Auckland mum nails it with Pacific polish
Intricate designs make her a technician with a difference
Traditional Pasifika art has long been popular particularly in tatau, or tattoos. But it is also proving to be a hit in another big trend — nail art. Auckland woman Selina JonesOfisa, a qualified nail technician for Nesian Nails Ltd, has been working from her South Auckland-based studio for the past two years, after deciding to leave work to spend more time with her three young children.
The nail art trend has been hugely popular overseas for many years, she says, but has only just caught on in New Zealand in the last couple of years.
Her intricate Pacific-inspired designs have seen her become a nail technician with a difference, as clients from around the city seek her out specifically for her designs derived from traditional Polynesian tatau, tapa cloth or other parts of Island life.
“They absolutely love it. When we started doing it two years ago, it was only palangi [ women] who were coming in to get it done.
“It was kind of awkward because we are Islanders but it was always palangi who were embracing it better than our own Island people.”
Fast-forward to today and the majority of her clients are Pacific women keen to incorporate a part of their culture in a unique and artistic way.
“It’s just cool seeing people embrace it more now.
“I find that a lot of girls who come in, they’re always after the Khloe Kardashian look, or else if they’re really into the culture — they’ve got a graduation or a wedding and they want to incorporate their culture back into it — those are the ones that I love doing.”
Jones-Ofisa, whose husband is Samoan, is European Kiwi and also has Tongan heritage.
Her passion in the designs she creates is also inspired by her children — whose heritage is reflected in them.
She opened her studio after she and her best friend became stay-athome mums four years ago. They completed 13 weeks of training to become fully qualified nail technicians and she continues to upskill and hone her craft regularly to keep up with changing nail trends and techniques.
“Even throughout college I used to always draw Island patterns.
“If somebody wants a gel polish manicure with full tapa design, it takes me 40 minutes and that’s for the whole entire service, from start to finish.”
Jones-Ofisa said she was happy people from all backgrounds were embracing Pacific culture in yet another way.
“The trends always change, new products come out and new techniques — it’s always never-ending.
“But the fact that people are starting to accept more cultural things is good.”