Forgotten Pacific musical instruments memorialised in new doco

Instruments integral to the cultural rhythm of Pacific people that once resonated across the Moana are being revived through an eight-part docuseries.

The creators say it’s a “captivating journey through time and sound”. Instruments of the Moana dives into the musical history of Sāmoa, Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Cook Islands, Niue, and the Solomon Islands.

Hosted by Sāmoan-Niuean storyteller Tau’ili’ili Alpha Maiava who’s in search of understanding the origins of sound-producing instruments native to each island and events that have impacted their current status.

Many of these instruments have long been forgotten and overshadowed by new beliefs and practices introduced during periods of colonisation.

Tau’ili’ili says Instruments of the Moana isn’t just about the rediscovery of traditional sounds, but a tangible cultural resource for Pacific diasporic communities to connect to.

“It is my hope that this work will be the start of a journey that inspires incoming Pacific filmmakers and storytellers to expand on what the Instruments of the Moana started, if not for our sounds then of other aspects of our cultures to equip and better inform the incoming generation.”

This docuseries is an extension of the acclaimed Sounds of the Moana podcast, which won the Gold Award at the 2022 New York Festivals Radio Awards, done with SOUNZ SOUNZ Centre for New Zealand Music | Te Ara Pūoru and funded by Creative NZ.

Co-produced and hosted by Tau’ili’ili, the podcast set the foundation for the current project’s exploration of Pacific musical heritage.

Tau’ili’ili’s quest is to discover how some instruments have survived the times and why others are but echoes in the wind, and how that information is immortalised for generations to come.

“Though I was born & raised in Sāmoa, my wife and I were blessed with parenthood as immigrants to Aotearoa. Our kids therefore, are children of the migration.

“And if Aotearoa is home, then it is my responsibility as a parent to provide information about elements from their ancestral home that were, and still are, important to their identity marker, that is beyond sports and entertainment.

“We weren't just warriors and conquerors, we were also advanced navigators, healers and composers.”

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Former SOUNZ Chief Executive Diana Marsh says the “groundbreaking project” celebrates the musical heritage of the Moana.

She says Tau’ili’ili’s expertise is unsurpassed.

“Tau’ili’ili Alpha Maiava, the host and project manager, travelled to eight countries, drawing upon the deep relationships he has nurtured throughout the Moana. His connections and trust within these communities allowed him to uncover knowledge at risk of being lost or nearly extinct.

“By weaving together the wisdom and knowledge of those who contributed, and his cultural insights, he has captured the essence of these instruments and their stories.”

Host, Researcher, and Project Manager Tau'ili'ili Alpha Maiava. Photo/Supplied

A free launch event will be held on 5 November at the Māngere Arts Centre, Tāmaki Makaurau with support from various Pacific organisations including Le Afio’aga o Aotearoa, Va’a o Tautai - Centre for Pacific Health, the University of Otago | Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, and the Pacific General Assembly.

Chair of the Council of Chiefs for the Pacific General Assembly, Aupito William Sio, says this series is a “new way” of preserving Pacific stories.

“Whilst I’ve yet to see a UN list of endangered musical instruments, particularly of the Pacific region, the film highlights what we have lost already. Tau’ili’ili has put his heart and soul in this work, and the Moana Pasifika community and historians will benefit immensely from it.”

Production was through Campfire Studios NZ with cultural support from Mahi Moana Inc. and funded by Te Manatū Taonga | The Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

Instruments of the Moana will be available on the SOUNZ website and across free video streaming channels.

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