Kakala Tapu is A Sacred Flower, which speaks of the sacred flowers that were gifted by the Goddess from their garden in Pulotu. We honour the gods by adorning our bodies with them. Kakala Tapu is also a metaphor for the Sacred Feminine, the female form. In Tongan Legend a woman’s body is Sacred. It is the holder of Mana, the life force, and this Mana exists in the Manava (womb) our first home.

The meaning of Manava is Sacred Space.The female body is made sacred because it holds the womb, the life-giver, our first plane of existence. Women are cherished because of this understanding.

This collaboration in a proof of concept to combine various First Nations artist with fine Art photographer Michael Jalaru Torres, working on merging themes and styles and working remotely these works will shed light on past and present tales of First Nations people around the world.

Supported by: First Nations residency program in partnership with Moreland Council & Blak Dot Gallery