Lei Aloha

LEI Aloha Project

Various Locations, 2017, ongoing

Layne Waerea’s Graduation, Pati Solomona Tyrell’s Exhibition, Melanie Rands’ Poetry Launch, John Vea’s exhibition opening, lei-pā exhibition opening.

The moment of a lei (garland) being placed over your head is like entering a  portal, everything that went into making this lei, the conversation, the  transference of energy, the working hands, its a powerful thing. From there  as the wearer you are framed and contextualised by this lei portal until you  take it off.  

The women of D.A.N.C.E. art club (Tuafale Tanoai aka Linda T., Vaimaila Urale  and Ahilapalapa Rands) began lei making together as a way of showing  support to others in the community. Ahilapalapa had just returned to  Aotearoa (New Zealand) from Hawaii and lei had featured heavily during her three months in Oahu and from teachings with her Aunty on Big Island. So far  we use ribbon from dollar stores around Avondale in part because of  difficulty accessing the foliage in Tāmaki (Auckland) but also because it  allows for ambitious colour combinations and playing around with scale.  There is nothing like a fresh lei but there are things to be said for other more  permanent materials, for one they can cross biosecurity borders and make  good makana (gifts) for visiting friends and family. We like to make lei for  people as the woman of DAC when and where we can but it was inspired by  and began with wanting to surprise artist Pati Solomona Tyrell and his wider  team on the final tonoai (closing feast) of his solo show Fāgogo at ST Paul St  gallery. 

After 10 years of working as DAC we like to prioritise spending time together.  Lei making suits this perfectly, as objects and part of rituals that are so special. It’s almost like feeling naked without one.

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John Vea

Concrete is as Concrete doesn’t

20 July 2017

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Layne Waerea

Doctoral Graduation, Auckland

28th July 2017

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Pati Tyrell-Solomona

Fagogo exhibition clothing, St Paul Street Galley

22 July 2017

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WoDAC lei making session July 2017

Melanie Rands

A Transpacific Poetics: Book Launch, Gus Fisher Gallery

27th July 2017

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Lei Pā Exhibition Opening, St Paul St Gallery

3 August 2017

Next
Next

Laundromat, You’re my number 1, Gaffa Gallery