Faovale Imperium

An evening of poetry and music placing Pacific voices in the heart of the Museum alongside objects in the collections.

Join New Zealand Samoan/Welsh comedian James Nokise and DJ Don Luchito for a funny and thought-provoking exploration of the Pacific collections at the Museum. The performance shares a counter-narrative to the epic voyages of Captain James Cook as he encounters the many cultures of the Pacific, spreading ‘enlightenment’ to a people who lived in ecologically sustainable structures and knew how to sail without compasses.

This is a modern and irreverent reclaiming of Pacific storytelling. The two male performers themselves highlight the traditional absence of female representation in the telling of these stories, but contemporary poetry from female Pacific artists fills this void.

Faovale Imperium was originally inspired by the National Museum of Scotland’s Pacific Islands collections, and was devised specifically to be experienced in museum spaces. The show has recently toured New Zealand and featured in this year's Edinburgh Art Festival.

Supported by the British Council’s Connections Through Culture grant programme and Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa.