Art of Tuvalu explained

The Art of Tuvalu has traditionally been expressed in the design of clothing and traditional handicrafts such as the decoration of mats and fans. Tuvaluan clothing was traditionally made from Fala leaves (Screw Pine or Pandanus).[1]

The material culture of Tuvalu uses traditional design elements in artifacts used in everyday life such as the design of canoes and fish hooks made from traditional materials. The design of women's skirts (Tuvalu: titi) and tops (Tuvalu: teuga saka), that are used in performances of the traditional dance songs of Tuvalu, represents contemporary Tuvaluan art and design.[2]

The collection of the Museum of New Zealand holds Tuvaluan artifacts and handicraft, including a man's jacket and a Mother Hubbard dress made from pandanus leaves that were made following the impact of Christian missionaries who demanded that the women of Tuvalu adopt more conservative clothing as compared to traditional Tuvaluan clothing.[3]

The artistry of Tuvaluan handicraft

The women of Tuvalu use Cypraeidae (cowrie, pule) such as Cypraea mauritiana, C. arabica, C. tigris, C. depressa, C. mapa, C. carneola, C. vitellus, C. lynx[4] and other shells harvested from the reefs in traditional handicrafts[4] which includes creating shell necklaces (Tuvalu: tui misa or Tuvalu: tui pule) and the decoration of mats, fans and wall hangings.[5] Crochet (kolose) is one of the art forms practiced by Tuvaluan women.[6]

A traditional headband (Tuvalu: fau o aliki) or headdress (Tuvalu: kula, Tuvalu: pale) made out of pandanus, such as those prepared for the inauguration of a chief (Tuvalu: aliki) would follow a specific design and the task of creating the headband or headdress is often reserved to a specific person, such as a daughter of the chief.[7] The traditional floral garland of a young woman (Tuvalu: Te fou ote tamafine) or a headdress for a woman (Tuvalu: fou) would also follow a specific design using Tuvalu: tiale (gardenia), Tuvalu: pua (guettarda speciosa) and melia (frangipani).[7] [8]

Te titi tao is a traditional skirt placed upon another skirt - a Tuvalu: titi kaulama - and tops (Tuvalu: teuga saka), headbands, armbands, and wristbands continue to be used in performances of the tradition dance music of Tuvalu, such as the Tuvalu: [[fatele]]''.[8] [9]

The fatele, in its modern form, is performed at community events and to celebrate leaders and other prominent individuals, such as the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in September 2012.[10] [11]

Contemporary dancing skirts (Tuvalu: titi) and tops (Tuvalu: teuga saka) may still incorporate pandanus leaves, as well as synthetic or natural cloth that is decorated with bold geometric motifs and bold colours.[2] [8] Tuvaluan men also participate in performances of the traditional music in the costumes that follow tradition style that are made from pandanus leaves and synthetic or natural cloth that incorporate bold colours. Marriage ceremonies are usually conducted with men and women in traditional costumes.

The material culture of Tuvalu

In 1960–1961 Gerd Koch a German anthropologist, visited the atolls of Nanumaga, Nukufetau and Niutao, which resulted in his publication of a book on the material culture of the Ellice Islands, which described, with illustrations, the design of traditional handicrafts and artifacts. Following the change of name to Tuvalu, the English translation by Guy Slatter was published under the title The Material Culture of Tuvalu.[12] Charles Hedley, a naturalist at the Australian Museum, had earlier written the General Account of the Atoll of Funafuti (1896) which described some uses of the native plants and trees on Funafuti.[13]

The churches and community buildings that used for wedding celebrations and community activities (the Tuvalu: falekaupule or maneapa)[14] [15] are decorated by the community with the exterior painted with white paint that is known as lase, which is made by burning a large amount of dead coral with firewood. The whitish powder that is the result is mixed with water and painted on the buildings.[16]

Contemporary Tuvaluan art and literature

Artists with Tuvaluan ancestry in migrant communities, such as the Tuvaluan community in Auckland, New Zealand, produce work using traditional techniques and media and also using modern materials and contemporary Polynesian graphic designs.[17]

In 2015 an exhibition of the art of Tuvalu was held on Funafuti, with works that addressed climate change through the eyes of artists and the display of Kope ote olaga (possessions of life), which was a display of the various artefacts of Tuvalu culture.[8]

International artists and Tuvalu

Vincent Huang, a Taiwanese artist, constructed an installation on the reef of Funafuti in 2010 that was designed to raise awareness of the effect of climate change in Tuvalu.[22] He was invited to create the Tuvalu Pavilion at the 2013 Venice Biennale.[23] In 2014 he had an exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei that invited visitors to consider the moral threat climate change presents to Tuvalu.[24] Huang was invited to represent Tuvalu at the 2015 Venice Biennale.[25] [26] He created a turquoise pool crossed by two black walkways. The weight of the people on the walkways results in the pathways sinking into the water causing 'flooding' that symbolically reproduces the impact of global warming on Tuvalu.[27] Huang selected the PVC lining of the pool to reproduce the colour of the "beautiful crystal blue of the Tuvalu lagoon".[26] [28]

See also

Notes

Footnotes
  • Citations

    • Notes and References

    1. Book: Hedley . Charles. General account of the Atoll of Funafuti. 1896 . Australian Museum Memoir 3(2): 1–72 . 40–41.
    2. Web site: Mallon . Sean . Wearable art: Tuvalu style. Museum of New Zealand (Te Papa) blog. 2 October 2013. 10 April 2014.
    3. Web site: Topic: Tales from Te Papa Episode 48: Tuvalu Clothes. Te Papa (Museum of New Zealand) Pacific Cultures collection video. 10 April 2014.
    4. Web site: Randy Thaman, Feagaiga Penivao, Faoliu Teakau, Semese Alefaio, Lamese Saamu, Moe Saitala, Mataio Tekinene and Mile Fonua. Rapid Biodiversity Assessment of the Conservation Status of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (BES) in Tuvalu. Report on the 2016 Funafuti Community-Based Ridge-To-Reef (R2R) . 2017. 13 February 2021.
    5. Web site: Tiraa-Passfield . Anna . The uses of shells in traditional Tuvaluan handicrafts. SPC Traditional Marine Resource Management and Knowledge Information Bulletin #7. September 1996. 13 February 2021.
    6. Web site: aucklandcouncil.. Kolose: The art of Tuvalu crochet . March 2015 . 12 July 2015.
    7. Book: Gerd Koch (translated by Guy Slater). The Material Culture of Tuvalu. 1981 . University of the South Pacific. Suva . ASIN B0000EE805 . 100–102 .
    8. Web site: Takemoto. Shoko . The Art of Tuvalu - Climate Change through the eyes of artists in Tuvalu. exposure.co. 4 November 2015. 23 December 2015.
    9. Book: Linkels. Ad. The Real Music of Paradise. 2000 . Rough Guides, Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.). 1-85828-636-0. 221.
    10. News: Game of thrones: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge play king and queen before dancing the night away in Tuvalu . Mirror Online Edition. October 21, 2012. London . Victoria . Murphy . September 18, 2012.
    11. Web site: Royal Visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Tuvalu, 18–19 September 2012 . Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau Newsletter (TPB: 01/2013) . 6 February 2013. 7 March 2013.
    12. Book: Gerd Koch (translated by Guy Slater). The Material Culture of Tuvalu. 1981 . University of the South Pacific. Suva . ASIN B0000EE805 .
    13. Book: Hedley . Charles. General account of the Atoll of Funafuti. 1896 . Australian Museum Memoir 3(2): 1–72 .
    14. Book: Peter Bennetts . Tony Wheeler . amp . Time & Tide: The Islands of Tuvalu . 2001 . 1-86450-342-4 . Lonely Planet .
    15. Book: Goldsmith . Michael.. Transformations of the Meeting-House in Tuvalu . 1985 . In Antony Hooper and Judith Huntsman, eds., ‘Transformations of Polynesian Culture’ Polynesian Society.
    16. Web site: Panapa . Tufoua . Ethnographic Research on Meanings and Practices of Health in Tuvalu: A Community Report . Report to the Tuvaluan Ministries of Health and Education: Ph D Candidate Centre for Development Studies – "Transnational Pacific Health through the Lens of Tuberculosis" Research Group. Department of Anthropology, The University of Auckland, N.Z. . 39–41 . 2012 . 16 March 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131003154454/http://www.arts.auckland.ac.nz/webdav/site/arts/shared/Departments/anthropology/documents-publications/Tufoua%20Ethnographic%20Research%20on%20Meanings%20and%20Practices%20of%20Health%20in%20Tuvalu%20final.pdf . 3 October 2013 .
    17. Book: Ron Brownson . Ron Brownson. Home AKL: Artists of Pacific Heritage in Auckland . Kolokesa Mahina-Tuai . Albert L Refiti . . . Auckland Art Gallery . 2012 . 978-0-86463-290-6 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140413145913/http://www.aucklandartgallery.com/whats-on/events/2012/july/home-akl . 2014-04-13 . dead.
    18. Web site: Interwoven Tuvaluan identity. 4 October 2018. New Zealand Ministry for the Pacific Peoples . 6 April 2019 .
    19. News: Lakiloko Keakea. Auckland Art Gallery. 17 November 2017. en.
    20. News: Tuvalu's Lakiloko Keakea wins Pacific Heritage Arts Award. 24 October 2017. Pacific Guardians. 17 November 2017. en-US.
    21. Book: Selina Tusitala Marsh . Dark Sparring: Poems . 2012 . Auckland University Press. 978-1-86940-786-5 .
    22. Web site: Taiwanese artist fights for future of Tuvalu . Taipei Times . 3 August 2010. 10 April 2014.
    23. Web site: Tuvalu Pavilion at the 2013 Venice Biennale . 2013 . 10 April 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131207042422/http://www.tuvalupavilion.com/2013/02/tuvalu-pavilion.html . 7 December 2013 . dead .
    24. Web site: Walter . David . Tiny Tuvalu Gets the Eco-Art Treatment . Wall Street Journal: Arts & Culture blog. 31 January 2014. 10 April 2014.
    25. Web site: Taiwan artist to highlight Tuvalu dilemma at Venice Biennale. Focus Taiwan News Channel . 9 March 2015. 10 March 2015.
    26. Web site: Lawson . Jane. Corridor8. Spotlight: Tuvalu Pavillion, La Biennale di Venezia . 19 September 2015. 5 January 2016.
    27. Web site: Radio New Zealand International. One million people expected at Tuvalu's Venice Biennale pavilion. 11 May 2015. 11 May 2015.
    28. Web site: Mitzman . Dany . BB News - Magazine. Getting wet feet for Tuvalu. 11 May 2015. 6 May 2015.

    This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Art of Tuvalu".

    Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.