About
On The Stage
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ABOUT US
Fua Creative's mission is to provide innovative Creative Arts experiences for professional, educational and community sectors to foster creativity, collaboration and culture.
We offer a variety of programmes and services that use multi-disciplinary arts to engage, inspire and up skill individuals in their creative and artistic disciplines.
At Fua Creative we also value community arts and arts education. We employ the instrumentalist use of the arts to foster creativity, innovation, leadership and strengthen holistic well-being.
Our Organisation
Fua, was founded by the dynamic duo, Vita and Nicole Vaka. The organisation was established as a result of their passion for both performing, teaching, directing and producing across professional, educational and community sectors.
The word 'Fua' in Tongan means 'Fruitfulness' or to 'Blossom and Flourish' and this epitomises the vision of Fua Creative to see people of all ages and cultures thrive through the platform of Creativity and the Performing Arts.
We are based in Te Tau Ihu (Upper South Island) in the Marlborough region, but service out nationwide and have a strong mandate to create heritage and contemporary arts experiences and facilitate job opportunities to support a thriving Arts Economy in the arts industry.
Our Values
Kaupapa Pasifika is extremely important to us and our values, which encompass our organisation and define our culture and ethics: Creativity; Passion; Innovation; Authenticity.
ABOUT US
OUR TEAM
Founder / Creative Director
Fua Creative is the culmination of Vita’s passion for Creativity, Community, Pasifika Culture and Holistic Well-being.
Vita holds a Diploma in Pasifika Performing Arts from the Pacific Institute of Performing Arts and has extensive experience working as a performer, singer & song writer, music director, vocal coach, choreographer, playwright and facilitator across professional, community and education spheres. Based in Marlborough, Vita has created innovative arts and mentoring programmes that he delivers in schools and across the community. He specialises in Music, Dance and Acting and continues to impart his skills gained under the training of multiple industry experts in Auckland and Los Angeles prior to residing in Blenheim in 2016. As a winner of Local Hero New Zealand of the Year, he hopes to further serve his community while contributing towards a much more thriving arts industry.
Nicole Vaka
Nicole has a Bachelor of Dance Studies (Honours) at The University of Auckland and is currently a PhD student in dance at UoA.
Producer / Director
Nicole has won several academic scholarships, performed at international and national dance festivals and taught workshops in various international forums. Nicole’s research has included investigating the links between global and local Arts Education policies. In 2016 Nicole was awarded a scholarship from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to complete research and a policy brief focusing on the development of community arts in Tonga. Nicole's more recent work has been in Marlborough where she has created, facilitated and managed community dance programmes for youth, managed a local community art collective, worked as a creative facilitator in Secondary Schools, developed and facilitated in person and online professional development programmes for arts practitioners, project managed and produced for local Pacific Artists and Festivals.
Nastassia Wolfgramm
Creative Facilitator/Administration
Nastassia is a NZ born creative artist of mixed pacific heritage. With over a decade of experience in singing, acting, musical/vocal direction she is also an aspiring writer/director for film and theatre.
Significant performances include being cast in, ‘Where We Once Belonged’ (NZ, Australia), ‘The Factory Musical’ (Australia, Scotland) where she collaborated in composition and arranging. Her musical skill has continued to contribute to various projects under Auckland Theatre Company, Black Grace, Pacific Music Awards and Fua Creative. Nastassia continues to nurture and grow her craft as a storyteller. In 2021 she received a SEED grant from NZWG for development of her feature film and was shortlisted for Fresh Shorts for her short film script. Nastassia has worked for Fua Creative as Music Director and Songwriter for the Pasifika Proud Digital Series with Vita and Fejoint Productions.
OUR COLLABORATORS
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Kimi Young
Creative facilitator
Kimi Young is an award winning performing artist of Chinese descent. A graduate from the University of Auckland with an Honours in Dance Studies, Kimi has traveled to USA, Australia and nationwide as an artist. Kimi has worked with Fua Creative in Administration and Marketing, as well as a creative facilitator for Matala Project 2021, BCre8ve partnership projects such as the Dance Academy, The Man in the Mirror & Ezekiel 47 Dance Video.
Sheldon Rua
Creative facilitator
Sheldon is an active member of Prestige Dance Crew, Projekt Team, South Auckland Poets Collective, and Mother Tongue Collective.He has worked in collaboration with Action Education for a number of years, Marlborough Youth Trust, Kalia (Bcre8ve), independently travelled nationally and internationally, performing/teaching Spoken Word Poetry, and Dance workshops at numerous youth centres, and schools at a primary and secondary level. This has enabled Sheldon to develop, and deliver workshops that would help raise diverse generations of artists in multiple disciplines, spreading his practise not only in Aotearoa, but across the world. Sheldon has worked with Fua Creative on the project Matala, 2021.
Leki Jackson-Bourke
Creative facilitator
Leki Jackson-Bourke is a multi-disciplinary,
multi-award-winning creative/performing
artist of Niuean, Tongan and Samoan descent.
A graduate of the former Pacific Institute of
Performing Arts Leki has worked freelance in
the arts industry for over 10 years and has
toured NZ, Australia, USA, Europe and the
Pacific through multiple Pacific Theatre
productions. Leki made a surprise appearance with Marlborough's Māfana Theatre Production, Pasifika Festival & co-directing the Pasifika Proud Digital Series with Vita.
Pasifika Proud Programme Team
Debra Daly
Programme Coordinator | BLENHEIM
Deb has been the Pasifika liaison at Springlands School for the last 7 years where the Pasifika Proud Programme started.
Going from lunchtime practices at Springlands with Vita to now seeing the programme being shared throughout Marlborough schools brings such Joy.
"I have seen the program give our Pasifika learners status and mana with their peers and in their classrooms" says Mrs Daly.
"I'm excited to be out in the schools again this year and amongst all our Tamariki, learning with them and growing the vision".
Fili Fotu
Facilitator | BLENHEIM
Fili no stranger when it comes to Fua Creative. He has been involved and been trained under the company directors since 2016. He is an experienced and diverse performing artist (acting, singing, and dancing). Currently, he is dedicated to empowering youth in Marlborough through his work with the Graeme Dingle Foundation and as a Hip-Hop teacher at the Marlborough Academy of Dance. As a creative individual, Fili is passionate about the performing arts, celebrating his cultural heritage and exploring new artistic expressions. As a Pasifika Proud Facilitator, he is committed to sharing his knowledge and personal experiences to inspire and educate the next generation.
Rebecca Faapopo
Programme Facilitator | BLENHEIM
Rebecca founded the Le Taupou o Aiga Dance Group in Marlborough New Zealand. Dance has always played a major role in her life. What was a hobby under the ulu tree in Samoa dancing with her grandmother, fueled her passion to feel connected to the art of dance today. With her extensive experience in Pacific dance when she moved to blenheim, she was defintely going to be involved with Fua Creative. She acted in Marlborough's Pasefika Production - Mafana, supported Vita & Nicole with Marlborough Girls College Group, and performed and chory pieces for BCreative NZ. She grew to now lead her own dance group "Le Taupou o Aiga" which won 2-titles during the Marlborough Samoan Independence Day cultural competition in 2019 and 2021. As a recipient of Matala Artist in Residence programme and a lead facilitator for the Proud Pasifika Programme, she continues to grow, learn and develop as a leader and a artist. "It is a rewarding opportunity where I get to inspire the young generation to be proud of who they are, learn who they are through Pasifika dance and show their talent to the community. Here's to greatness !"
Fiaalii Solomona
Programme Facilitator | BLENHEIM
We are so excited to Have Fiaalii as part of the Fua team. Fiaalii has been a part of Fua's Pasifika contemporary Dance project for the past 2 years. Fiaalii is part of the Taupou O Aiga dance group that won two titles at the annual Independence Day celebration dance competition. Fiaalii has won several community awards such as Tautua Award and Pasifika Leadership Award for contribution and leadership in school. Fiaalii is also a current Tasman Mako and Matatū player. Fiaalii is passionate about Pasifika performing Arts and we are so lucky to Have her facilitating in our Marlborough school.
Selapina Faolua - Lasi
Programme Facilitator | TIMARU
Selapina Faolua-Lasi is a passionate graduate student from Exploration Bible University, where she earned her degree in Theology in 2023. As a dedicated youth leader in the Timaru Falcm church ministry, she not only imparts spiritual guidance but also shares her love for culture and the performing arts by teaching and learning traditional Samoan dances with the youth group. Proud of her Samoan heritage, Selapina is motivated to share the beauty and significance of cultural expression through dance, inspiring children to connect with their roots and embrace their identity through the vibrant art of movement.
Uku Elise
Programme Facilitator | TIMARU
Sauku Resta Elise, fondly known as Uku, originates from the stunning Island of Tuvalu, where Tuvaluan dance has been a lifelong passion. During her placement while pursuing her Early Childhood Education qualification, Uku supported a primary school's Pasifika group and guided a high school ensemble to the Polyfest celebrations in Dunedin. She recently completed her Level 3 Health and Wellbeing studies at Ara Institute of Learning and is excited to share her cultural heritage while exploring new cultures in her role.
Sesilia Aho
Programme Facilitator | TIMARU
Sesilia Faka’anaua Ki Matoto Aho all the way from Holonga Tonga and Vavau Feletoa.
Sesilia is a previous Family Violence Navigator that work with the pasifika community in 2022 -2023 supporting our pasifika communities with challenges and supporting with opportunities in life making changes to family’s and individuals.
Sesilia has used her cultural & professional knowledge gained from managing Secondary Schools to take a new step into her Facilitating role in Fua Creative.
She recently worked in 2023 as a pasifika facilitator with a big group at Oceanview Heights Primary in Timaru.
In this role Sesilia aims to teach, inspire, empower, motivate and support the students to develop awareness of cultural inclusivity.