Ta’engata
Ma’ata Halaifonua-Palu
Published June 2024
Ta’engata [2023, digital video]
During a volcanic eruption, waves become a disturbance that travels through space and matter; transferring energy from one place to another- much like how grief travels through the body. These disturbed waves can form whirlpools that occur when water travels from two different directions, interacting in an unusual way. They can’t continue to travel at the same speed and direction through each other, so they are forced to swirl around each other like the dichotomies of grief and hope. One cannot exist without the other.
God says he will cast our sins into the depths of the ocean, maybe that’s why I have faith I’ll find you again. The ocean brought us together once, it will bring us together again.
Ta’engata is a 3D animation that combines text from a journal entry with a geographical model of the active stratovolcano island ‘Tofua’ on ancestral lands in the Kingdom of Tonga. It explores the sensations and motions of loss through observing the movement and cycles of moana after a natural disaster. It compares the erratic patterns of the moana to the internal and external sensations that the heart experiences when we go through the disaster and some say blessing, of loss.
Moana is the source of life, she carries us through the calm and chaos of our journey on earth ta’engata and always guides us back to the ones we love.
Ta’engata means forever. Ta’engata is the ofa for my tamai. Ta’engata is how long I will wait until God and the moana brings him back to me.
A big special mention to my collaborator and bestie Daniel Faust. For his beautiful brain, heart, time and patience. Thank you for believing in me and helping make my vision come to life. There’s no one like you. Ofa lahi atu, my tokoua.
Biographies
Deeply inspired by the ones they love and the moana that has guided them: Ma’ata Halaifonua-Palu is a queer, hafakasi Tongan artist based on Gadigal Land from everywhere and nowhere. With no formal background in the art world, Ma’ata’s journey of art is driven by their understanding of love and community, commitment to revolution and their Pasifika culture. “Ta’engata” is Ma’ata’s debut showing and their first collaboration with net artist and bestie, Daniel Faust.
Na’e ma’u fakalotolahi ‘ia mei he kakai ‘oku ne ofa’i, pea moe moana na’e tataki ia. Koe ‘aati eni ‘a Ma’ata Halaifonua-Palu, koe fakaleiti pea moe hafekasi Tonga, ‘oku lolotonga nofo ‘i he fonua Gadigal, koe fonua ma’u ngofua neongo ‘oku ta’ema’u ‘e ha taha. Neongo ‘oku ‘ikai ha’ane puipuitu’a ‘i he mamani ‘aati, ka na’e ue’i fakalaumālie ‘a Ma’ata ‘i he’ene sio mo mahino ‘a e ‘uhinga ‘o e ‘ofa moe nofo fe’ofo’ofani moe kainga, ‘a e tukupa mo feinga liukava pehe kihe anga fakafonua Pasifika. Ko “Ta’engata” koe fuofua ngāue faka’aati moe fengaue’aki eni ‘a Ma’ata moe net artist ka ko ‘ene kaungāme’a ofi, Daniel Faust.