Seventeen year old Talanoaifaivaoalii “Talanoa” J. Lagafuaina is one of the youngest artists displaying his painting skills with live demonstrations at FestPac.
“He transformed a blank 24”x36” canvas into a vibrant masterpiece before the eyes of an enthralled audience,” says an ASG a press release. “His work, deeply rooted in the traditions and stories of the Pacific, brought to life the people that make up the diverse Pacific.
The live demonstration offered visitors to the art exhibit an opportunity to witness the artistic process in real-time. Talanoa’s dynamic and expressive style, coupled with his deep cultural insights, made a lasting impression on those present.
Talanoa and his mother, Maria Lagafuaina, will be traveling to Washington, D.C. at the end of the month to present his Congressional Malofie award winning painting of two women with their hair blowing in the wind.
Visual Arts lead, Regina “Reggie” Meredith Fitiao hosted a class for festival-goers with co-artists Puataunofo Tofaeono and Deliah Paopao.
The Siapo team welcomed visitors to join as participant observers, allowing them to craft their own tapa and experience being a siapo maker themselves.
They explained the significance of Siapo in American Samoa. and allowed visitors to try their hand at making tapa.
In the literary section, Pesetā Tia Seloti and Tapa’au Dr. Daniel Aga took a tour through the Pacific Archives at the University of Hawaii’s Hamilton Library. Led by Stu Dawrsand & Eleanor Klaiber, Pesetā & Tapa’au Dr. Aga were introduced to the extensive Pacific collection, home to thousands of reference materials that constitute one of the largest known repositories of Pacific related documents.
This trove of knowledge provided a window into the past, illuminating the rich and diverse histories of Pacific communities.
As the presentation drew to a close, Pesetā expressed heartfelt gratitude to their presenters and read a poem entitled ‘The Cross’ from her latest book, The Narrow Way. They were also able to attend symposium discussions around “enhancing the sustainability of pacific cultural and creative industries” and “sustainable cultural tourism for the regeneration of Oceania”.
Pesetā and Tapa’au Dr. Aga later presented on Solo o le Va, the Samoan creation myth at the Hawaii Convention Center.
Tattooist Su’a Uilisone and his team have completed tatau on two individuals, Wesley Brewster and Zachery Alesana and have stated on malu for two sisters.
Photos: ASG
