Fanau o le moana, fade to grey

Listen to a performance piece by Grace Vanilau featuring Tribalincs.

Grace Vanilau:
I speak of a time
when the great waters
were our highways.
Fetū ma ‘aniva | stars and constellations
our maps.

We crossed
the great vast
with faith
The currents
and Tagaloa’s lights
would lead us,
towards a new existence
And with each great malaga | journey
we carried with us
our stories.

Tribalincs:
Verse one
Far beyond the reaches of the sea
A place I call my home country
Seeks my attention
A confirmation
Makes me who I am to be

Waves crash against the rocky shores
The sun sets itself
behind the palm trees
A voice calls to me
A memory
From the islands of my family

Chorus
Ooo ooo ooh
Don’t let your colours fade to grey

Grace Vanilau:
Adapting to heartbeats,
of our new environments.
Weaving moments
into narratives

You see our worlds
Are moving through spaces
Languages that extend
beyond mere words
Living, breathing
Oceanic cultures of orators
And story transference
through fluid movements
Genealogies and galaxies
inked ….across kalo | taro thighs.

Our worlds
are taming
savage thoughts,
of these thick skinned,
brown peoples’
western lived realities.
We don't do assimilation
You see, we
well we prefer
Adaptation

So if you can't absorb
what your eyes
can clearly see
Then just... FEEL

Gratitude in motion
as we pay homage
to this coastline
The ancestral lands
of the great Kulin Nations
where we now call home
O mātou o Fanau ole Moana | it positions us strongly
we are Children of Oceania.

Elements and heartbeats
Trippin’ rhythms
Vibrations emanate from us
in sonic waves
This… is our imagery
Gathering energies
like Street Fighter power moves
HADOUKEN
Transmitting direct
from our hearts to yours
Awakening senses
Illuminating spaces.
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