This is a vaka faika made of lakau (wood) and kafa (sennit). The fuatino (hull) is carved from two pieces of lakau that are lashed together with kafa. The puke a mua (prow) and puke a tua (stern) are carved to emphasize a sharp point that cuts through water. Four narrow pieces of lakau are lashed across the fuatino which would have been used as seats. The seat nearest to the puke a tua would have been reserved for the tautai (fisherman) and is called nofoaga a tautai (fisherman’s seat). Three kiato (cross booms) made of long, cylindrical pieces of lakau are lashed across the fuatino also. A wide plank of lakau is lashed alongside the fuatino and may have been an allocated space for tuluma (tackle box). An ama (float) made from a light piece of lakau is no longer attached to this vaka but was lashed to the kiato at one point. A foe (paddle) made of lakau also, has come apart from the vaka but would have been lashed across the kiato for easy access. A forked piece of lakau is lashed upright to the kiato, this may have been used to support the kofe (fishing rod) when it was not in use. Vaka faika were used for fishing and could carry more than one person at a time. Replica models of vaka faika were often created as collectible items for the tourist trade. Text by Seini Lātū

Collection of Auckland Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira, 1936.295, 24136.5

hails from the little Island of Nukulaelae, Tuvalu and descended from Tokelau, Tongarewa, Kiribati, Tonga, and Sāmoa.

He grew up in Tuvalu and was commissioned by the Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu, the main Christian Church of Tuvalu, to move to New Zealand to seek innovative approaches and missional strategies for the holistic wellbeing of the Tuvalu diaspora here and abroad. Suamalie is a prominent Pacific Leader, a Church Minister, Theologian and Writer, an artist and knowledge holder of Tuvalu culture and Indigenous languages and composer. He is a Peace Ambassador of Universal Interreligious Peace Federations, proactive globally, internationally and acts locally by challenging global leaders, politicians, academia, scientists, and leaders to build a thriving epistemology through solidarity and quality environmental foreign policies, so as to protect our cosmos and provide a thriving and resilient Tuvalu. Our goal is to save Tuvalu, this will contribute to protecting our Ocean, Land, our ingenuity culture, our healthy environment, and ecological platform. He has worked in the Church Community, NonGovernmental, Health and Wellbeing sector and is actively involved, at Senior Management, on issues relating to strategy, leadership and development for the broader Primary Healthcare Sector by promoting the focus on reducing the inequalities in Health and Disability and understanding the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. He was formerly an Advisory Member for Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Ministry of Social Development, Creative New Zealand and Ministry of Immigration; and former Board Member for Waitakere City Council, Auckland Tuvaluan Society and TOA Pasifika. Suamalie is currently an Assistant Researcher, the President of Climate Change Action Forum, Chairman of Tuvalu Language Foundation, Executive Member of Pacific Leadership Forum, and Matua Council for WDHB. He is an Advisor for Te Uluniu Tuvalu Taumatua, an activist of Climate Injustice and Integrity of Creation, a Peace Ambassador of Universal Peace Federation, a Justice of the Peace for New Zealand, and was awarded the Grand of the Dignity of Ordinary Member of the Civil Division of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

Views on Wisdom and Knowledge as the core values of ‘Art’