GAZING FROM THE VAKA

J3PK * AKA Jeffery Poimamao Kalauta

Music producer

Digital - New media artist

Who are you?

Fakalofa lahi atu kia mutolu oti - I was born in Auckland & visited Niue for the first time six years ago. My visit & the one that followed gave shape to my cultural belonging & identity. The act of going home was important if only because the 'doing' and 'being' part authenticated through a lived experience rather than what I had before only 'thought about' or 'imagined'.

**

What is the project?

It has been said that the gods lived under the earth in Avatele, Niue. When the gods refused to feed their children, the children became angry & rose to the surface. Known for their bravery, they built an impenetrable fortress to protect the village. Our warriors & whānau lived inside this fortified village & we kept to ourselves.

Due to the current lockdowns, we restrict our movements; we build our own fortress to protect our whanau. But eventually, our shields will drop; until then, our longing to reconnect to our people & the soil of our Islands continues. Our tupuna experience grief & loss and mourn the generations that left the Islands for a better life? Our tupuna calls us, but we are unable to come home.

For this project, I will create a series of Pasifika hip-hop tracks that capture & express the experience of longing for reconnection to my ancestral homeland, Niue. I will also create digital new media to support the release to online music and social media platforms in February & March 2022.

**

What will the funds be used for?

The funds will be used to purchase mastering software, replace worn-out audio equipment, koha for cultural advice & update an iPad.

**

Why your support is essential & how you can help:

Allowing new generations to grow, creating & extending NZ born Tagata Niue arts enables new generations to develop ideas, practices & avoid acculturation & a diminished sense of cultural identity. Your support will ensure the furthering creation of Tagata Niue, Pasifika music & new media arts.

**

Thank you so much for your support.