Pacifica Mamas

{{Infobox organization

| name = Pacifica Mamas

| formation = late 1980s

| image = File:Pacifica Mamas (GG reception) 04 (cropped).jpg

| alt = Mary Ama is smiling into the camera with her arms out. She hold a fan in one hand, has a beautiful woven head piece and is looking joyful.

| caption = Mary Ama one of the founders of Pacifica Mamas

| purpose = Traditional Pacific arts - creation and teaching

| headquarters = Pacifica Arts Centre, Corbans Estate, Henderson, Auckland

| website = https://www.pacificaarts.org/who-we-are/the-pacifica-mamas/

}}

The Pacifica Mamas Arts and Cultural Trust is an arts collective based in Auckland, New Zealand, with the mission to pass on traditional Pacific arts. The arts collective are based at the Pacifica Arts Centre, located in the Corban Estate Arts Centre.

Establishment

Established in the late 1980s, the centre's vision is to develop and support Pacific arts and cultural projects, with a focus on Pacific heritage art practices. They are known as the Pacifica Mamas and also as the Pacifica Mamas and Papas.{{Cite web |title=Experience Pacifica {{!}} Years 1 - 13 |url=https://www.pacific.org.nz/experience-pacifica |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=Vodafone Events Centre |language=en}} Mary Ama and Teuke Malaga were two of the founders. The collective was formed from first-generation Pacific immigrants to New Zealand. There are many Pacific Island nations represented amongst the collective including the Cook Islands, Samoa, Tuvalu, Tonga, Tokelau, Kiribati and Niue.{{Cite web |last= |title=Pacifica Mamas adorn the Town Hall with a giant ei as a gift of love |url=https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2019/05/pacifica-mamas-adorn-the-town-hall-with-a-giant-ei-as-a-gift-of-love/ |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=OurAuckland |language=en}}

The collective were based in a single room shed at the Corban Estate Arts Centre until 2004, when the shed caught fire.{{cite book |last1=Schamroth |first1=Helen |chapter=Shaping the Cloth |pages=401-402 |editor-last1=Macdonald |editor-first1=Finlay |editor-link1=Finlay Macdonald (editor) |editor-last2=Kerr |editor-first2=Ruth |title=West: The History of Waitakere |publisher=Random House |date=2009 |isbn=9781869790080}}

Activities

File:Pacifica_Mamas_(GG_reception)_03.jpg

The collective has a home base called the Pacifica Arts Centre at Corban Estate Art Centre in West Auckland. The collective provides 'guidance and support' to other Pacific arts collectives and artists.{{Cite web |title=Organisations |url=https://ceac.org.nz/community/organisations |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=Corban Estate Arts Centre}}

Regular workshops are held by the Pacifica Mamas at their Pacifica Arts Centre. This includes a schools programme where students learn some Pacific weaving, drumming and dance. The centre's director is Jarcinda Stowers-Ama.{{Cite web |last=Foxcroft |first=Debrin |date=2017-10-31 |title=Matriarchal artists bring the traditional arts of the Pacific to Aotearoa |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/arts/98098580/matriarchal-artists-bring-the-traditional-arts-of-the-pacific-to-aotearoa |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=Stuff |language=en}}

The Pacifica Mamas Trust governs the annual Pacifica Living Arts Festival held at Corban Estate that consists of arts, crafts, traditional food and school groups performing.{{Cite web |date=2014-09-15 |title=PACIFICA LIVING ARTS FESTIVAL |url=https://archive.tautai.org/pacifica-living-arts-festival/ |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=TAUTAI - GUIDING PACIFIC ARTS |language=en-US}}

Pacifica Mamas Arts and Cultural Trust and the Pacifica Arts Centre receive funding from Creative New Zealand as part of the 2020 Toi Uru Kahikatea programme.{{Cite web |date=2019-08-09 |title=Good Fortune |url=https://www.thebigidea.nz/stories/good-fortune |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=The Big Idea |language=en}}

Some members of the collective are Maria Fastnidge (Samoan/Chinese descent),{{Cite web |title=BOARD MEMBERS |url=https://www.sistersunited.co.nz/board-members |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=Sisters United NZ |language=en}} Mary Ama (Rarotonga), Mata Smith (Niue) and Tiana Epati (Samoa).{{Cite web |title=Turou - The call from our ancestors, the call to return home |url=https://ceac.org.nz/exhibitions/turou-the-call-from-our-ancestors-the-call-to-retu |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=Corban Estate Arts Centre}}

Awards

2012 - Pacific Heritage Art Award, Arts Pasifika Awards (awarded to Mary Ama and the Pacifica Mamas){{Cite web |title=Arts Pasifika Awards |url=https://www.creativenz.govt.nz/results-of-our-work/award-winners/arts-pasifika-awards |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=Creative New Zealand |language=en}}

2015 - Arts Access Corrections Community Award (awarded to Mary Ama and the Pacifica Mamas)

References

External links

[https://www.thecoconet.tv/know-your-roots/pacific-documentaries/the-pacifica-mamas/ Pacifica Mamas documentary on The Coconet TV]

Category:Arts organisations based in New Zealand

Category:New Zealand artist groups and collectives