Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
Open every day 10am-6pm
(except Christmas Day)
Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
Watch Losalio Milika Pusiaki talk about how adornment influences her life as a Tongan woman, and the Western trope of Pasifika women being perceived and portrayed as anonymous exotic dusky maidens.
“When I saw the images on the museum collections... I had mixed feelings...I'm not sure whether they were forced or because they were needing something. There was a give-and-take there, but that's just a raw feeling the first time I saw it. I felt like we've been exposed in a different lens than who we truly are.”
– Losalio Milika Pusiaki
Tongan
Māori
English
My name is Mrs Losalio Milika Pusiaki Fifita. I am a Tongan mother of 6 children.
I am a Tongan Master-poet (punake kakato), former radio producer for Pacific Media Network, recipient of The Heritage Artist Award 2023 from Creative NZ, and founder of Fe'unu Koula Global Academy of Tongan Arts, Dance and Culture.
I am an author, actress, singer, and dance tutor.
Watch Kate Ngatokorua talk about how adornment influences her life as a Cook Islands woman, and the Western trope of Pasifika women being perceived and portrayed as anonymous exotic dusky maidens.
Watch Mata Atonio talk about how adornment influences her life as a Sāmoan woman, and finding out the names of some of the women photographed in Sāmoa who remain unnamed.
Watch five interviews with eight Pasifika women examining the trope of the sensual ‘dusky maiden’ and the cultural significance of flowers in the Te moananui a Kiwa Pacific Islands. Explore further through blog articles responding to the films, Te Papa collection images examples, and more Pacific writing and media.
