Vā Kōrero: Adriana Māhanga Lear & Raymond Sagapolutele

Vā Moana were excited to host Adriana Māhanga Lear and Raymond Sagapolutele for a Vā Kōrero at Four Shells Kava Lounge.

Adriana Māhanga Lear, AKA Ace (she/they), is a queer Tongan-Australian contemporary artist, researcher, musician and composer/producer who recently completed her Doctor of Philosophy (Creative Arts) at the University of Wollongong, Australia under the co-supervision of Professor Hūfanga-He-Ako-Moe-Lotu Dr ʻŌkusitino Māhina, Professor Maui-TāVā-He-Akó Dr Tēvita ʻO. Kaʻili, Dr Terumi Narushima, and Dr Tim Bruniges. Adriana currently lives in Meanjin (Brisbane).

Raymond Sagapolutele (Fatuvalu Savaiʻi, Saluafata Upolu) is a PhD candidate at AUT and a Vā Moana research cluster member. His photographic studies of maʻumaga plantations in Aotearoa and Sāmoa are the basis for his PhD thesis.

Many thanks to Adriana and Raymond for sharing their research and creative practices with us, and Four Shells for hosting us. Ngā mihi to our toʻua Eric Soakai, and everyone who joined us.

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