A Pacific Ocean collective ceremony led by Latai Taumoepeau, guiding participants through a feminine ritual of water, wind and fire to honour and renew the spirit.
Latai Taumoepeau leads Wansolmoana Lunar Assembly at the Newcastle Ocean Baths on Monday 28 September, starting at 5:30pm. It's a collective ceremony in service of the Pacific Ocean, and you'll need to get in the water to take part in the full experience, so make sure you're confident in the water without assistance. The baths are fully accessible, and it's recommended for ages 12 and over.
Taumoepeau, a Tongan-Australian performance artist, runs the session alongside Awabakal elder Aunty Cheryl, harpist Natalia Langi'itaua Mann, local broadcaster Kuntamari Crofts and community members. Drawing on Pasifika Oceanian performance, the assembly guides you through a feminine ritual of water, wind and fire: you'll cleanse with traditional tuitui (candlenut) and ignite personal intentions that are then returned to the ocean. It's a night to reflect, honour and renew the spirit in salt water.
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Taumoepeau's live work is grounded in faiva, a body-centred practice shaped by her homelands, the Island Kingdom of Tonga and Gadigal Country in Sydney. Drawing on Tongan philosophies of relational space and time, she weaves ancient knowledge and everyday rituals to make visible the impacts of the climate crisis in the Pacific, while engaging with race, class and the female body politic. The ceremony runs for 90 minutes, and it's free, though you'll need to register in advance.
