“Born to disrupt I am Samoa’s only freedom, her last resistance, Fa’atama, Fa’afafine, Fa’aafa: we who live in between”
"A body realising itself in the present whilst warping and pushing traditional and ancient movement is an important event, a disruption in itself"
Jahra ‘Rager’ Wasasala - The Pantograph Punch.
Fa’aafa combines Samoan oral traditions, adornment, movement and sound. Juxtaposed against the colour and contrast of modern digital projection, Fa’aafa creates a gripping and responsive Samoan fāgogo (fable) for young urban polynesians. Created by digital native Pati Solomona Tyrell this work unveils a world known only to Samoans through whispers.
As a lens based media artist Tyrell’s story telling is immersive and world building. At its centre is his body, his culture and his community. Described in the image note for the publication Black Marks on the White Page edited by Witi Ihimaera and Tina Makereti, Fa’aafa is referred to as “A portal into another world, its colours saturated by night and desire and the youthful swagger of its subjects, whose eyes issue a challenge and invitation”
Devised in 2015 as a solo performance Fa’aafa has travelled across Aotearoa for the past two years as a cultural Acti-VA-tion; a term coined by iconic Pacific artist Rosana Raymond. The ‘VA’ refers to a Samoan philosophical understanding of space as ‘active’, not as empty and passive, but activated by people, relationships and reciprocal obligations.
Featuring a new cast of emerging and established performers, and an entirely new soundscape and visual design, with poetry by award winning Samoan poet Tusiata Avia, Fa’aafa will adorn a new silhouette for a new audience.
The Creative Team
FAFSWAG is an arts collective working collaboratively to activate public and digital space with innovative interdisciplinary work from emerging and established indigenous LGBT artists.
Featuring Joey Tinai, Falencie Filipo, Moe Laga. With poetry by renowned Samoan poet Tusiata Avia.
Accessibility
The Propeller Stage is fully wheelchair accessible; please contact the BATS Box Office by 4.30pm on the show day if you have accessibility requirements so that the appropriate arrangements can be made. Read more about accessibility at BATS.
