“Said Wi Es” – Where We Are, ‘ahu (tapa cloth)

This 'ahu (Norfolk tapa) was produced by Sue Pearson (Norfolk Island – Pitcairn, Tahitian descent) as a part of the 'Ahu: Ngā wairua o Hina project.

Politics of the present

“Said Wi Es” – Where We Are documents the political climate of Norfolk Island. Through her artwork, Sue reflects on the island's journey since Self-government and democracy were stripped from the Norfolk Island people in 2015. The Norfolk Island Act reserves many powers to the Australian Government which promised to release them to the Pitcairn Descendants on Norfolk Island along with recognition of the special relationship of these people have with their final homeland. This has been removed from legislation.

At the time this tapa was made, there three main initiatives by Norfolk Island people to regain control of their Island and their destiny - a proclaimed Norf’k Ailen Government, continued pursuit of self-determination through international relationships and the United Nations and the implementation of a Norfolk Island Governance Committee to work with The Commonwealth to design a new Governance model. This tapa acknowledges all of the participants in these journeys and while the approach varies, all are motivated by the heartfelt desire to regain the steering of Norfolk Island.

The ink used to print this tapa is made from the lichen known as old man’s beard, which is also known as hinahina. This is a symbolic choice that pays homage to the island's elders, often referred to as "old pine". The text “Inasmuch” is adopted from Pitcairn Islands national anthem. It recognises shared ancestry and speaks to the importance of kindness and compassion towards each other during times of need.

“Said Wi Es” – Where We Are was originally part of a larger work that was purposefully cut into three pieces at the behest of the artist by Dr Sean Mallon and Isaac Te Awa. This purposeful cutting honours the various real-life reasons tapa is cut, and the samples in the Alexander Shaw sampler book. The three pieces now reside with the artist Sue Pearson, and in the collections of Te Papa Tongarewa, and Te Fare Iamanaha-Musée de Tahiti et des Îles.

“Norfolk Island is in a very pivotal time right now that we have three main initiatives towards self-governance. Our parliament was dissolved seven years ago which has been devastating to our people... Inasmuch which is our Pitcairn anthem speaks to being kind and caring for each other especially in times of need. I hope that even though we may have different ideas of how to achieve self-governance that we hold on to that Inasmuch.”

Sue Pearson, 2023

Background

In 2021, with the Te Papa Foundation’s support, Te Papa acquired a rare book of tapa cloth samples, one of many assembled by Alexander Shaw in 1787. The samples were cut from larger pieces of tapa collected on Captain Cook’s voyages to the Pacific (1768, 1772, 1776) and represent tapa-making practices from various islands including Hawai‘i, Tahiti and Tonga. While the books contain only fragments of much larger creations, they highlight the variety of textures and artistry attained through the practices, knowledge, and skills of Pacific peoples.

Held in Tahiti in 2023, 'Ahu: Ngā Wairua o Hina brought tapa makers of Tongan, Sāmoan, Niuean, Fijian, Hawaiian, Tahitian, Pitcairn-Norfolk Island, and Māori descent. Over five days this group worked together to re-establish their living relationships to the cloth held within the Alexander Shaw book. Through a process of wānanga this group of makers created two tapa bundles, incorporating the ideas of past, present, and future. Today, one of the bundles resides with Te Papa and the other with Te Fare Iamanaha-Musée de Tahiti et des Îles.