Liana Leiataua
Tune in at 2pm to see Liana Leiataua painting live at the mural site at Wesleyan Church - Taranaki St, Te Aro Wellington.
This mural has been commissioned by Te Papa and supported by Wellington City Council to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Dawn Raids.
This initiative is led by Te Papa in partnership with Toi Pōneke Arts Centre, Wellington City Council, Pātaka Art and Museum and the Ministry of Culture and Heritage - engaging Pacific artists, communities and creative institutions and schools to bring light and transformation from past injustices in our nation’s consciousness. Through a four-part series of talanoa, and creative workshops designed throughout the year, the project aims to transform community conversations and experiences into the community exhibition – Ua Tafa Mai Ata and street mural by November 2024.
To learn more about the Dawn Raids.
Artists Biography:
Liana Leiataua was born and raised in Porirua, Wellington. In the 70s - 90s, she was educated at Russel school and Queen Margret College. She returned to Porirua after living overseas in Samoa and England, to reconnect with the community of Porirua she regards “home” and to raise her four children.
Liana was the first Samoan to attend the Craft Design Programme at Paramoana Polytechnic, which was renamed Whitireia Polytechnic under the late Anne Philbin and Rozel Pharazin.
It was there she was introduced to Siapo - a Polynesian Art form, specifically the Siapo work of Mary Pritchard.
At that time Liana had the opportunity to go to American Samoa and connect with Mary Pritchard and the women of Leone. During that trip she found out that she was related to Mary Pritchard.
Liana’s Siapo constructions comes from the design construction of Mary and the Women of Leone. On that trip, Liana and Anne continued on to Manono island, Samoa. It was there she was connecting with her family and was included in the Women's Committee of Faleu,Manono.
Liana has continued developing in her practice and has formed her own Siapo, based on Mary Pritchard’s design construction as her Whakapapa in her work. She describes her work “Siapo Aotearoa” in which she draws her elements from both Samoa and Aotearoa using both natural and material objects of cultural importance. She also describes Siapo as a visual language.
For Liana, “Siapo Aotearoa” enables her to represent her multi cultural identity, of Samoan/Scottish descent first and sixth generation New Zealand born.
Liana works as a solo Artist and in collaborations. In the last two years she has had the opportunity to collaborate with Ebony Fifita, a Tongan Ngatu maker. Through her collaborations she had the privilege to work with masi maker Tamalii Biannicera and Dame Robin White. It was an opportunity to work with natural materials and learn constructions and methods which correlate with Siapo produced on Tapa, Bark cloth which is the direction she is taking in her work.
Ua Tafa Mai Ata
19 October - 15 November
Artist Liana Leiataua explores themes of identity, memory and symbolism in an upcoming exhibition that commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Dawn Raids. Ua Tafa Mai Ata is a visual response that acknowledges the ongoing and lived experiences that Pacific communities continue to be impacted by the events that occurred in 1974-1976. Through collaboration with Pasifika youth and aiga, the exhibition seeks to create a path towards healing, reclamation, peace, and restoration of the mana for future generations to come.
