Art

Inspiration from ancient tattooing

The illustration used in "He Hoa Lava" was produced by Tokelauan-born artist Samuel Sakaria.

"The artwork is an interpretation or representation of the 'Modern House of Tokelau'," says the Wellington-based illustrator. "It contains elements of building construction such as a stylised image of foundation construction in Tokelau. Such processes involve breaking up large dead coral slabs and combining them with concrete.

"The figure in the centre is a design adopted from the ancient tattooing motif recorded by early European explorers. This particular image represents traditional aspects as well as the role of the individual in building the foundation for the modern house of Tokelau," says Samuel.

Ko na ata I te lomiga tenei o te He Hoa Lava na tuhi e Samuelu Sakaria, he tuhiata na fanau I Tokelau.

Ko te tuhiata e fakamautu I Ueligitone, ma e venei hana fakakupuga: "Ko na ata ko he fakauigaga pe he fakakiteaga e o te 'Fale Fou o Tokelau. E I loto ai na vaega o te faugafale, e ve ko te itukaiga fauhaga e fau ai na fakavae o na fale I Tokelau. Ko na faiga ienei e aofia ai te tamoiga o ni fatu ma ni puga, oi palu fakatahi ai ma te hima.

Na venei he fakakupuga ma Samuel: "Ko te fakatagata I lototonu, he ata na maua mai i na teuteu o na tatau I na aho kua loa nae fakamaumau e na tino hakili fenua mai Eulopa. Ko te ata tenei e kitea ai na faiga mahani a Tokelau, fakatahi ai ma galuega a tagata tautokatahi I te fauga o te fakavae o te fale fou o Tokelau".