order your copy today
tusiata o le tala o le vavau:
artists of the forever stories
compiled by linda va’aelua
Considered as one of the first books that was printed in the Samoan language for Samoans, Tala O Le Vavau - The Myths and Legends of Samoa was a multi-edition publication owned by many throughout the South Pacific and beyond. However, very little was known about the artist Iosua To’afa who illustrated this book, until now.
“TUSIATA O LE TALA O LE VAVAU: Artists of the Forever Stories” is the story of an artist who influenced generations as told through the words and eyes of his contemporaries, his students and even his family. Pre-order your copy today before its launch at the exhibition on Saturday May 27th 2023 - Mangere Arts Centre, Auckland, NZ.
“Iosua To‘afa’s myths and compositions draw me closer not only into the frightening realities of pre-Pālagi Samoa but into the Samoa of today. . .[His] art over the years has added deeper resonances to my understanding of who we are and what we are.”
— Albert Wendt, 1980 (Award Winning Author and Poet)
“This stunning book, Tusiata o le Tala o le Vavau: Artists of the Forever Stories, signals to us what is possible in recording our own stories and writing our own histories. Samoa’s art history is the richer for it, as it continues to be a project for every generation.”
— Sean Mallon, 2023 (Author of TATAU)
About linda
Linda Va‘aelua is of Samoan and Scottish heritage and grew up in West Auckland, New Zealand. She graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor of Design (Visual Communications) from Unitec.
With more than 20 years’ experience as a graphic designer, she was the first Pasifika art director for the New Zealand Woman’s Weekly and has worked on other publications, including the New Zealand Listener. More recently, Linda designed the award-winning book NUKU: Stories of 100 Indigenous Women (finalist Ockham New Zealand Book Awards 2022, finalist PANZ Book Design Awards 2022).
In 2021, she launched her visual arts career with a virtual exhibition HALF, and has since been practising as a full-time artist, with numerous group and solo exhibitions to date.
