielle Kionasina Dilys Thomson $25
Manuali’i by Rex Letoa Paget $25
Talia by Isla Huia $25
Neither by Liam Jacobson $25
Spoiled Fruit by Damien Levi and Amber Esau $25
i’m still growing by Josiah Morgan $25
A Bathful of Kawakawa and Hot Water by Hana Pera Aoake $20
Listen
- Welcome to The 09 Poetry Slam!
The 09 Poetry Slam is a monthly poetry slam and community space created in 2024. 09 is for poets and poetry-lovers to come together, create, and share work no matter their skill level. We aim to provide platforms for poets to share their stories, as well as a safe space for poets and audiences alike to foster connection.
09 was created following the disestablishment of JAFA Poetry Slam, to carry on its nine year legacy of uplifting Tāmaki Makaurau's poets. We are excited to launch the brand new iteration of the Auckland Regional Poetry Slam, while also uphold the traditions, love, and unrelenting dedication to community that JAFA operated by.
To kickstart the 09, we are having a launch party! Featuring a stacked line-up of guest performances, this is a night you don't want to miss. Save the date and reserve a free ticket. We look forward to seeing you there.
- Pacific Studies is hosting three exciting events in March, and we would love to see you there!
Thursday 6th March at 12:00-1:30pm - Talem Tat Yu Blo Olketa: Fieldwork Research Experience in Solomon Islands
Wednesday 26th March at 4:30pm-5:30pm - Mele on the Mauna: Perpetuating Genealogies of Hawaiian Musical Activism on Maunakea
Thursday 27th March at 11am - Noken / Men: String Bags of the Muyu Tribe of Southern West Papua
Learn
- Bookings are officially open for the Auckland Writers Festival’s 2025 Schools Programme Hōtaka Kura! Get ready for a dynamic week of engaging storytelling, curiosity, and creativity with an outstanding lineup of writers from Aotearoa and around the globe.
- Join DEAGNZ and filmmaker Aidee Walker for the first Director’s Toolkit workshop of 2025!
Across the weekend, Aidee will offer a comprehensive overview of her directing process from pre-production, to shoot, to post, built from her extensive experience as a director. Participants will gain insights and put into practice the process and craft of directing, and leave the workshop with new practical skills in their kete/toolkit
Sat 22 & Sun 23 March, 9am - 4pm
The Button Factory, Auckland CBD
Work
- Join the BIG FAN team as the Booking & Office Manager! Manage bookings for our venue and recording studios and help keep BIG FAN a welcoming space for all.
- Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa is looking for a Project Coordinator for Nui Te Kōrero!
Submit
- Tautai is inviting Tagata Moana artists living in Aotearoa to apply for a series of Fale-ship residencies from their homes or creative centres. There are three places available for experienced visual arts practitioners who are looking for support as they embark on a new body of work to be exhibited at Tautai.
Residency Dates: 2 June – 1 September 2025
Support Provided: $6000 fee, mentorship, critique sessions, professional development, exhibition at Tautai, and materials fee.
We welcome applications from experienced visual arts practitioners specialising in Painting, Sculpture, Performance Art, Printmaking, Photography, and Film. Artists from diverse backgrounds and perspectives are encouraged to apply.
Deadline for submissions: Thursday 17 April 2025-12pm
- Tagata Atamai is seeking submissions for a collection of poetry/prose about the Moana!
“Kia orana!
I am in love with the ocean. And I write about her all the time. Do you?
I am going to publish a collection of upu (words) that speaks to our moana online and beyond. If you would like to join me on this literary voyage, please submit your writing (poetry/prose) to daniellekionasina@gmail.com.
Haere mai. Afio mai. Welcome.
Meitaki ma’ata,
Dani Kionasina
Founder/Director of Tagata Atamai”
- Creative Fellowship Fund 2025 - Round 1 opened, 10 Feb 2025 and closes 13 Mar 2025, 1:00PM
This fund supports artists and practitioners to spend time developing their artistic practice and new work. This fund is for activities taking place between 4 Jun 2025 - 4 Dec 2026
- Creative Impact Fund 2025 - Round 1 opened, 10 Feb 2025 and closes 20 Mar 2025, 1:00PM
This fund supports artists and practitioners to create, share, and present work that enriches audiences and encourages understanding and participation. For activities taking place between 4 Jun 2025 - 4 Dec 2026