Tattoo and Tapa: Reclaiming Pacific Symbols | Frances C. Koya Vaka'uta | TEDxSuva
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 5 июл 2016
- Frances is a poet and artist passionate about the state of education and development in the Pacific. Her doctorate study explored the heritage art forms of tapa and tattooing in Samoa and Tonga as sites of knowing, learning being and becoming.
Frances’s talk encourages us to seriously consider the history and layers of meaning in the cultural motifs and symbols that surround us here in the Pacific.
Frances Cresantia Koya Vaka’uta is Associate Dean Research & Internationalization at the Faculty of Arts, Law & Education, at The University of the South Pacific. She teaches curriculum studies, education in small island developing states with a particular interest in Education for Sustainable Development and Rethinking Pacific island Education.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx
Moral of the story: listen to your elders wisdom is taught and hand down through generations
It is time dor them to listen to US for they have forgotten their own way selling us out to the palangis way
Her poetry at the end moved me beyond the tears pooling in my eyes, beyond the beat of my heart. Wow! What a beautiful soul, and a treasure of her culture. Thank you for sharing.
I felt exactly the same!
I am bawling my eyes out. Maybe because I appreciate my native indigenous Pacific Islander heritage and I know how much has been lost in the generations and how much power we have in our current generation to promote and educate each other and ourselves. To be kind to ourselves first. Thank you for this!
OMG, I knew it! I knew it, I KNEW IT!!! I wondered for a very long time about our Samoan print and tatoo's. I knew it meant more than just some random markings or design. I have been looking for someone such as yourself to learn the anchient ways or historical information etc. I am thankful and I hope we can all dig for more truth about the 3 islands. Wow, great job!
Wow I'm Tongan and was compelled to watch! Thank you Professor absolutely inspiring and ignites a renown passion to get to know deep my family tree and hold tight the traditions and symbols passed down for the future of our lineages and may they never loose sense and pride of who they are truly
The tattoos, piercings, drawings, paintings, sketchings, potteries, and other artistic expressions of Native Oceanians are marvelous
BRILLIANT!!!
I am positive your grandmother's spirit is just beaming knowing how her beautiful grandaughter has managed to bring this incredible knowledge to the entire world! Perhaps if you'd photographed her, you'd never have been inspired. I thoughoughly enjoyed your talk. Mahalo nui
This has rendered me to tears. It evoked such emotion in me. Mrs. Vaka'uta you speak with all of our tua'a. This is the very reason why I detest the usage of the Maui costume by Disney and the tuiga as an accessory for their Moana doll. It is much more than just beautiful. It's sacred. Our people need to really absorb this video. Incredibly done Mrs. Vaka'uta. Alofa aku!!
Thank you @DEMTOiLOLOsS, I agree with you completely. I too am concerned about the indiscriminate use of our Pacific heritage arts and indigenous knowledge systems. They are so much more than just "pretty" artifacts but sadly so many foreigners and some of our own, are too blinded by the 'glitter' of Disney to really engage or to realize exactly what is happening. But, all is not lost, there are enough of us out there connected by Va Tapuia who will continue to represent and to always be "in their faces" :) Thank you for taking the time to comment.
DEMTOiLOLOsS Native Americans have been fighting the same thing for years. We are not costumes.
Cresantia F. Koya I really appreciate this information. I am half Tongan but have never lived there or even visited. I have been researching tapa motifs specifically lately to try to understand what they mean and their significance and wanting to incorporate them into quilt design, since I don' t have access to a mulberry tree 😊 I want to do this with respect and understanding but dont know where to start. What can the younger generations who are more isolated from from the islands do to learn and reconnect with their culture? Especially in cases where parents have possibly been more concerned with their children adapting to and fitting into a new culture?
oh get off the grass. Why should your culture be so sacred taht Disney cant use it? Do you want to out it in a jar and lock it away? Then do so and no one will know of it!
gary blackbourne disney can make a movie about polynesia but we ask to be respectful about our sacred traditions. Meaning to not make our cultural outfits as halloween costumes, and to not be mocked for our ways. Or to understand the depth of our tattoos before you get them just cause they look cool.
So proud of my Tongan heritage as I am a direct descendant of King Taufa'ahau Tupou 1 of Tonga. He is my 5th Great Grandfather. Thank you for sharing this with us and God bless!
I have a ancestor named Finau ulukalala. That's where my Finau name derived from.
@@mrfin02 OISH!!! Ulukalala is also an ancestor of mine on my Dad's side. Malie Feletoa koe matapā oku fatunga koa!!! 🔥
@@teti_99 I guess we’re related lol
@@mrfin02 I am a descendant of him as well.
My nigguh related to everybody lol, come on Tokz quit the cap 😂😂
Dr Frances C.Koya Vaka'uta from the village of Saleimoa, Samoa. malo..malo..le "TAU" God Bless..
Hi, thank you for your kind words. Proudly representing bloodlines from Saleimoa and Nofoali'i.
This was very moving for me. Thanks Frances. Vinaka vaka levu o Fa'a fetai lava o Malo 'aupito
powerful message professor... honored to hear about the history of our culture
Meu Deusss
Watching this for more than 20mins was the most powerful and touching words about "Roots, respect, responsibilties,,,, and goes on to Power" And with all respect I must say "Ia so'oga liligi ma ia fa'amaguia kele aku lo kakou Akua Silisili Ese i lau Afioga Dr Frances C.Koya Vaka'uta!" Tears covered my face as you led me back to a real sence of being a real samoan full of hope with much pride of who we really are as people of the land, a sence of being great significance and value to wherever I'am. Even far away fr my Samoa and a seed of a great and powerful woman from Nofoali'i.
Ia maguia kele au faiva e que Deus todo poderoso te abençõe Dr C.Koya Vaka'uta!
Thank you for your kind words. I am so very very humbled and am forever grateful for the fāgogo at a time when we didn't have technology and television. In this world of so many distractions, the one thing that holds me is knowing we carry the ancestors with us wherever we are and their stories, their life lessons and values ground us.
A lovely intro into the complexities behind the symbols, its certainly opened my eyes. I would hope that the history and meaning of all pacific symbolism is being/has been well documented for reference somewhere? As for its use today, yes there are true traditional use cases where the proper meaning is sacred but this shouldn't imply that patterns are not to be used in fashion, with documentation in place symbolism can be used creatively without losing sight of its true meaning.
Beautiful! Identity, Place within Space. I am a Hawaiian and can identify with your stories. Thankfully, like you, my grandmother shared many stories giving me a sense of identity. Each and every minute and minor detail means something in the great scheme of our universe as we knew and know it. Mahalo nui loa.
The knowledge, understanding and interpretation of such indigenous wisdom is truly heartfelt. I am so glad to been able to hear and see you speak so poetically such histories of intricate symbolism and connectedness. Beautiful.
Yes, all of our tatau must be kept in our tradition(s) due to our history being told within the designs.
I love how it was concluded at the very end. Just beautiful.
Moved beyond words!!!!! So powerful and enlightening. Thank you for sharing!!!!
One of my most favorite lecturers at USP back in 2011
Malo 'aupito/Vinaka vakalevu Frances. A great presentation and journey into our past... and future. 'Ofa atu mo loloma levu x
So beautiful. Thank you. I, too, cried.
Thank you so much for sharing, you've brought me back to this page numerus time just to hear your wisdom & knowledge of our culture. That was beautiful. Thank you again.
Thank you Frances Koya Vaka'uta....such powerful words of our symbols.
This is amazing!!! Thank you for gifting us with your heartfelt work of LOVE. Faafetai Lava😊
Divine timing for me to hear this message. So beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.
That was fantastic!! Thank you for enhancing my knowledge of where I come from 👏👏👏
Wow, a great one....... loved it.
thanks >> Frances C. Koya Vaka'uta
That poem summed it all up 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Great presentation. Proud to be of lapita heritage too. I also want to do something like what you did. Research on Mussau Islanders and their lapita trading. There seems to be a lot of connections to the samoan culture. But really appreciate your presentation.
Wow, that was beautiful. I just had to take notes!
I have a tapa cloth given to my father-in-law during WWII by fellow Navy sailor. The man is Hawaiian and being discriminated against. He was falsely accused of an infraction. My father-in-law spoke up and saved him from his fate. In return, the man gave him this tapa cloth after he returned from a trip home. The tapa cloth as had some deterioration. I want to frame it to preserve it. Also, I want to know if and how I should preserve it. If anyone reads this and has a recommendation on where to go, please reply.
If it is small I would freeze it in a glue substance as a whole like a picture frame. If it is big than it will deteriorate over time or just get a new one with same artform on it. I am Tongan and Tapa is one of our highest value to offer. Hopefully this helps
Indigeneity is the story of our suppressed cultures. Nānā i ke kumu o nā kūpuna (look to the source of our elders & ancestors) for truth. Mahalo iā Frances for a beautiful presentation. Aloha nō.
A powerful and informative presentation. I've enjoyed your presentation very much. Thank you.
Beautiful and informative. Thank you!
Wow wow wow !!
Loved this !!
Fantastic! I have a lot to learn!
Well done introduction , I loved it very much ! Cheeeehoooooo !!
What an inspiring and awesome presentation.
Eye opening
Awesome, thank you for sharing, appreciate you.
Thank you, beautiful story ❤️❤️
Love the poem.
Wow… As a Samoan man I’ve learn some stuff from this… Thank you
Love it!
Thank you for sharing...very interesting...fellow pacific islander.
Powerful.
My great grandmother had a body Tattooing, eldest daughter of Tongan high Chiefs
Powerful
very powerful indeed... so powerful the poem activated my allergies & I don't have allergies lol manuia lava
Powerful messages of our Pacific Ness 🌏❤️🌏❤️🌏Fakaue lahi 💝
i hope you still lecture, brilliant oratory, standout intellect
Beautiful poem 🤩
Thanks Frances I hope you have pushed ahead with the designs knowledge... designs need to be categorised and be re-learned
Is any of your research published anywhere? I'd be honoured to read it.
Very good speech
What a beautiful presentation...malo lava.
im Micronesian from the islands of Chuuk. Tatooing in my language is called "Folufön" meaning thorn. It was outlawed in the late 1800s & early 1900s by European Missionaries including our ways of dancing & chanting & even the practice of praying to our ancestors.
Yes its so sad yet true. Some of our Tongan dances were lost due to dancing being outlawed by missionaries.
Does anybody know what her accent is, pleaseeee
Sounds like a formal Fijian accent
Mālō 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽❤❤️❤️
amazing
MY ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION is no the ocean that you see in the Pacific wasn't there when our people arrived in the Pacific, Many of the landmasses that existed back then are not there anymore only in some of our stories if we remember those stories because some of our stories it's hard to believe when you hear it for the first time in your life that something like that can ever happen here on earth especially in the Pacific
🙏🙏🙏
Your tatatau is supposed to be the story of your life. Each design representing the story and your rank in society!
💙💙💙💙💙🔥💯
All from Ancient Tongan Lapita Origin settlement 😊
wow
Samoa & Tonga are Polynesian
Fiji is Melanesian
although there is mixing from War &
in more recent times marriage.
Fa'a Samoa.
In ancient times Samoa and Fiji were always at war, this is before the Tui Tonga empire, Tonga tapu means Sacred south while Tokelau is known as North Wind between these islands lies Samoa Sacred bird or forbidden heart, the king of Polynesia was Tagaloa lagi, considered a God in Tahiti(Ta'aroa) Hawaii(Kanaloa) Aotearoa(Tangaroa) Rapanui(to'aroa) Tonga(Tangaloa) including the rest of Polynesians all leads back to Tagaloa lagi, the residing place of Tagaloa was the Islands of Manu'a where Tui Manu'a dynasty ruled the rest of Polynesia, Fijians at the time were known as the invaders there empire was known as Tui Pulotu the ones who brought war to Tonga and the islands in the West, Tui Manu'a defeated this empire..
@@tagaloasroyallinesheartofp3478gonna need some receipts for that Uce lol. Word of mouth is just not enough 🤷🏽♂️😂 especially in this day and age 💯
I like samoan culture and tattoos .. so my question to polynesians is they keep telling motifs and tattoos tell their stories and each of them is specific to every person but how fo they tell the stories? How does a person choose a tattoo for a person? I am not a polynesian but i am a tribal from northeastern india from a place called itanagar. Some say we r the descendants of mongols. Some say we are chinese or tibetans ..
so to sum up i want a tribal tattoo which defines my life too. I wanna know how to choose one for me. I didnt want to offend samoans or polynesians .. i want to honor it.
Honor it by not getting it. Your not Polynesian.
Please don't. Polynesian tattoos tell the history of people, culture and heritage.
It's your body and feel free to put ink in it. Disregard my people because this is your life
@@longhairdontcare187 good one
Protect the old
Ways
Samoan with a Tongan last name?
She married a Tongan man
Fijians are not Polynesian even though
there is a long long history of mixing
due to Wars & more recently marriage
@Moana Lahi yeah theres alot of fijians that look like tongans and samoans, alot of mixing happened back in the day
They Samoa as missionaries as well. They sent the Samoa warriors to Palau and of course war occurred..
Back in the days there were no names such as Polynesia,Melanesia,Micronesia n Lapita..Those are names brought in by White Colonisers to distinguish us.When they saw us live in the largest ocean on earth sharing similar lifestyles,similar traditions,similar counting numbers,similar place names,similar people names..etc..Thats why they labelled us with those names according to our different physical characteristics nd re write our histories assuming that we came from Asia or Africa..Which is not the case..Because most of the dna taken lately have supported the verbal histories of our elders that we always live here in the Pacific deriving from our pre-flood land..
@@billteeen1778 but still, we have different physical appearances.
Polynesians are brown or Fair skinned.
Melanesians are dark-skinned
And Micronesians are in the middle.
First
As a former Peace Corps volunteer I absolutely snorted at that joke. We're intolerable.
There's a certain lean of the scale when listening to her speak...which only show to me personally that the Pacific islanders were one in one time of space...time only being a explanation of occurrence only true experience of truth can be account for one's truth...please being a Tongan in true nature, do not let this information be actual truth of existence...explore and find what the void has left for us to truly explore and find to be actual truth by community...My personal opinion will be mines and mines alone, only to hope that when taking in information
, you will believe in what you yourself only believe in.
TrunkMaterial what are you even saying
huh? lmao
Trunk you sound like you don't believe being Tongan of course. ignorance can lead to confusions maybe you can do your research then Professor not and find out your truths. Samoa was where it all started. We two shared a lot of similarities, and wonder why that is,? I know but as you said you keep your thoughts to yourself and we keep ours. Good luck with your research professor trunk. Tonga is waiting for your thesis.
@@moekontze116 it's apparent that you know only what you're told. I can only assume that you actually speak from your self research and not that of what was told to you by others. I've done my own and I only can tell that when the sun rises first in Tonga Samoa is still in yesterday. What I meant to say was that we are all one as pacific Islanders. You my friend sound like you're a Descendant of the lupitans. Because if you even had enough to understand that we don't share anything in common with these asian descendants. To me there's a gap of understanding that we've not been taught or even maybe being withheld because as it is "dark ages" are not to be spoken of due to your lord and savior "Jesus Christ" but hey that's only my opinion , what else is yours?
Malo 'aupito
Nice profile photo toks
Some of my family are surprised at how the Maori are assimilating Pacific styles of spelling and vocabulary. The Maori simply use swap the 'f' for 'wh' and so the entire meaning of words changes at the same time losing its richness and fullness of expression in its original Polynesia setting. My aunt had to teach at a rural primary school and she had to teach the Maori class and found it very easy beacuse their alphabet was very similar to Polynesian ones. I remember how some Maori iwi sued Lego for using Polynesian motif for its 'Bionicles' toys. Like Polynesia belongs only to the Maori.
IF THEY WERE IT WILL SHOW IT IN THE MIDDLE EAST
remember that story about the flood that happens in Noah days, well our people were there living in a place we know today as America THE WHOLE EARTH WAS ONCE CONNECTED BEFORE THE FLOOD CAME
Seki a sis
MY ANCESTOR WAS LIVING IN AMERICA LONG BEFORE THE ISRAELITES ARRIVE IN AMERICA my people were servent to the Gods including God the eternal father or the father of Jesus Christ
respectfully disagree with a lot of your premise about how our people were created, your learning is from what existed what society shows in the past n in the present in the pacific, my question to you young lady what about the history of those things once existed in the pacific in the time when our people first arrived in the pacific islands, let me ask u were the ocean that u see in the pacific always existed in the Pacific
We did not come from Asia.
We did lmao.
@@mrfin02nigguh you did lol.
@newleaf9 ... Exactly 💯... Tongans , Sāmoans bone structure are heavier more dense, bigger than the Asians in particular Taiwanese, Filipinos etc.
Doesn't make sense they are much lighter in bone structure and smaller in stature.
Tongans in particular were Seafaring Warriors of the Pacific - ie. Giants. Check out Tu'i Tonga Tu'itatui king warrior massive Coral stone backrest 40 metres away from the Ha'amonga Trilithon and you'll know what a Giant human this king Warrior was.
This Asia history is from the white man colonised indoctrinated rubbish. Do you see anything Tongan or Samoan in Taiwan? lol.
Tongan occupation...yep thanks for reminding us...thats why we hate them on the rugby field.
Maika Tuisalialevu, yet many don't know that Tongan kings and their chiefs were actually ethnic Samoans.
Maika Tuisalialevu Tonga means south, yous are basically Samoans who became mixed up with Fijian bloods during the war of Samoa and Fiji!!..
@@tagaloasroyallinesheartofp3478 stop the lies sole uce.
@@theephraimite Yet many don’t know that Samoa was enslaved to Tonga for about 300-400 or so years. Having slaves and concubines to Tongan men. Especially to Tui Tonga. That’s where the connection is people! And you wonder why there’s still this generational shame and pride and this “tense hate” with some not liking Tongans, just to fabricate things which aren’t completely true and hiding that truth. It’s not something to be ashamed of. It’s history and it’s not something Tongans aren’t proud of either. When now thanks to scientific and archaeological findings because of technological advances which are showing something completely different. The truth is coming out into the light whether you people like it or not. One love people 🙏🏾🌴🥥💕
@@ltmg9832 nobody’s denying that Tonga ruled parts of Samoa. The tuitonga also enslaved tongans. The lesser known truth is the tuitongas and other Tongan kings were Samoans. Even Tongan scholar Dr Mahina says it in his book, that the first tuitinga was the son of a Samoan chief, and that all the kings that followed married Samoans because the royal bloodline only came from Samoa. Here’s a qoute from George Tupou I : “Our relationship with Samoa is old, for it is from whence we came.”
So, like you said, whether you like it or not, that is the truth.
Sharing ... Uuuuu aaaaahhhhhh. Wiliwili bang bang DENG.! Nalu wale. Da Links! Better do DNA. eg. Duh Plover here comes from Siberia too. My Hunny Beah mum comes from Russia...Go Figgah...noticed my link is also there. Go figgah...Ony da Kanaka wahine Sphinx knows....
Oh get off the grass. Why should your culture be so sacred that Disney cant use it? Do you want to out it in a jar and lock it away? Then do so and no one will know of it!
i think disney should make cute movies about sacred cultures around the world since that is the best way to learn of their heritage. :/
To add on, watching disney movies about cultures is not the best way. If you truly wanted to learn you would seek out sources and those who posses the knowledge of what you're interested in.
Is Disney the best way to learn about Culture Gary ? Is that even what the speaker is trying to assert ? you should be able to watch learn listen read feel and do all ... not favour one over the other there are no pet likes or loves she's simply giving an insight into the Samoan and Tongan cultural traditions it is really amazing .... goes to show how authentic and sacred they are.
gary blackbourne Polynessia maybe an exotic playground or lab to some but revealing the notion of tapu is powerful and to an effect inspiring all the islands in the pacific are unique and have their own distinctive oral histories to be recovered.
Gary is not entirely wrong, but there is also something as cultural appreciation. Somebody that sees an image or symbol and gets inspired to learn about any of the Polynesian cultures, has a right to learn about it. And I’ve read the comment that Disney might not be the best way to learn about the culture(that’s true), but it’s a small opening that leads to it for some. Throughout history there have been many cultures. Most did not last or they changed and adapted to the current situation. That’s just life. Why are you trying to go backwards while time is always moving forward?