Copyright Mana Moana Collective
Solo o le Vasa | Poem of the Sea
Solo o le Vasa | Poem of the Sea
2022
What is shared are extracts from ‘Solo o le Vasa/ Poem of the Sea’ by writer and artist Frances C. Koya Vaka‘uta. There is beauty in her words and her voice that gives us a place to understand our relationship with our environment, nature and each other, both past and present. It articulates the importance of defining our own narrative and shifting the terms of meaning and understanding.
Poetry written & performed by
Frances C. Koya Vaka‘uta
Video Art & Animation by
Manatoa Productions – Kennedy Kioa Faimanifo, Lee Tawhai, Dmytro Vlasov, Waiari MacMillan
Music and Sound Design by
Mona Sanei
Full credits at the end of the video
Artist Bio
Frances C. Koya Vaka‘uta
Frances C. Koya Vaka‘uta is a Suva-based writer and artist of mixed heritage with links to Sāmoa, Fiji and Vanuatu. Her work explores what it means to be of and belong to the islands, and contemporary issues in the islands under the pseudonym 1angrynative. She has published in journals and anthologies and has two poetry collections titled: of schizophrenic voices (2002) and Fragments (2018) which are available through the University of the South Pacific Book Centre.
Manatoa Productions
Manatoa Productions was founded by Kennedy Kioa Faimanifo in 2020.
It is a Social Enterprise specializing in producing Māori & Pacific Digital Content by Māori Pacific Artists (Tangata Moana). With their team of artists they make up over 50 + years of commercial experience within the creative tech industry.
Manatoa’s kaupapa (initiative) is to support more tangata moana (Pasifika peoples) into the creative tech industry by mentoring and building employment pathways. They do this by getting work from potential clients and giving our upcoming artists opportunities to learn and earn towards their careers.