Pacific women
Who migrated in the 1960s
PAYING homage to a whole generation of women who left their island homes in the 1960s is at the heart of acclaimed artist Angela Tiatia’s latest work.
Her new exhibition — The Dark Current — is a video piece that took three years to make and took inspiration from her mother, who died in January.
“I really wanted the opening shot … to (pay) homage to my mother and her generation of Pacific Islanders. That big first wave of migration from the islands to Aotearoa, to Australia to America,” Tiatia told Nesia Daily.
Tiatia was the 2022 recipient of the Ian Potter Moving Image Commission and has been a finalist in several awards, including the Archibald Prize, Sir John Sulman Prize, and the John Fries Art Award. She was raised in Samoa, Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia.
Her mother is from the village of Lelepa, Savai’i and her father is Australian.
“So that’s where the inspiration came from,” she said.
“I just really wanted to pay homage and respect to their bravery and their commitment ... to taking care of family back in the islands and creating the remittance economy that we now see today.”
Dreams and my mother
As a child, Tiatia knew early what interested her. But growing up alongside her twin sister Moana, her creative dreams clashed with the realities of the struggles of a soleparent Pacific Island household.
“I had dreams of either being a writer, a fashion designer or an artist,” she said.
“I said to my mum (that) I really wanted to be an artist … when I was five years old.
“Mum always saw that and it worried her terribly because she was so worried about my financial security as I got older.
“When she heard that I wanted to become an artist … she would always say, ‘Oh no no no, don’t do that. You need to go to university and become an office worker.’”
Her mother, Lusi Alo Napota, was part of that early Pacific wave, arriving in Aotearoa to work in the factories.
“And so mum being a solo parent, she worked up to three jobs to financially take care of us. And those were all factory jobs.
“As she grew older, she was able to make her way in the sense of creating a sewing factory in the back of our house. I just remember her being this incredibly hard worker, from early in the morning until really late at night.”
The artist’s path
Following her mother’s wishes, Tiatia studied a bachelor of commerce, but once it was completed she knew her heart wasn’t in it.
“I always say to this day, I got the bachelor of commerce degree for my mum … After that, I was like, ‘No this is a terrible idea, I’m going to be really unhappy’.
“So I went and got a bachelor of visual arts. (And) that’s how I got started.
“I got started quite late too. I think I was 33 at the time I went to art school. But I’m really grateful for the journey as well.”
A pivotal point in her career was the birth of her son. It wasn’t until then that she went “all-in” and became a full-time artist.
“I just really thought about my impact that I could have on this young human I was raising. I think the biggest impact I could have on his life was to be an example of living an authentic life, living a life that I was passionate about. Especially in my work life.
“So I just started reaching out to community art places, enrolling into drawing classes and painting classes … and just thought this is the time to jump all in.”
Tiatia encouraged young artists to live their own lives and dreams.
“Look at your life and the journey that you’re about to set out on, it’s a long and enduring one … what kind of life would you like to create for yourself? Is it one where you’re living your own dream?”
“I think the authenticity and the bravery that is required to live your own life and to be passionate about your life and your work, requires you to really know yourself.”