Earlier this year, Haumanu Collective supported Jo’el Komene and Tāmihana Katene to travel to Upolu, Sāmoa, for the inaugural Sāmoa Arts Fono hosted by Talanoa Arts Forum.
Across three days, artists, cultural practitioners, educators, researchers and community leaders gathered to share kōrero about the place of arts, heritage and ancestral knowledge in contemporary Sāmoa and across the wider Moana. The Fono brought together voices from Sāmoa, Aotearoa, Tonga, Fiji, American Sāmoa and beyond – creating a space for connection, reflection and exchange. (Haumanu Collective)
For Jo’el and Tāmihana, the journey was an opportunity to carry taonga pūoro into a new setting, while standing alongside Indigenous practitioners who are also working to revitalise, protect and pass on their own cultural practices.
Sound as a way of gathering
Although they were not originally scheduled as formal presenters, Jo’el, Tāmihana and their travelling whānau were welcomed into the kaupapa throughout the Fono.
Taonga pūoro sounded across the programme: opening moments, marking transitions between panels, and creating space for people to pause, listen and reconnect. These moments reminded everyone that this was not simply a conference about arts, but a living gathering of artists, instruments, stories and people.
One of the most powerful moments came during a collective presentation involving Māori, Sāmoan and Tongan practitioners. Distinct instruments and traditions came together in one shared space, carrying their own voices while contributing to a wider sound across the Moana.
For many present, it was a rare opportunity to hear these ancestral instruments alongside one another.
Learning through exchange
The trip offered opportunities to share Haumanu’s experience of taonga pūoro revitalisation, including the importance of tikanga, reo, whakapapa and relationships in carrying cultural knowledge forward.
Jo’el spoke with young people, tertiary students, artists and cultural leaders about the journey of taonga pūoro in Aotearoa. These conversations reflected common questions faced by many Indigenous communities: how do we protect knowledge while making space for new learners? How do we ensure cultural practice remains connected to people, place and responsibility? How do we support artists and practitioners to sustain their mahi?
Throughout the Fono, participants spoke openly about the challenges facing arts and cultural practice in Sāmoa. Resourcing, access to education, travel, documentation and the recovery of traditional knowledge were recurring themes. At the same time, there was a strong sense of determination among those present – particularly from practitioners leading initiatives from within their own communities.
These exchanges reinforced the value of relationships across the Pacific. While each people carries its own distinct traditions and responsibilities, there is much to learn from one another through shared experience, generosity and mutual respect.
Rangatahi at the centre
A special part of the journey was the participation of Jo’el’s sons.
They joined in with the kaupapa, played pūkāea, took part in performances and were welcomed into ceremonial spaces. Their presence drew warm responses from many of the people they met.
For Haumanu, this was a powerful example of what intergenerational transmission can look like. Rangatahi are not only the future of taonga pūoro – they are part of the practice now.
Knowledge is carried through being present: listening, watching, playing, asking questions and standing alongside those who have walked the path before them.
He mahi ā-whānau te whakaora i ngā taonga tuku iho.
Revitalisation is carried through whānau, through relationships, and through the willingness of each generation to learn and contribute.
Growing connections across the Moana
The Sāmoa Arts Fono aligned strongly with Haumanu Collective’s wider commitment to build relationships with Indigenous practitioners and artists internationally.
Our Mahere Rautaki recognises that these exchanges can inspire new approaches, strengthen advocacy for taonga pūoro and create meaningful opportunities for practitioners and rangatahi alike. The journey to Sāmoa demonstrated the value of this in practice: taonga pūoro were heard in new places, relationships were formed, and Māori approaches to cultural revitalisation were shared in a reciprocal way.
The experience also reminded us that cultural revitalisation is never finished. It is ongoing work – carried through sound, kōrero, learning, ceremony and connection.
Ngā mihi nui to Talanoa Arts Forum, the organisers, artists, hosts and communities who welcomed Jo’el, Tāmihana and their whānau to Sāmoa.
Kia mau, kia whakatipu, kia tuku iho ai ngā taonga pūoro Māori.