ArtsLab: Reverb - ′Tautua: A Journey′ by Fale Tumanu at Shopfront Arts Co-op

‘O le ala i le pule o le tautua’ (the path to leadership is service)’ – a prominent proverb in Smoan culture believed to be a way of life and how Smoan individuals navigate the world. In this exhilarating new autobiographical work, Fale Tumanu interrogates tautua using thought-provoking poetry and monologues – a recollection of 6 pivotal stages of her life where the ‘acts of service’ is being challenged.

By questioning the traditional view of acts of service as always virtuous and dignified, she enlightens the darker, more toxic and sometimes contradictory attributes within the way Smoan individuals use tautua to navigate the world around them.

Written and Performed by Fale Tumanu

Mentored by Grace Vanilau and Gabriel Faatau’uu-Satiu