Pasifika artists with Samoan heritage make up more than half of the recipients of New Zealand’s Arts Pasifika Awards 2022 with one of the winning artist pointing to Samoans being "storytellers". 

Caren Rangi, who is the Chair of the New Zealand Arts Council and has Cook Islands heritage, says the awards play an important part in the celebration of Pacific artistic excellence in New Zealand.

She said it is difficult to measure the “significant intangible impact” that the work of New Zealand’s Pacific creatives have on the cultural tapestry in Aotearoa.

“So every year it is a joy and an honour to acknowledge the work of the winners of these awards, whose talents have contributed enormously to our creative ecosystem over the past 12 months,” said Ms. Rangi. 

“The Arts Pasifika Awards also represent the diversity of talent and experience across our Pacific creative community.

“Our 2022 winners range from established internationally renowned pioneers to emerging innovative creatives.”

The Pacific Toa Award, which recognises the contribution of a Pasifika artist with the lived experience of disability, is now in its fourth year and is one of the many significant opportunities and initiatives developed under the Pacific Arts Strategy 2018-2023.  

While there are usually seven award winners, this year there are eight comprising two winners in the ‘Special Recognition Award’ category, which acknowledges a notable contribution to Pacific arts, nationally or internationally.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there hasn’t been an in-person awards ceremony since 2019, though Ms. Rangi says the Arts Council is thrilled to once again host an in-person event this year. 

“It means a lot to our community to be together physically so we’re very excited to bring together our winners and their families again in 2022,” she added. 

The selection process for these awards begin with public nominations, followed by robust assessment including external Pacific arts experts and a panel, which makes recommendations to the Chief Executive of Creative New Zealand. The Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa reviewed the selection recommendations and made the final decisions. 

One of this year’s winners Dhalia Malaelu told the Samoa Observer that she is a recipient and is proud as a Samoan Pasifika creative. 

She said Samoans are “storytellers” and at the heart of all artforms is a story, and our story as Samoan and Pasifika is worthy of being heard, told and shared with the world.

“At Mila's Books we have proven what is possible for us as Pasifika creatives who are more than capable of building self-sustaining creative industries in a world that likes to tell us what we cannot do or cannot be,” said Ms. Malaelu. 

“My advice to all our Pasifika creatives is to surround yourself with a supportive village, build networks remembering that we are stronger together, and no matter what the world tells you, being Samoan, being Pasifika is our super power." 

This year’s winners are as follows:

1. ONZM Fatu Feu’u - Senior Pacific Artist Award. Feu’u grew up in the village of Poutasi, in Western Samoa, immigrating to New Zealand in 1966

2. Kulimoe’anga “Stone” Maka - Pacific Contemporary Artist Award . 

3. Daren Kamali - Pacific Heritage Arts Award. Daren Kamali is Fijian, Wallis, Futunan and Scottish.     

4. Stone is an interdisciplinary artist who was born in Tonga, in the village of Pātangata and is the second youngest of 12 children 

5. Ululau Ama - Pacific Toa Award. Ululau was born in 1994 at Moto’otua Hospital in Apia, Sāmoa. He had meningitis at 3 months old and was later diagnosed with epilepsy.

6. Fa’amoana John Luafutu - Special Recognition Award. Fa’amoana John Luafutu belongs to the Sa Tuatagaloa Family and the villages of Satala and Poutasi, Falealili, Sāmoa 

7. Troy Tu’ua - Special Recognition Award.  Troy Tu’ua, hailing from the beautiful villages of Magiagi, Mulifanua and Afega, in Sāmoa is a multi-disciplinary artist and one of the first-ever graduates of the Pacific Institute of Performing Arts (2009). 

8. Dahlia Malaeulu -  Emerging Pacific Artist Award. Dahlia Malaeulu is a Samoan New Zealander with connections to the villages of Sinamoga and Vaivase tai in Sāmoa. 

9. Joshua Pearson - Iosefa Enari Memorial Award. Joshua Pearson is an Aotearoa-born Samoan sonic artist, composer, and creative technologist. His villages are Salelavalu, Sapapali'i, Safotulafai and Fusi on the island of Savai’i, Sāmoa.