‘Amnȧk fakgarue mumuet ‘e Aotearoa Niu Sirạgi ne iof‘ȧk se lelea‘ Rotuạm ne majạu tē ‘e av fo‘ou te‘is, ne ‘oris garue hạisok‘ạkigen ‘oris rogrogo ‘e avat se avat ma ‘e utut se utut.
Aotearoa New Zealand‘s first exhibition dedicated to contemporary artists of Rotuman descent, whose works carry stories across time and place.
Hạitạutu‘uga: Rotuma ‘e av fo‘ou te‘is iạ ‘amnȧk fakgaruet ne Dr Ben Dorell fup‘ạkim ma garue sin; iạ ‘ea ne, "‘Amnȧk te‘is fäeag‘ạkia ma kel‘ạkim ruerue ‘e utut se utut – ma kạinag ruerue tūtū ne forȧs‘ạki famör majạu Rotuạm ‘i se ut tūtū ‘e vasa, ‘e hanuạ tūtū ne rȧn te‘is se hanue noh ne ‘oris tēmamfua, ma hạisok‘ạkigen ‘oris rogrog faktēmamfua se ‘oris ‘ineag ne irisa. Iạ hün‘ȧk se ‘oris ‘inea ma pot faktēmamfuạ fak Rotuma, ne salam ‘e hanuạ ne ‘oris tēmamfua ‘e ‘on tạusa, ka ne noh‘ȧk la‘ mo se ‘oris mäeva ‘e ‘on ‘ihete‘, ma la sạkiroa sal tūtū ne ‘os fạiva ma majạu tē la salat ne la hạisok‘ạkigen irisa se av ta‘ag ma la a‘häe‘ạkia ma a‘fūmou‘ạkia ‘oris hạikạinagagat ma iris ne leum ‘e ‘on kamataga."
Lelea‘ majạu ne la ‘es väega sin te‘is: Dr Dorell Ben, Basil Mosese Leo, David Eggleton, Prof. Vilsoni Hereniko, Sofia Tekela-Smith, Dr. Mere Taito, Whetū Fala, Niki Hastings McFall, Rocky Ralifo, Fesaitu Solomone, Serene Hodgman, Tamara Aisake, Tamara Rose Sikuri, Malia Vaurasi, Tristan Petueli, Ruby Macomber, Rosie Roaché, ma Lily Rose Atu, ag‘esea ma kạugarueagat ne mou se maj ne kạutạunạ‘iạg Rotuạm ofrạu ne Niu Sirạgi – New Zealand Rotuman Fellowship – ‘e pure‘ag ne Wellington.
Rotuma, ‘ạtmotut ne fū ‘e not ne Fiti, sur‘ȧk ma hat se pure‘ȧg fakmatanitū Peretaniạ ne Fiti ‘e 1881; ma noh hat se pure‘ag ne Fiti ‘e vạhiạg ne ‘oris fūut la rēpuer fakmatanitūen iris ‘e 1970. Tē ne sok ‘e av ta‘ag hat se tēkäe ma ruerue tūtū ne muạ‘ạkia famör Rotuma ‘e ‘os ‘inea ne ‘isa ‘e terạnit ‘e ‘i.
Hạitạutu‘uga: – Rotuma ‘e av fo‘ou te‘is garue ‘on Pātaka Art+Museum ne iof‘ȧk se lelea‘ majạu ‘e av fo‘ou te‘is ne täe ‘e ut tūtū ‘e vasa. ‘Amnȧk fakgarue te‘is fạ‘ua ‘amnȧk fakgarue lamlam ne muame Sāmoa Contemporary (2008) ma Tonga ‘i Onopooni: Tonga Contemporary (2014).
Through sculpture, weaving, photography, video, painting, poetry, and digital media, artists from the Rotuman diaspora respond to the layered worlds of lineage, migration, resilience and return.
Hạitạutu‘uga: To Go Between – Rotuma Contemporary was conceived and developed by Dr Dorell Ben, who says, “The exhibition speaks of movement between spaces – the ebb and flow that carries Rotuman artists across the Moana, between diaspora and homeland, memory and becoming. It draws from Rotuman knowledge systems, where the unseen realm of the ancestors lives as cultural consciousness, and from the material world of lived experience, tracing how our art becomes the vessel through which we reach, remember and remain in relation with those who came before.”
The featured artists are Dr Dorell Ben, Basil Mosese Leo, David Eggleton, Prof. Vilsoni Hereniko, Sofia Tekela-Smith, Dr. Mere Taito, Whetū Fala, Niki Hastings McFall, Rocky Ralifo, Fesaitu Solomone, Serene Hodgman, Tamara Aisake, Tamara Rose Sikuri, Malia Vaurasi, Tristan Petueli, Ruby Macomber, Rosie Roaché, and Lily Rose Atu, with the Wellington contingent of the New Zealand Rotuman Fellowship.
Rotuma, an island north of Fiji, was incorporated into the Fijian administration under British colonial rule in 1881 and has remained politically connected to Fiji since the nation‘s independence in 1970. This history forms part of the currents that shape Rotuman identity today.
Hạitautu‘uga: To Go Between – Rotuma Contemporary continues Pātaka Art+Museum‘s commitment to contemporary artists across the Moana. The exhibition follows the landmark exhibitions Sāmoa Contemporary (2008) and Tonga ‘i Onopooni: Tonga Contemporary (2014).
Image Credit: Dorell Ben Hạitạutu‘uga 2026, detail, red ochre on uha (Rotuman Barkcloth)
