The Amituanai family lotu

item details

NameThe Amituanai family lotu

ProductionEdith Amituanai; photographer; 2005

Classificationcolour prints, colour photographs, chromogenic colour prints, works of art

Materialsdye, photographic gelatin, resin-coated paper

Materials Summaryphotograph, chromogenic print

Techniquescolour photography, chromogenic processes

DimensionsImage: 500mm (width), 400mm (height)

Registration NumberO.032407

Credit linePurchased 2009

Overview

This essay originally appeared in New Zealand Art at Te Papa (Te Papa Press, 2018).

A family sits together in the midst of lotu, a Sāmoan word which translates as ‘prayer’ or ‘worship’. Edith Amituanai’s image offers an intimate moment in time, bringing together three generations of a family in an act of quiet, collective devotion. Lotu is a regular family ritual for Pacific communities both in the islands and the diaspora.

Since the early 2000s Amituanai has been developing a photographic practice that reflects her passion for documentary photography and her commitment to community and family. Her works have a familiar and intimate character that avoids the objectifying, ‘othering’ effect that documentary photography can convey. Lotu is part of Amituanai’s 2004 series ‘Ioka’, named after her sister-in-law, who also features in the image. It captures moments in Ioka’s daily life, reflecting the ways that everyday Sāmoan cultural practices have been integrated into the family’s life in suburban Auckland. These works, which could be described as domestic portraits, speak to the broader experience of Pacific migration to Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world.

Lotu highlights the importance of family and the role that religion plays for many across the Pacific. It is a crucial point of reference supporting the maintenance of indigenous languages and identities. Church communities often form a key focus for families and cultural groups, enabling a sense of belonging and creating a platform for a wide range of activities. The act of lotu resonates in both public and private contexts. It enables gathering and sharing across generations and facilitates regular meetings of family and loved ones.

Since the ‘Ioka’ series, Amituanai has developed a significant body of work, including the series ‘Déjeuner’ of 2006–07, ‘The end of my driveway’ of 2011 and ‘Ranui 135’ of 2013, which continued to explore and represent the artist’s ongoing engagement with community and to maintain the home and the local as her central point of focus.

Caroline Vercoe