Pacific designer gives nod to the old world

Designer Shaun Naufahu’s mahi is a nod towards his ancestors, as he attempts to see work through their eyes.

“If my ancestor was sitting in Tonga 200 years ago and had a laptop, I think about how they would design this book,” Shaun says.

The young Auckland-based designer for Alt Group, calls back to Haveluliku on his father’s side, and to the British Isles on his mother’s side.

Born in the Waikato, he spent the first part of his childhood in Mauke, Cook Islands, soaking up inspiration for his career pathway, in which he is being noticed.

Shaun recently designed the cover, and the interior design (with Giordano Zatta of Alt Group and Katrina Duncan) of the stunning Pacific Arts Aotearoa book, by Lana Lopesi, published last year.

Pacific Arts Aotearoa tells the dynamic and powerful story of Pacific arts in New Zealand, and spans six decades of multidisciplinary Pacific creative genius, remembering the diverse, fresh and energetic contributions of Pacific artists to New Zealand, Oceania and the world.

It has just been named as a finalist for the Penguin Random House New Zealand Award for Best Illustrated Book, a category in the Publishers Association of New Zealand (PANZ) Book Design Awards 2024.

Designer Shaun Naufahu. Photo/ Supplied

Shaun says it was exciting to work on a book which takes a new kind of editorial approach and is being validated in the mainstream.

“It means, when we from the Moana start to tell our stories, we are able to tell them in the ways we speak; we’re not having to constrict or re-format our narratives to fit institutional formats.

“And I think that ties into the design side - it normalises and benchmarks more authentic visual expressions.

“It’s what I'm most excited for—a shift away from the dusty old catalogues and textbooks.”

When Shaun begins his design process, a major driving motivator is trying to extract and call to the visual language(s) of the Moana.

“It’s less about photocopying a pattern and putting it here or leaning on a very literal material cue.

“It is about going, ‘If my ancestor was sitting in Tonga 200 years ago and had a laptop, how would they design this book?’.

“How would they design the text boxes or how would they pick the colours, how would they pick the fonts?

“I think that’s the space in where unique expressions can come from—not inheriting technological and geographical restraints.”

While the Pacific provides an abundance of creative motivation, Shaun says his three design big brothers are hugely inspirational and encouraging to young designers following in their footsteps.

“First is Sheahan Huri, my first tutor at university, he's stayed a very good friend.

“He's good a giving it to me straight, and his consistently evolving design oeuvre is unparalleled (although many try).

“Second is my friend and colleague Janson Chau, who has always been one of my best sounding boards.

“He's got a crazy vast depth of knowledge, paired with a unique ability to articulate large concepts into simple terms, and lastly, Tyrone Ohia.

“In an industry where there aren't too many brown faces, he's always been super generous with his time and space…I want to be like them when I grow up.”

It seems, Shaun is making his own waves in the design industry, and he says there is plenty more “making and collaborating” to be done.

Meanwhile, recipients of the PANZ Book Design Awards will be announced at an awards ceremony in September.

Visit the PANZ website for more information.