Kolokesa Uafā Māhina-Tuai
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).

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

Josiah Martin
Tapa making, Tonga
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1998
Tufunga

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

Tufunga Tāvalivali (material art of painting)
Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi
Veimaau (Ordered water flow) 2003
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Chartwell Gift Collection, 2013

Tufunga Tāvalivali (material art of painting)
Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi
Vakilotomoekohi (Space towards inside and lines) 2003
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Chartwell Gift Collection, 2013

Tufunga ngaohihelu (Material art of comb-making)
This example is referred to as helu tu’u (decorative comb), worn by Tu‘i Tonga Pau and named Palātavake.
John Webber
Poulaho, King of the Friendly Islands 1784
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 2007

Tufunga tātatau (material art of tattooing)
Louis Auguste de Sainson
Tonga-Tabou... 1833
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 2010
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.

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

John Webber
A night dance by men, in Hapaee 1784
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 2006

Faiva fuhu (performance art of boxing)
John Webber
A Boxing Match, in Hapaee 1784
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 2007

Faiva tau‘olunga (dance)
Glenn Jowitt
Dateline Hotel, Nuku'Alofa, Tongatapu 1982
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of the artist, 1983

Faiva lafo (performance art of lafo playing)
Thomas Andrew
Game of Lafo, Vavau, Tonga c1895
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1998