TONGAN artist and University of Auckland alumnus Dr Sione Faletau has been appointed a permanent lecturer at the Elam School of Fine Arts.
It’s a full-circle return for a Pacific scholar whose work centres on culture, identity and Indigenous ways of knowing.
Faletau, whose family connections are to the Tongan villages of Taunga and Lakepa, completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours (First Class), Master of Fine Arts (First Class Honours) and Doctor of Fine Arts at Elam.
He began studying there in 2010 after growing up in South Auckland.
“It’s a privilege to come back and contribute to a place that played such an important role in my own development as an artist,” Faletau said.
“As a Pacific person, I understand the importance of seeing yourself reflected in teaching spaces. Representation matters because it helps students imagine what is possible for their own futures.”
His appointment comes as Aotearoa celebrates Tonga Language Week, which highlights language, identity and cultural continuity.
Faletau said his path to Elam had not been straightforward. After being excluded from one school, he and his brother were met with assumptions when they visited another because they came from Ōtara.
“They had already made up their minds about us,” he said.
Ōtāhuhu College ultimately gave the brothers an opportunity, an experience Faletau said changed his outlook.
“They gave us a chance. That’s when it clicked for me. I thought, okay, they’ve given me a chance, let’s make the most of it.”
That opportunity continues to inform his approach to teaching.
“Education transformed my life. If I can help students find confidence in their own voices, cultures and creative practices, then that’s something really meaningful.”
When he arrived at Elam, Faletau said many classmates had already been exposed to wider artistic disciplines and cultural experiences. Coming from South Auckland, he had mainly encountered painting and drawing before being introduced to sculpture, photography, installation, sound and other forms.
Celebrating Pacific Voices
“I remember sitting in lectures and thinking, I’ve got a lot to catch up on,” he said.
“Coming from South Auckland, we’d only really been exposed to traditional forms of art – painting and drawing. Then suddenly there was sculpture, photography, installation, sound and all these other possibilities.”
Rather than being discouraged, Faletau embraced the challenge. Over the following decade and a half, he developed a multidisciplinary practice spanning performance, sculpture, installation, sound and digital media.
His work draws on Tongan knowledge systems and explores identity, cultural memory, masculinity and Indigenous ways of knowing. His doctoral research examined Tongan masculinity through Indigenous methodologies and talanoa with more than 140 participants across Tonga.
The research contributed to new knowledge about culture, belonging and contemporary Pacific identity.
Faletau’s creative practice also draws on the Tongan concept of ongo sound, feeling and presence alongside the visual language of kupesi patterns. His work connects ancestral knowledge with contemporary artistic expression.
Family and education have been central to his journey. Faletau credits his mother, Vasilini, with laying the foundations for education in the family. He remembers watching her graduate from the University of Auckland as a child.
“I think that’s how it all started for us,” he said.
His sister Julienne attended the university before him, followed by Faletau and his younger siblings, Ea and Daniel Faletau. His older brother Manase became a successful mechanic.
“It became something our family did – my older brother Manase took a different path and became a mechanic and became successful in that space – education is everywhere; you never stop learning.”
Faletau said Pacific learners bring lived experience, cultural knowledge and perspectives that enrich classrooms, studios and communities.
“Pacific artists have always contributed to the cultural landscape of Aotearoa,” he said.
“This appointment acknowledges that Pacific knowledge, histories and creative practices belong within the academy. I hope it encourages Pacific students to pursue their ambitions and know their stories and perspectives are valued.
As he settles into his new role, Faletau said teaching gave him an opportunity to give back to the communities and institutions that helped him along the way. His appointment reflects the continuing growth and visibility of Pacific knowledge, creativity and leadership within tertiary education.
