Malo ni

Ko oku matua ko Taumafai Kirifi ma Feiloaiga Fuli-Kirifi mai Fakaofo, Tokelau. Ko toku igoa ko Tiaki (Jack) Fati Kirifi.

My parents migrated to New Zealand in the 1960’s from the atoll of Fakaofo, Tokelau.   I am also affiliated to the islands of Nanumea -Tuvalu and Tongareva - Cook Islands.

Born and bred in Porirua-New Zealand , I was fortunate to grow up within a tight-knit extended families of which christian faith, culture and community have shaped the person I am.

I am a contemporary visual artist based in Porirua and have been involved in various art and community projects.  A highlight was a collaboration with Porirua based Tokelau artist’s the late Zac Mateo and Mose Viliamu to form Tokelau Arts Collective. Tokelau Arts Collective was selected by Creative NZ to be part of the NZ delegation of artists to attend the South Pacific Arts Festival in Hawaii 2020 (FestPac2020). Our art project was an art installation titled “Cry of the Stolen People” The Peruvian slave trade that impacted Tokelau 1860’s. ‘Cry of the Stolen People’ is a visual art installation about the tragic story of Peruvian slave trade of the 1860’s from a Tokelau lens. The generation who were taken and those the resilience of those survived.

Part and parcel of this project was to bring awareness of this part of our history for our younger generation of New Zealand born Tokelau and our wider community.

FestPac2020 was cancelled due to covid19 travel restrictions however we were able to share and present our art installation with our Tokelau and wider community in April 2021 as a tribute to fellow artist the late Zac Mateo.

In 2024 our Tokelau Arts collective has been given the opportunity to be part of the Creative NZ arts delegation to attend the festival of Pacific Arts in Hawaii in June 2024. We are grateful for this opportunity to share our project ‘Cry of the Stolen People’ in an international platform

I have a passion for Pacific /Tokelau contemporary art and culture and I am currently researching Tokelau ta tatau (Tokelau traditional tattoo) to inform my art practice as well as contribute back to my community.

My family and community are very important to me and I’m grateful to have been nutured within strong cultural values. As New Zealand born Tokelau, these values resonate in how I apply myself within my family, community, work, and art practice.

Manuia

Jack