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Symbolism of gift to Tulafono
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Posted on Jul 24 2008
A wooden carving was presented to American Samoa Gov. Togiola T. Tulafono by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community on the occasion of the 10th Festival of Pacific Arts.
The carving was made by artist Jean-Michel Boene of New Caledonia, and it is made of Houp wood (Montrouziera cauliflora), crushed glass and shells.
The wood of the houp (Montrouziera cauliflora), a tree endemic to New Caledonia, is used to construct the central pillar of a grande case, a traditional Kanak chief’s house.
The carving was commissioned specially for the festival. Its symbolism is based on the festival logo and theme (‘Su’iga’ula a le Atuvasa’ – threading the Oceania ula).
The lower arch at the base of the carving represents the Polynesian canoe of the festival host. Above this, the canoes of the Melanesian and Micronesian visitors curve up on either side to form a second arch.
The short oblique lines above the floats represent the people journeying to the festival across the waters of Oceania—symbolized by the vertical waves encrusted with blue glass. Their intertwined stories rise on the ocean breeze and are carried to dry land on the wings of a sea bird.
When the visitors arrive at the festival, they are greeted by their hosts and presented with ula, symbolized by the wooden loop set with shells that crowns the carving.
