Talanoa: Iʻuogafa Tuagalu

Our Talanoa series comes out of our Marsden Project (2019-2023), 'Vā Moana: space and relationality in Pacific thought and identity'.

This talatalanoa with Iʻuogafa Tuagalu (Satuimalufilufi and Tauʻese, Sāmoa) is about his current research on developing an Indigenous history of Sāmoa through an understanding of how vā structures Samoan kinship or gafa. He also advances the idea that vā takes effect as an energetic field that causes action to be felt at a distance. Iʻuogafa is completing a PhD researching the prehistory of vā before European arrival and the period until 1918.

Click here to watch the talanoa.

Latest Posts

Vā Kōrero: Albert L. Refiti & Sione Faletau

Our recent Vā Kōrero was a follow-up to the ASAO session, 'Artefacts of Relations: Building in Te Moananui', convened by Albert L. Refiti & Rau Hoskins in Hawaiʻi earlier this year. Albert and Sione Faletau had a chance to share their presentations with us.

Vā Moana Reading Group March 2023

For our recent reading group, we hosted Dr. Kevin Escudero (Brown University, USA).

Event: Teʻu le Roots & Routes at Fale Maota

Teʻu le Roots & Routes was held on 16 February 2023 in connection with Oceanic Architectural Routes, an Objectspace exhibition.