Talking Tatau: Mana Wāhine Panel

Who said tattooing is ‘men’s’ work anyway? It’s origins in the Pacific can be traced back to Papua New Guinea where it was and still is an art form that belongs to women. Veiqia in Fiji was a practice that was stopped from around the mid-19th century but conducted in secrecy up to the early 20th century.

In response to current exhibition TATAU: Samoan tattooing and photography, this panel brings together wāhine from across the Pacific to converse, share and reflect on these ancient markings and their personal journeys of artistic and cultural (re) awakening.

Timed to coincide with International Women’s day, join Pip Hartley (Ngāti Tūwharetoa - Aotearoa), Julia Mage’au Gray (Mekeo, Central Province – Papua New Guinea/Aotearoa), Tyla Vaeau (Sale’a’aumua, Aleipata and Safune, Savai’i – Samoa/Aotearoa) and Luisa Tora (Kadavu, Suva – Fiji/Aotearoa) in talking tatau and the art of tā moko, makmak, tā masini and veiqia.