Feature - Auckland Council Libraries latest exhibition Lupe I Vao Ese is a powerful and intimate celebration of Pacific cultural heritage.
The exhibition officially launched on 17 September features an extensive collection of measina - cultural treasures - curated from heritage collections, alongside contemporary works and personal artefacts.
Curated over two years, the exhibition is based around a Samoan proverb symbolising the shared origins and enduring cultural ties of Pacific people.
Curator of Pacific Collections Pamata Toleafoa said the exhibition was designed to bridge the past and present, and to evoke deep emotional connections for Pacific people living in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland).
"We want people to feel at home. That's what we really want to draw from Lupe I Vao Ese - a sense of homeness and feeling grounded, feeling connected, and feeling at your roots," Toleafoa said.
"It's a celebration of identity and how inseparable identity is from one's wellbeing."
From archival photo albums and newspapers to physical items like masi (barkcloth) from Fiji, 'ie toga (fine woven mats) from Samoa, and tivaevae (quilt) from the Cook Islands, the exhibition showcases the depth and diversity of Pacific cultures.
"Our goal was to highlight the different mediums of measina. They're not static artefacts, but living presences carrying the voices of our ancestors into today and tomorrow."
the exhibition features an extensive collection of measina - cultural treasures Photo: RNZ Pacific / Tiana Haxton
The exhibition reflects the many Pacific communities of Auckland, with representation from Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Tahiti, Papua New Guinea and beyond.
Nia Vavao, who led the research engagement for the project, spoke of how the exhibition was built with community relationships at its core.
"Lupe I Vao Ese has held our communities at the forefront of its planning, curation and outreach. Being Pasifika continues after our nine-to-five, so I don't take this opportunity lightly, as it really impacts the communities we return to and are part of at the end of the day."
The team has also extended the exhibition beyond the gallery walls, with satellite displays in public spaces such as Derby Street and Te Komititanga, placing Pacific heritage in the everyday view of city-goers.
Lupe I Vao Ese exhibit at Waitemata. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Tiana Haxton
For many contributors, their involvement in Lupe I Vao Ese was deeply personal. Angelique Tuaputa, of Cook Islands and Tahitian heritage, loaned two family heirlooms to the exhibition - a tivaevae quilt and a traditional Tahitian dance costume.
"They are not just objects or pretty things to look at. They are heirlooms. These two pieces hold special significance to me because they represent the two cultures that make me whole."
Tuaputa said the Tivaevae holds special significance as many of her relatives were involved in its creation.
She holds it close to heart as it was one of the last pieces her grandmother worked on.
Angelique Tuaputa with her grandmothers Tivaevae. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Tiana Haxton
Another standout story in the exhibition comes from Marcus Tuiasosopo, who contributed a rather unconventional item, the story of his long hair.
"I first started growing my hair back in 2019, my last year of high school. One of my best friends was going through cancer. I decided I was going to grow some hair for him. Unfortunately though, he didn't get to see it."
His decision to keep growing it became a living tribute, full of personal and cultural meaning.
"This exhibition isn't just about artefacts in a glass case. It's about living culture. It's about legacy. Being Pasifika isn't just something we are, it's something we carry."
He thanked curators for "making space for Pasifika stories", saying it makes the community feel seen.
"For some of us growing up Pasifika in Aotearoa, especially in the hood. Growing up in that space meant figuring out how to honour our roots in a world that didn't always understand us. But look at us now. We're here in this space, celebrated, centred and elevated."
Marcus Tuiasosopo shares the story of his long hair. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Tiana Haxton
Auckland Council head of library and learning services Catherine Leonard described Lupe I Vao Ese as a unique milestone for the city's libraries.
"It's the first time for us to do an exhibition quite like this. A very special exhibition that centres on Indigenous ways of knowing and being," Leonard said.
"Exhibitions that reflect the communities of Tāmaki Makaurau are important to us. They celebrate identity and they encourage connection, understanding, enrich and inspire us."
She said the process had been "complex and a learning experience in many ways, but a truly beautiful result".
Pamata Toleafoa, Catherine Leonard and Nia Vavao. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Tiana Haxton
As the exhibition continues through to March 2026, the team hopes it will foster talanoa - deep, open conversation and strengthen intergenerational connections within Pacific communities.
A full programme of side events, including talks, workshops and community gatherings, will continue throughout the exhibition period.
