Description
Mataliʻi Fetū Peʻa draws on the Samoan interpretation of the rising of Mataliʻi, often described as “the Eyes of the Matai” (chiefs). Tatau (tattoo) motifs are etched to the edge of each star point, inspired by the traditional Peʻa (male) and Malu (female) and the rhythmic movement of the ʻau guided by the knowledge of the Tufuga. In Samoa, Mataliʻi is the name for Pleiades, whose rising signals the beginning of a new season and the turning of the year. A cosmological guide to planting and harvesting, it brings aiga (family) and community gather, acknowledging enduring connections between land, ocean, ancestors and generations yet to come. Each fetū (star) casts shifting shadows as light moves across the wall, echoing the movement of stars and rhythms of the seasons.
