PasifikaSCREEN

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WORDS Netane Siuhengalu

Telling Pacific stories

20 Culture Scene November 2013

Gathering around the television for a movie night

was a common occurrence in our family as I was growing up. Every now and then, I would come across a movie that would etch an unforgettable story in the mind. The most compelling aspect of Once Were Warriors (1994) by Lee Tamahori, was not just the powerful acting and themes presented, but the fact that the depicted family were Pacific Islanders, Maoris, the indigenous peoples of New Zealand. As a young Tongan, from an island nation of only 100, 000, I had not dreamt that Polynesians could match the quality of filmmaking coming out of Hollywood or Europe.

The emotional centre of the movie comes from the various interactions within this socio-economically disadvantaged family living in urban Auckland. Excellent acting and the juxtaposition of brutality and love enhance the important themes of domestic violence and alcoholism. In describing the raw authenticity of the film, Janet Maslin of the New York Times affirmed that, “Mr. Tamahori offers social realism with a savage kick, depicting Maori New Zealanders whose ties to their own history have

been destroyed. Left floundering in an inhospitable urban world, they have lost touch with their tribal past to become part of a rootless global subculture”. With its capacity to visually capture cultural idiosyncrasies, film continues to be a powerful conveyor of the ordinary lives of various ethnic groups – the peoples of the South Pacific are no exception.

Film as an art form has become a means of presenting narratives that comment on society, culture and all aspects of life. While it has been a prominent tool for telling stories in the West for decades, the primary method of conveying narrative in the Pacific has been through oral delivery. This is certainly true of Tongan culture as asserted by historian Noel Rutherford; Tonga possesses a ‘storehouse’ of genealogies,

stories and mythologies that date back to A.D. 1000. Arguably, oral tradition and other socio-economic factors have contributed to the somewhat limping state of Pacific Island filmmaking. Small island nations rely on their larger, affluent neighbours, in terms of resources, education and migration.

Raised in countries that are not their own, the Pacific Island Diaspora have strived to stay connected to the customs and culture of their homelands, as put forward in the research of academic ‘Asinate Samate. The value of storytelling in this regard is irreplaceable, but the fact is, Pacific Island films are scarce. Whether through oral tradition, literature or visual representations, people want to both preserve and share their stories. In the now rather convoluted movie industry, refreshing South Pacific narratives

I think there was really a need to have a platform to share Pacific storytelling in Australia.

Kalo Fainu

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are surfacing that are unique to this secluded corner of the globe.

The Scene So farDespite the relatively unknown

status of the Pacific Island Film industry, a number of significant films have emerged to garner acclaim amongst critics and mainstream audiences alike. Following the achievements of Once Were Warriors, film production in New Zealand has focused on telling culturally relevant and intriguing stories to both Polynesian and non-Polynesian audiences.

Notable films include Whale Rider (2002) and Boy (2010), which similarly capture the life, joys and struggles within the Maori community. The directors and child actors from both films

effectively provided viewers with a unique perspective into the Maori culture. In Niki Caro’s Whale Rider, Young Pai must fight a centuries old tradition upheld by her village that all chiefs must be male, to fulfill her own destiny as the new chief. Boy, a Michael Jackson fan with a pet goat and an absent father must balance a life of looking after his siblings, impressing the girl he likes and reconciling the images of a heroic dad with the disappointing reality.

As we survey the neighbouring islands, specific films have been a success as a result of accurately representing what life is really like for these communities. The Orator (2011) tells the Samoan story of an unassuming taro farmer who must face the culturally intrinsic problems

of his wife’s banishment from her village, the promiscuity of his daughter and threats to his land and plantation. Relatable characters and situations have contributed to the success of these films.

On the other hand, when representations are not authentic, the consequences can be comical or borderline offensive. It is no surprise that when Disney produced The Other Side of Heaven (2001), a film about the arrival of a Mormon preacher in Tonga, it was a flop. By hiring non-Tongan actors to speak in Tongan, along with other cultural inaccuracies, the movie is despised by most Tongans. Authenticity is about accuracy in depiction and grounding the narrative in reality. This is a must if Pacific Island stories are to flourish on screen.

Here in Australia, an impressive array of films has captured different aspects of Aboriginal culture and history; movies such as Rabbit Proof Fence (2002), Ten Canoes (2006) and Bran Nue Dae (2009). Hence, questions are raised as to why Pacific Island films in Australia have been dormant,

Left: Paikea (Keisha Castle-Hughes) of Whale Rider (2002) in traditional Maori dress.Below: Fa’afiaula Sanote in The Orator (2011).Opposite page: Jake the Muss (Temuera Morrison) of Once Were Warriors (1994).

especially in comparison to our neighbour, New Zealand. What of the other Islander communities living in Australia? Is Australia aware of these untold stories? How are traditions, histories, and mythologies to be passed on to the next generation?

Providing A PlatformIn a conversation with

upcoming filmmaker and co-founder of the Pasifika Film and Arts Festival, Kalo Fainu, insights were provided into Pacific Island filmmaking in Australia. In an attempt to utilise the recognisable conventions of the sitcom while conveying the lifestyle of Tongan migrants in Australia, Fainu wrote, directed and produced The Tongans: Meet the Parents (2011) as part of a Master of Media Arts and Production degree at the University of Technology, Sydney. After public screenings and online distribution, the film was well received by the Tongan community due to its engagement with authentic, relatable issues in a fictional and humourous way.

It was clear from Fainu’s experiences and encounters

that Pacific Island filmmaking is indeed gaining momentum and showing signs of growth in Australia. She continues to use film as a tool to document and inspire second generation Islanders in the field of education too. As multimedia producer for the Pasifika Achievement To Higher Education (PATHE) initiative at the University of Western Sydney, Fainu and the team are compiling a range of videos of Pacific Island professionals, with different vocations within the community. The ultimate aim is to make this footage accessible and provide positive role models for young people.

With a Tongan father and European, Samoan and Papua New Guinean heritage on her mother’s side, Fainu’s Pacific Island connections are extensive. It is this heritage and her passion for film that led to the setting up of the Pasifika Film and Arts in June this year. “I think there was really a need to have a platform to share Pacific storytelling in Australia,” Fainu explains. Running for six days over two three-day weekends,

documentaries, animation, short films and feature films were screened at a studio in Marrickville – all the work of Pacific Island filmmakers from Australia and overseas. With the hopes of the festival becoming an annual event, Fainu continues to play an influential role in the development of Pasifika filmmaking.

Where to from here?Storytelling through film is a

means of capturing, communicating and preserving culture and the benefits can be seen across the Tasman. With a high Pacific Islander and indigenous population (Pacific Island: 4.6% Maori: 7.4%), the New Zealand government has put initiatives into place that cater for the various needs of these communities. “…The existence of the New Zealand Film Commission has made it easier for aspiring filmmakers of

Below: Filmmaker and Co-founder of the Pasifika Film & Arts Festival, Kalo Fainu.Opposite page: Promotional photography (2013) by Kalo Fainu for the Pasifika Film & Arts Festival.

22 Culture Scene November 2013

Pacific Islands descent to be involved in this relatively expensive medium. Auckland, which has the largest number of Polynesians living in a city anywhere in the world, leads the way in terms of the number of Maori, Samoans, Tongans, or Niueans involved in making films or video,” says Professor Vilsoni Hereniko of the University of Hawaii.

Conversely, the Aboriginal and Pacific Island community only makes 1% of the Australian population. Despite the figures,

Fainu still believes that there is a need for the voice of Islanders to be heard. “Our community is tiny here, but there are still enough of us here…[we] have a profile here and our stories are incredibly relevant because of our proximity to Australia,” she explains, “Australia has a long way to go in terms of recognising their nearest neighbours. I think this movement [Pacific Island Filmmaking] is all about giving more of a voice to our communities in Australia, but also

sharing our community with the rest of Australia.”

With the establishment of the Pasifika Film and Arts Festival, PATHE and other strategies around the country, Fainu is hopeful about the coming years. “I feel really positive about the future of Pacific storytelling and filmmaking,” she maintains, “We are natural performers and storytellers. We do it through word of mouth and we pass down stories, but I think in our contemporary society our people are learning that they have other tools with which they can share them.” If creative and driven Pacific Islanders like Kalo Fainu continue to rise up, create and inspire, then the future of Pacific Island filmmaking is indeed promising. Audiences will then engage with new, rich cultural narratives. Family movie nights will never be the same again.

I feel really positive about the future of Pacific storytelling and filmmaking.

Kalo Fainu

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