Nu’u Newsletter: Issue Ten

Editor’s Note

Talofa lava!

Welcome to the tenth 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

- Gogo | Sapati Mossiah Avei Finai

This exhibition celebrates the gogo, or frigate bird, with two timber sculptures made from salvaged rimu and matai. Revered as messengers and navigational guides, the gogo symbolizes journeys across the Pacific. Out to Sea and Back to Land sculptures highlight the bird's connection to the ocean and its role as a symbol of safe homecoming, inviting reflection on personal travels and the joy of returning home.

3 April - 1 May
Opening Event: Wed 2 Apr, 5 - 7pm
1 Ponsonby Road

- ‘LOVE; MUM’ BRINGS A POWERFUL AND HEARTWARMING TALE OF MOTHERHOOD TO THE STAGE FOR NZ TOUR

The struggles, joys, and unbreakable bonds of motherhood take centre stage in the new and compelling play, Love; Mum. Following a sold-out development season last year, Sela Faletolu-Fasi (writer / director / producer / actor) hits the road with an all-female Pacific cast from Christchurch to tour New Zealand; hitting the NZ Fringe Festival in Wellington, Little Andromeda Theatre in Christchurch and Basement Theatre in Auckland.

Inspired by a goodbye letter that Faletolu-Fasi wrote to her six children, the story follows five Pacific women - Joy, Finau, Racheal, Judah, and Lalelei - who meet at Mums Anonymous, a self-help group for new mothers. As they confront their individual struggles - abusive relationships, career pressures, insecurities, and anxiety - they form a sisterhood that becomes their sanctuary. Through laughter, tears, and confrontations, they discover that love has the power to heal the deepest of wounds.

"Love; Mum is more than a play; it's a celebration of the shared experiences of mothers everywhere," says Faletolu-Fasi, "It's raw, honest, and unapologetically real. Audiences will see themselves and their loved ones in these characters and leave inspired by their resilience."

Bringing a message of forgiveness and restoration, Love; Mum captures the complexities of navigating life as a mother in the modern world with authenticity and grace, leaving audiences with a powerful reminder of the importance of love and community.

- Talaucaka by Emele Ugavule

Set in a future dystopian England after ecological collapse due to the climate crisis, Talaucaka by Emele Ugavule follows four women navigating a haunting reality inside the ruins of the British Museum, now an e-waste processing facility. Memory is currency. Questions are forbidden. Time belongs to King George. But as they perform their seemingly vital tasks, disturbing inconsistencies emerge. An exploration of temporal sovereignty, cultural identity, and the power of collective memory in an age where everything you know lives in the cloud.

26th & 27th April, Te Whaea Theatre, 11 Hutchison Road, Pōneke

Read

- Te Wiki Āhua o Aotearoa: The underground fashion week for Māori and Pacific creativity

Listen

- Best New Zealand Music of the Week: March 17th-23rd

- Lady Shaka in Tāmaki Makaurau

The Whaea Show series begins tonight!
21.03.25 - Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland)
22.03.25 - Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland)
28.03.25 - Ōtautahi (Christchurch)

Learn

- Celebrating World of Cultures festival with Waacking! A street-dance form with roots that run deep in LGBTQIA+ and POC communities.

Join us for Prowl Production's electrifying Waacking battle celebrating the beautiful intersection of dance and cultural heritage. Whether you're a seasoned pro or first-time spectator, this event is for EVERYONE who loves expression through movement!

SATURDAY, APRIL 5
1PM - 3:30PM
KOHA DONATION ENTRY
Studio One Toi Tū

Work

- PĀMU is hiring!

If you're a creative individual looking to gain valuable experience in marketing and content creation, this is for you!

Based in Auckland with some WFH flexibility, this role is perfect for some one who is outgoing and looking to gain hands-on experience in digital marketing, social media, and brand growth. You will be assisting with Tik Tok content creation, marketing strategies, and some general administrative tasks.

Send your CV, a short cover letter, and any examples of past content work (if available) to admin@pamustore.com

Head over to @_pamu_store for more information and share to anyone you think will be interested!

Submit

- Toi Waitematā - Arts Funding 2025

Call for expressions of interest.

Through Toi Waitematā, the Waitematā Local Board supports a range of community-led creative projects. If you would like to apply for funding for a project that takes place between 1st April and 15th July 2025 and has a budget of between $500.00 and $3,000.00 please complete this form.

If you need any support with filling out this form or would like to submit in a different way please email Aroha on toiwaitemataa@gmail.com. Proposals are encouraged to be submitted asap.

- Enter the Te Whau Pathway Photo Competition in celebration of World Water Day 2025!

This year’s theme is GLACIERS! 🌊

Use your camera or phone to capture Climate Change in the Whau River Catchment Area.

Entries close Saturday 5th April, 11:59pm
Cash prizes to be won
All ages welcome

- Creative Residency Applications Now Open!

“We have an exciting new opportunity for Māori practitioners and independent Māori-led arts companies to come and create new mahi whakaari at Te Pou Theatre.

We’re offering two residencies in 2025 and it looks a little like this...

10 Days in Tāhū Studio, Te Pou Theatre
$5K Stipend
$1K Technical Budget
Venue kaimahi support

Applications close 11.59pm, Sunday 30 March. So head to our website to check out all the details and to apply! We want to hear from you.”

- 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”