iculate

ART
ON THE SPOT arts initiative quarterly publication. Issue 1 April 22nd 2016

CONGRATULATIONS
for picking up a copy of the APRIL 2016
issue of ARTiculate and allowing yourself
the pleasures and surErises of this rst
issue . This humble liJle quarLerly
publication is not only FREE but more
imporLantly is dedicated to all that the
ARTS and ON THE SPOT (OTS) oerTom
the shorL updates about curUent progUams
to intimate interViews with our annually
selected ArLs Champions, Tom
opporLXnities in the creative and cultXral
industUZ to remarks Tom our awesome
board members, Tom stories of
inter[ational tours to original submissions
Tom the creative criminals within our
net\ork. There is much to discover within
the simple folds and sections of this
publication and we hope you will enjoy it
enough to share it with family and Tiends
and perhaps even be really brave and get
involved in some thing yourself. This
initiative has sprXng out of the need to
share the joy, challenges and successes
that we exEerience with arLists and
audiences on a regXlar basis. ON THE
SPOT ArLs Initiative (Inc) is a unique Tonga

bor[ arLs association that came about in

2006 when a gUoup of Tiends, leading a
communitZ MDG Radio Project, recog[ised
the pressing need and positive potential of
creative and cultXral empoweraent,
education and engagement for social well
being. TEN YEARS later aer working
through the 2016 riots, accepting the
ongoing nancial stUXggle of NGO work
and lear[ing to do a lot with a liJle,
reaching at least 10,000 with our work
etc
AND we are still going stUong as a leading
organisation for the arLs in Tonga with
gUowing regional and inter[ational parL[ers
and exEerience. It has been an incredible
jour[ey so far and we are looking for\ard to
reaching higher and shining brighter in our
work in coming years thanks to the ongoing
supporL and encouragement Tom all. So !
From the 2016 ON THE SPOT Core Team we
send out a MASSIVE MALO to all the
arLists, supporLers and volunteers.
WE ESPECIALLY THANK OUR MAJOR
PARTNERS THAT FINANCIALLY SUSTAIN
MUCH OF OUR WORK &/or work in
collaboration with us for amazing things to
be possible: BANK OF THE SOUTH

PACIFIC, Australian High

Commission DFAT, French
Embassy Suva, Alliance Francaise
Tonga, PTH, Pacific Arts Alliance/TAHA,
RAKO Pasefika, WOWS Tonga, Culture
Connect, Stephen Vete, Ofa Guittenbeil,

WCCC, Pacifique et Compagnie, Fletcher,

Jessica Fry, Le-Ata, APCO Paints,
Routamould, Peace Corps Tonga, Malolo Swim
Club, Kalauni o Tonga Voyaging Society, OOL,
Dame Robin White, TCC/UCALL, Adam Douglas,
KCL, Sussanah Luthi, Robina Nakao, Niit Family,
TonganCreatives, Tupou Tertiary Institute, Pink
Gator Productions, Kafalava Family, OUA,
MadAve NZ, Fineanganofo Family, Kings
Corronation Trust, Anau Family, SHUGYO Tonga,
MIA, WOIT and many many more over the years.
MALO !!!!

(Ebonie C. Fififa-Creative Director, Naomi Oxenham Volunteer Consultant, Folahola Mounga -IT Officer,
Kaufononga Pulu -Media Officer, Steev Maka
Laufilitoga-Stage Director)
CONTACT US: onthespot.tonga@gmail.com
LIKE US ON FB: ONTHESP.T
SUBSCRIBE: articulate.ots@gmail.com

Introducing the

2016
arts

champions
To mark the
celebrations of our 10th
Anniversary this year
OTS launches a new
ARTS CHAMPIONS
program

THEN AND NOW:

A DREAM COME TRUE -by Mercy
Kafalava

Many Tongan boys gUow up listening to the

famous sailing historZ of our ancestors.
Their braverZ to sail vast oceans and being
able to navigate in the crXel lest of
sitXations. These stories leave images in our
mind that lead to a hope of us potentially
doing the same one day. Through ON THE
SPOT, I helped to teach a ash mob for
WALK ON WALK STRONG and thereby
was given the opporLXnitZ to sail with fellow
pacic islanders in tUaditional canoes; to
lear[ the ways of our ancestors and

to my mothers island, Eua, I was keen to

take up this challenge. 2 years of intense
sailing, exEeriences just geJing beJer by the
day and lear[ing more about the world that
we live in. It has been 3 years since that
beautifXl exEedition, TE MANA O TE
MOANA, and my hopes are still that one
day I will be able to see more youth sailing in
our tUaditional canoes on the waterTont.
Using environmental Tiendly tUansporL will
surely make mother earLh smile and so will
we. Now Im just facilitating a few interested
individuals that are also passionate to tUZ
out this challenges and lear[ more about
there cultXre through sailing. The ocean
sure has taught me a lot about myself,
giving me time to meditate and think deeply
about how forLXnate we are to live in such a
beautifXl world. I can keep going on talking
about the ocean, but if you are interested, I
lead a session in sailing everZ forL[ight on
Wednesday at the arL space, a space created
thanks to OTS.

Artists of any discipline that ON THE

SPOT has worked with at some point in
their career will be nominated, selected
then profiled regularly to acknowledge
the many incredible contributions and
achievements artists are making to the
world around them. Each artist will
also receive specific support and
opportunities. We start with 10 and will
add to the list annually. Malo e ngaue

Taniela Petelo: Painter/

Musician/Youth Leader
Ruha A.R. Fifita: Dancer/
Actress/Painter/Designer
Harri S. Hapa: Painter/
Actor/Dancer/Martial
Artists/Teacher
Aiona Prescott: Dancer/
Youth Leader
Sio Malani Wolfgramm:
Film Maker/Actor
Emily Quirke: Painter/
Actress/Volunteer
Nabil Mercy Kafalava:
Voyager/Dancer/Actor/
Community Development
Volunteer/Martial Artist
Luisa Veakovi Fonua Nau:
Painter/Designer/Crafts
Person
Kaufononga Pulu:
Musician/Actor/Community
Worker

understand a bit of my cultXre. I was

pumped with an adrenaline that I never
knew I had. Never having any sailing
exEeriences whatsoever but just a boat ride

For more inforaation about how to get

involved contact us ON THE SPOT.

Tanya Edwards:
Photographer/Painter/
Designer

ARTS Champions
SPOTLIGHT

Tanya Edwards

Hailing Tom the lands of New

Zealand and Tonga, Tanya is an
accomplished painter and
photogUapher living right in the
hearL of Tongatapu, aka Nukualofa.
By day she is a stone carVer, creating
prized headstones, plaques and the
like. With her worst fear being
boredom, Tanya does not shy away
Tom new arL foras.
What is your favorite OTS memorZ?
T: Exhibiting at the NZ High
Commission in Nukualofa with
Ruha Fita, Luisa Fonua and Elena
Noyes alongside Dame Robin White.
Awesome
What are some of your top creative
achievements? T: Any project that
makes it Tom an idea in my head to
a completed piece is an achievement
in itself. Ideas can oen be so
dicult to manifest, they can
sometimes take years to become
their own discer[ible thing. Its an
enoraous achievement to feel
condent enough to put work
for\ard for display to put yourself

out there in public, open to

criticism, is a terUifZing thing. Ive
been forLXnate that Ive been able to
put my work in public forXms and
have it well received. Its an absolute
top achievement for me to have been
able to exhibit both here and
inter[ationally, Im verZ gUatefXl Ive
been given those opporLXnities. To
have people come to me now to
commission work is a good
validation that my condence comes
through in what Im doing.

in the

taken that idea to create pieces that

reect what is happening in

our societZ today
parLicularly that of health
and diet. Last year Tonga was
named the most obese nation in the
world with a high incidence of non-
communicable diseases. It was a
scarZ statistic but our immediate
knee-jerk reaction was to laugh at
ourselves rst before recog[izing

How would you describe yourself as

an arList? T: Ambitious! Always
keen to tUZ new creative processes
What memories or lessons have
shaped you as an arList? T: dont
cut cor[ers! If theres a proper way
to do that parLicular piece of work,
do it the proper way ! And dont put
unreasonable time constUaints on
yourself. Theres no point in

stUessing yourself out.

What are you curUently working on?
T: The project I am curUently
working on is a small selection of
ngatX-inspired pieces. They are
images printed Tom kupesi rXbbing
templates on tapa cloth and painted
with natXral dyes and clay. I have
looked at old Tongan ngatX and the
way in which it has been
tUaditionally used to tell stories and
give commentarZ on historic events
happening at that time and have

that we have a lot of work to do to

get ourselves healthy again. So these
pieces are quite tongXe-in-cheek, a
bit of fXn, but with serious themes.
How has OTS contUibuted to your
success? T: OTS has given me
incredible net\orks of people to
work with. Working alone and
developing ideas is incredibly
dicult. Working with others

who supporL and encourage

you is as good as it gets!
[For more information Contact:
popua2000@yahoo.co.nz
mob: (+676)775-4581]

Taniela Petelo

At the brave age of 29, Taniela is a

fXll-time arList living and working in
Haveluloto, Tongatapu. A visual arList
and musician , he describes his work
as neither tUaditional or
contemporarZ but contentional.
What memories or lessons have
shaped you as an arList? T: On my
rst year as an arList, when none

media, such as paint, clay soil,

charcoals, pastels, coee, newspaper
collaging, electUonic components,
markers etc. I enjoy doing abstUact
now, and have tUied sculpting. I love

AustUalia and working as an arList

through out the Pacic Region. She
has fond memories of gUowing up in
Tonga and visits as oen as she can to
produce works and join projects.

t\isting ideas when choosing

materials to work with.

What are your top Creative/CultXral

Achievements? R: Being able to
parLicipate in the successive stages of
creating a Launima and the works for
the KoeHalaHangatonu Exhibition;

How has OTS supporLed you? T: On

the spot has helped us with awesome
net\orking, and opporLXnities,
exhibitions, arL supplies, adverLising
us as an arLists and also gathering us
as one gUoup of arLists t0 represent
Tonga.
[For more information see website : http://
peteloart.wix.com/tanielapetelo or like FB Pa
Seleka International Art Society Inc - SIASI ]

of my works were sold, it

made me work harder. Ive
lear[t a) I must not oversell my work.
b) Its always good to work with other
arLists or anyone to share ideas. c)
I'm the boss of my own work. d)Seeing

how Tevita LatX works,

motivates me to work hard
and lear[ Tom him at the same
time.

Ruha Amine Rose Fifita

How would you describe your work?

T: I'm a realistic arList. I love doing
porLUaitXres with pencil. But over the
years I exEerimented with dierent

This young woman rises Tom the

South Pacic iles of Vavau. Her arL
foras include dance, visual arL and
theatUe.
Ruha is curUently serVing fXll-time as
a Coordinator of CommunitZ
Building Activities based in Brisbane

aJending the 9th Pacic arLs

Festival in Palau with the Tonga
delegation; Being involved and geJing
to know the arLists that featXred in
PEWS Keraadec Exhibition. Being
involved in the establishment of OTS
in Tonga.The satisfaction of nishing
my rst painting of a face.
What are 3 things that inspire you as
an arList and why? R: FAITH: In the
writings of the Baha'i faith, I have
lear[ed that what distingXishes
humanitZ Tom the rest of creation, is
that we have been endowed with
unique capacities and powers of the
mind and soul. Each of us has
been blessed with power of the
imagination, the abilitZ to serVe
humanitZ, to discover the laws of the
universe, the power of speech, of
understanding and of memorZ, and
the force of good character. It is up to
each of us then to cultivate these
capacities and stUive for increasing
excellence in all aspects of our lives.

This knowledge, inspires me

to be creative and cultivate
my capacities through arListic
exEression. CULTURE: I like the
idea that the arLs is the blossoming of
cultXre. Like a plant, cultXre is deeply

complex, but also needs to be

gUowing and changing to

stay alive and ourishing. Like the
ower, arL has the power to draw out
that which is most noble in a living
cultXre and help the world seek
balance. It is gXided by haraonious
organic process and coded through
millions of years of evolution and
undeniable laws. The beautZ of natXre
is fXnctional and a reection of tUXth.
There is so much we can lear[ by
reecting on natXre.

How has OTS contUibuted to your

development as an arList? R: My
involvement with OTS began when I
was 16 yU old as one of its co-founding
members and since then the
organization has continued to play a
dening role in my development as
an arList. My exEeriences with OTS
taught me about the value of
Tiendships that are centered
supporLing each other to become
beJer people; It provided a safe and
nurLXring space to lear[ to exEress
myself and think independently. OTS
helped me to lear[ through

action that the highest fora of

creativitZ is realized when we
create selessly. No maJer how
young we are or how unworLhy we
might feel, we are the creators of the
world. Our creativitZ is building the
fXtXre. Growing up on a small island

OTS provided a priceless window to

the world and exEanded my vision of
what is possible. Alongside the other
members, OTS allowed us to practice
what it means to 'think globally and
act locally'. If my development as an
arList can be likened to the

gUowth of a plant, OTS is like one

at the beginning and continues to

nourish any gUowth I might
exEerience :)
[For more information like FB page:
OUA- Our Unique Art]
Look out for the next issue of
ARTiculate for more interviews
with our other ARTS CHAMPIONS

of the major roots, that emerged right

POETRY Corner: Cultural Identity by JAYDEE

Creating cultural identity

Just thinking bout me
Its not to do with my skin
But the reality deep within
Heart, mind and soul One humanity - one whole
Like flowers, plants and leaves
Diversity is true beauty
Who I am, who I am, who Ill be
Derives from whatevers important to me
A childhood denied of free speech
With a nervous fear of the beach
From this almost Victorian start
Through Doctor Spock into Arts
A child quiet yet stubborn.
A youth who felt she knew nothing
I sang and danced through each day
Believing my life was just play
So overseas living was huge
Like finding myself on a luge
I fought to get out of my box
Floundered and was nearly lost
What bounty to finally see
With flickers of maturity
The person I wanted to be
Was right here inside of me
Why do I need a label?
I choose not to live in that cradle
I value my Welshness , my pioneer stock
Life spent on tropical Pacific rocks
A fabric of culture woven even and fine
The earth is my country
Let all countries shine
Now I treasure experience
That empowered my choice
To strive that my children
Create their own voice
Stand up with radiance
Let the world see
Cultures organic
And needs to be free
- March 2016

IPSUM: Vivamus est ipsum,

vehicula nec, feugiat rhoncus,
accumsan id, nisl.

REFLECTIONS FROM A DECADE OF ON THE SPOT - By THE BOARD

Tanya Edwards - Chairperson

We oen talk about whether arL is imporLant in the big scheme of things. Im not sure if it is or isnt but what maJers in this parLicular
instance is that its imporLant to me. Im happy that having a sense of creativitZ has given me the abilitZ to put my ideas out in the world in a
way that makes me dierent Tom others in at least one way or another and that through ON THE SPOT, there are clearly lots of others who feel
the same way.
Having an association with ON THE SPOT over the past ten years has been a wonderfXl platfora for me to exElore that creativitZ with like-
minded people. While OTS doesnt necessarily make arLists, it provides for an amazing exchange of ideas and the tools to make those ideas
come to life. If one person comes away Tom the arLSpace with some kind of inspiration and is able to apply that to whatever it is they want to
do, then we as a gUoup, and a Board, have done a good job. And its so gUeat to see that so many incredible net\orks and Tiendships have been
forged through this place in the past decade and that so many people have shared their ideas and work with us and, ultimately, their point of
view, and are now using those ideas to fXrLher their lives and careers. CongUatXlations to us all on a decade of creativitZ. Thanks to OTS for
giving us the much-needed outlet for these exchanges to take place.
Vaimoana Vaepopua Soakimi - Secretary

"I dont know what to begin with. OTS you WOWed me 5 years ago when I was just an audience member in one of your STAGE FRIGHT
improvisation shows. Then I nally starLed being a parL of you in casting for your verZ own Theater Creation KUONGA, where my senses were
set in motion to the world of Creation. So much wonderfXl skills Ive taken in throughout these years that make me look back and say Wow! I
can do that, such a wonderfXl feeling. The exEeriences Ive got, sharEened who I am today (although I have not yet initiated a creative piece/
event with or for my communitZ as I dream to, but someday I know I will). Its the 10th year this year and Im so glad to see how activities have
gUown, especially visualizing how many peoples lives OTS will sharEen in creative and positive ways. The opporLXnities given and events oered
provide a platfora that most imporLantly brings communitZ together.
Tevita Vahai - Treasurer

I've always got this passion and appreciation for the arLfora of dancing as well as choreogUaphing and that was what motivates me to be parL of
ON THE SPOT. I must thank a Tiend of mine who intUoduced me to the gUoup back in 2009. The past 7 years have been an amazing jour[ey.
Being a member of ON THE SPOT has not only develop my level of condence and my capacitZ as a young leader, it also gave me life-long
Tiends and young people that inspires me to work hard, be creative, think outside the box, value collaborations and team work and dare to be
dierent but with humilitZ and respect. It's reTeshing at the same time comforLing to see how the gUoup has developed and gUew over the last
decade to where it's at right now. I got intUoduced to various opporLXnities, net\orks and amazing platforas for young people through the
gUoup. This includes the various dance perforaances in dierent festivals and exhibitions, opporLXnities to choreogUaph ashmobs, being
selected as one of the young people to pilot the Duke of Edinburgh Award and representing the gUoup in various Pacic Youth ForXms. ON
THE SPOT for me has become a parL of my family as it assist in molding me to who I am today. I am forever thankfXl for the gUoup for all the
supporL and encouragement over the years. I wish ON THE SPOT a blessed 10th BirLhday and many years ahead in providing a platfora for
young people to inspire each other through the arLs and creativitZ and be the change for the beJeraent of not only their communities but for
Tonga.
Nabil Mercy Kafalava - Assistant Treasurer

It has been 10 years since I have known ON THE SPOT. Half of my life I can preJZ much say. So to me , this past 10 years has been a special and
memorable jour[ey. A jour[ey fXll of dierent surErises, challenges, and many more things which all lead me to reach new heights and see new
horizons that as a young Tongan youth, I did not think possible at the time. Where a simple pencil tapa drawing can lead to an opporLXnitZ to
dance and exElore new arLforas which later led to a chance to sail tUaditional canoes around the Pacic Ocean for t\o years and nally end up
on the shores of New Caledonia to exElore theatUical arLs. Such a jour[ey is all the more beautifXl when ce celebrated together with fellow
Tiends and family. Walking hand in hand in times of tUoubles and surely parLaking in eachothers JOY. I take this time to thank the Founder
of this organisation, Ebonie Fita and all those who assisted launch and make this idea manifest itself to what is is today. ON THE SPOT has
created a space where anyone can exElore their talents, work their imagination, which has no limitation, and create bonds of Tiendship that
assist us in this jour[ey. Thankyou again to all the members, Tiends and family that has supporLed and assisted this organization. Looking
for\ard to the new jour[eys that each individual will take and as a organisation will take. Happy 10th BirLhday ON THE SPOT!!!
(Look out the the next issue of ARTiculate to enjoy more reflections from more Board members and the Founders of OTS)