Celebrating 45 Years Of The Iconic Maota Samoa on K' Road
By FotuoSamoa Jody Jackson
If the Maota Samoa fale (house) on Karangahape Road could talk, it would gush about the Pacific people that gathered, contributed to and celebrated within it since 1978.
There were many 21st's and wedding cakes cut while island families cheered on. There would also be mention of church fundraisers, exhibitions, talent shows, company events, PIC meetings, St Mary’s Old girls gatherings and business networking events. There’s memories of Auckland Girls Grammar students and children who frequented this place or accompanied their parents as they went to visit the dentist across the hallway run by the late Papali’i Dr Taouma. Others turned up to pay airfares at Polynesian Airlines or renewed a passport with the Consul General’s office on Level 2. Then there were the learners who turned up to attend classes on culture, hospitality, cooking, social sciences, languages and more. Artists like Fatu Feu’u ONZM, Iosua Toafa and Momoe Malietoa Von Reiche exhibited in this iconic building. Impressive wooden art works still remain in the corridors of Samoa House that were carved by sculptor and artist Penehuro Papalii. But the hive of Pacific activities, Samoa events and presence have dwindled over the years.
In 2016, the Government of Samoa who own Samoa House moved it’s consular services and built a new and even grander fale in Mangere ‘to be closer to where the majority of its people live.’ In that move, Samoa House including the iconic 1978 Maota Samoa on K’ Road were left behind to be leased to private businesses. This also meant it was no longer accessible for community use. But the legacy and decades of Maota Samoa memories brought together passionate supporters determined to honour it’s 45 years of existence.
On Saturday 16 th Dec, the Friends of Maota Samoa group and a community of Pacific people celebrated through activities such as the Pop-up market stalls, a kava ceremony, art workshops, history panel discussion and performances. Amongst the invited guests was Consul General from the Government of Samoa, Afioga Afemata Palusalue Fa’apō II who addressed the audience. “I had the opportunity and privilege of meeting prominent Samoan community leaders including Friends of the Maota Samoa who organised this historic event. I commend you for your dedication and commitment for paving the way for future generations to discovering who they are and where they come from. I truly believe that when young people and children are continuing to be immersed in their culture they develop and sense of pride and belonging”.
Access issues
The positive sentiment was applauded by many of the audience, however, the reality is different for those who try to book or access the Maota Samoa fale. According to one of the leaders for Friends of Maota Samoa, Olivia Taouma “Currently, it is leased to a non-pacific non-samoan private commercial company, so you have to get in contact with them and see if it’s available for your dates and pay them to hire it. So, for us to gain access we have to contact them, ask and sometimes justify our use of the building. It’s unfortunate because there are a lot of Pacific groups we know who want to be here. We do have one small presence at the moment, we have the Samoa House Library at the second floor and is the last of the Pacific groups still in the building.”
Going down memory lane
The access challenges did not dampen the celebrations on the day and Olivia and her group worked hard to make it a success. Some of the attendees shared their memories and their parents’ involvement with the Maota Samoa. Opera singer and creative director Sani Muliaumasealii, who performed on the day recalled going with his mother, the late Falenaoti I’iga Olivia Muliamaseali’i to her meetings while he and other young people cut meat and vegetables in the Maota Samoa’s kitchen. His last performance was also here at the Maota Samoa before he went off to London.
Rev Mua Strickson-Pua recalled the youth programmes he was part of that were based on Level 1 and his classes used the Maota Samoa for performances and exhibitions as well as for Pacific Underground practices in the early years.
A sense of joy and reconnection
Pacific artist and educator Teokotai Paitai said of the Saturday event, “I felt privileged to be part of a celebration of not only Maota Samoa, but of the many pioneers from our Moana, and our many allies. From where we sat, the community came out in numbers. It was mobilising, it was networking, it was reminding and re-telling. There was laughter, hugs and a feel good vibration that emanated throughout the day. From the beginning Karakia and honouring our young ones'; leading us into their future, to the humility and foresight of the Samoan government representative, to our esteemed panelists; that informed us. Loved the audience of storytellers that nodded and fought back tears as each remembered their childhood, and their parents. There were new beginnings of Arts Pasifika formalising their presence by uniting in this space. There was a kava circle that every now and then would reveal their rhythms through fagufagu, pa'u (bass drum) and humility. Stalls created a chance for our communities to invest in local Moana artists and allies to send a message of connection to those fortunate to receive their new gifts. Connecting people, time and place to tupuna, and vice versa”
For Bonni Tamati who works on Level 2 at the Samoa House Library, she was aspirational about Maota Samoa and the building she has come to appreciate “I always picture how this building started off, how families would have gathered here for weddings, siva, pacific businesses and campaign launches and all humming with activity. I can see that for this place, a place where many started off their careers and marked special events of their journey and can succeed”.
Olivia Taouma again “Today, I’m so proud and happy with how it went, I couldn’t have asked for a better turn out for our community and everyone has just loved the day, that’s what we were
wanting, for the community to come and breath life back into her old bones, this grand fale and to have a great time and reconnect”
Looking ahead
Looking to the future, there is an unavoidable reality. It is up to the Government of Samoa how it uses its assets. Members of the Friends of Maota Samoa recognise this and may have found some hope in Consul General Afemata’s address “In October – Samoa’s newly appointed Minister of Finance and delegation visited their government properties in Auckland, including Maota Samoa and the Minister was pleased to finally visit the Maota and had taken notice of the opportunity, potential as well as some of the challenges the building currently faces however, we remain hopeful and determined to support the ongoing efforts in ensuring the preservation of Samoa history here in NZ.
I must congratulate the Maota Samoa and organisers of this event for the 45th birthday celebrations and I hope in future that we will continue to work together to ensure that this place is reserved for our community here in Auckland and also Pacific communities”
This was music for Olivia Taouma and supporters of the Maota Samoa, “Both Afioga Afemata and Samoan High Commissioner H.E. Afamasaga Fa’amatalaupu Toleafoa have been very positive about working with the Friends of Maota Samoa and reconnecting our community. They were quite shocked to hear what had happened and so they are hopeful and looking to what other ways that we can repair, preserve, maintain and reconnect”.
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To support the efforts of Friends of Maota Samoa or be part of the committee,
Instagram: @friends_of_maota_samoa
Email: friendsofmaotasamoa@gmail.com
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