Faiva 'A'alo: Performance Art of Rowing ^Featured

Na‘e ma‘u mei he faiva ‘alopōpaó mo e faiva lovavaká, ‘a ia na‘e fa‘a tā ma‘u pē ‘a e lalí ko e faka‘ai‘ai ki he kau ‘a‘aló mo e kau lová ke nau to e ‘a‘alo mo lova mālohi ange [The saying was derived from the performance arts of canoe-rowing and boat-racing, when the drummers beat the drum, encouraging the rowers or racers to give it their all]

Lea Tonga heliaki [Tongan proverbs]
Reed Book of Tongan Proverbs / Ko e Tohi `a e Reed ki he Lea Tonga Heliaki
`Okusitino Māhina

‘Alo mai [Row on here]
‘Alo mai [Row on here]
Ke tau tuli ki muivai [Let‘s hurry to the water‘s end]
He kuo tonga ‘a e matangi [For the northerly winds have been blowing]
He ko hono tahi [And the sea conditions are right]
He ko hono tahi [And the sea conditions are right]

Hiva faiva tau‘a‘alo motu`a
[Ancient performance art of rivalled rowing song]

Tatau [Symmetry], Potupotutatau [Harmony] and Faka'ofo'ofa/Malie [Beauty]

‘Oku tukupā ‘a e ‘ēsei ni ki he kau mu‘aki ‘o e faiva ‘a‘aló, ‘a ia ‘oku ‘i he kuohili honau laumālié ‘i mu‘a ‘iate kitautolu he lolotongá. ‘Ofa ke nau tolonga ‘o tuputupu‘a ki he kaha‘ú ‘i mui ‘iate kitautolu he lolotongá [This essay is dedicated to the lasting memories of the ancient masters of the performance art of rowing whose souls are in the past yet in front of us in the present. May they linger on, forever into the future, behind us in the present]

Introduction

In article 7, I discussed the concept and practice of Vava’u Lahi: Lahi he Loto mo e Ongo To’a mo Māfana and, in article 8, I will focus on faiva ‘a‘alo: performance art of rowing. Society is formally, substantially and functionally organised into different forms of human activity, linking nature, mind and people. These forms of human functions constantly change at different rates over time and space, where they are historically altered and culturally ordered in the social process. Such forms of social activity are associated with different forms of knowledge and types of skills, which are historically constituted/composed in culture and dialectically communicated/transmitted through language, with culture and language functioning merely as human devices. In Tonga, most, if not, all forms of social activity are considered as forms of art, where subject matters under the creative process are made to be both useful and beautiful. Included in these forms of social activity and forms of art are `a`alo [rowing] and faiva `a`alo [performance art of rowing] respectively. As a type of human practice and an artform, both `a`alo [rowing] and faiva `a`alo [performance art of rowing] will be critically examined in the wider context of Tongan art, informed by the tā-vā [time-space] theory of art, a derivative of the tā-vā [time-space] theory of reality.

Tā-Vā [Time-Space] Theory of Art

Given both its formality and generality, the tā-vā [time-space] theory of reality enters all disciplinary practices and forms of social activity, with art as no exception. The tā-vā [time-space] theory of reality has a number of general and specific ontological and epistemological tenets such as: that tā [time] and vā [space] as ontological entities are the common medium in which all things exist, in a single level of reality; that tā [time] and vā [space] as epistemological entities are organised differently in different societies; that tā [time] and vā [space] are inseparable in reality, as in nature, mind and society; that all things in reality, that is, nature, mind and society stand in eternal relations of exchange, giving rise to conflict or order; and that conflict and order are of the same logical status, in that order is itself a form of conflict. Therein, art can be defined as a spatiotemporal, substantial-formal [and functional] transformation of the subject matters under the productive process from a condition of felekeu [chaos] to a state of maau [order] through sustained symmetry and harmony to produce beauty.

Faiva [Performance], Tufunga [Material] and Nimamea‘a [Fine] Arts

Tongan art is generically divided into faiva [performance], tufunga [material] and nimamea‘a [fine] arts. Herein, different forms of social activity are variously classified as forms of art, as in the case of fānifo [surfing], haka [dancing], fo`uvaka [boat-building], tātatau [tattooing], koka‘anga [bark-cloth-making] and lālanga [mat-weaving]. As forms of art, in formal, substantial and functional correspondence to forms of social activity, informed by symmetry and harmony in the rhythmic production of beauty, they are respectively known as faiva fānifo [performance art of surfing], faiva haka [performance art of dancing], tufunga fo‘uvaka [material art of boat-building], tufunga tātatau [material art of tattooing], nimamea‘a koka‘anga [fine art of bark-cloth-making] and nimamea`a lālanga [fine art of mat-weaving]. By means of gender affiliations, both faiva [performance] and tufunga [material] arts are predominantly male-led, and nimamea‘a largely female-based.

Body-Centred and Non-Body-Centred Arts

All three artistic genres, that is, faiva [performance], tufunga [material] and nimamea‘a [fine] arts are divided into body-centric and non-body-centric ways. While faiva [performance arts] are tefito-he-sino, that is, body-centred, both tufunga [material] and nimamea‘a [fine] arts are tefito-he-tu‘asino, that is, non-body-centred. In faiva [performance arts], they are both created and, by extension, performed by the body. For example, faiva fānifo [performance art of surfing] and faiva haka [performance art of dancing] are, contemporaneously, created then ridden and danced by the body. On the other hand, both tufunga [material] and nimamea‘a [fine] arts are created by the body outside of the body. In that respect, tufunga fo‘uvaka [material art of boat-building], tufunga tātatau [material art of tattooing], nimamea‘a koka‘anga [fine art of bark-cloth-making], and nimamea‘a lālanga [fine art of mat-weaving] are, for instance, created by the body outside of the body. Such a body-non-body distinction therefore hinges on the element of performance.

Quality and Utility of Art

The coexistence of both the quality and utility of art in Tongan art, where they are regarded as distinct yet related temporal-formal, spatial-substantial and functional attributes, renders the distinction between art and craft in the existing literature as highly problematic. Such a problematic assumption suggests that the beautiful and the useful are formally, substantially and functionally unconnected entities. The subject matters under the creative process are made to be useful and also to be beautiful. That is, the more beautiful they are the more useful they become, where the beautiful tends to withstand the test of time and space. Beauty is a function of both symmetry and harmony, all of which are internal to art, thereby defining its quality, in contrast to its utility, dictated by its external use. Also, arts are, in the existing literature, spatiotemporally divided into customary and contemporary arts, problematised by a sense of evolutionism. In Tongan art, however, they are generically yet historically classified into the three genres of arts.

The internal and external qualities of art are related to its quality and utility. Its internal qualities include tatau [symmetry], potupotutatau [harmony] and faka`ofo`ofa [beauty]. These qualities are concerned with what art is, which is defined by the artwork. The external qualities of art basically consist of its use, that is, the function it serves in the society at large. Such external qualities are connected with both what art is by means of and what art is for, respectively informed by the social conditions in which art is produced and the human function it serves in society. By what art is by means of and what art is for, reference is respectively made to the history of art and functionality of art. Furthermore, the impact of art on both performers and viewers alike, as in the case of the combined performance of faiva ta`anga [performance art of poetry], faiva hiva [performance art of music] and faiva haka [performance art of dance], relating to the energy-type, fiery-like emotional feelings of māfana [warmth], vela [fieriness] and tauelangi [climaxed elation].

Tatau [Symmetry], Potupotutatau [Harmony] and Faka‘ofo‘ofa/Mālie [Beauty]

Symmetry, harmony and beauty are intrinsic to art. Conflicts in the subject matters are mediated in the creative process, and they are symmetrically transformed from chaos to order through sustained harmony to create beauty. A number of artistic devices are used for the spatiotemporal, substantial-formal production of tatau [symmetry], notably, mata [eye] or, its mirror image, ava [hole]. Such a device is variously used across the three genres as mata`ipapa [eye of the board] or ava`ipapa [hole of the board] in faiva fānifo [performance art of surfing], mata‘ihui [eye of the needle] or ava‘ihui [hole of the needle] in tufunga tātatau [material art of tattooing] and mata‘ikapa [eye of the metal] or ava‘ikapa [hole of the metal] in nimamea‘a lālanga [fine art of mat-weaving]. Potupotutatau [harmony] is a summation of tatau [symmetry], connected with the rhythmic production of faka‘ofo‘ofa [beauty]. Both the words faka‘ofo‘ofa and mālie mean beauty, with the former applied to both tufunga [material] and nimamea‘a [fine] arts, and the latter to faiva [performance arts].A mata [eye] or ava [hole], that is, point, is produced by the intersection of two or more kohi [lines]; a kohi [line] is a collection of mata [eye] or ava [hole]; and vā [space] is a summation of kohi [lines]. All these distinct yet closely related entities of mata [eye] or ava [hole], kohi [line], vā [space] are spatiotemporal. The mata [eye] or ava [hole] is the space where ivi [energy] or teke [force] is most dense and intense. Symbolically, ivi [energy] or teke [force] is arranged into kula [red] and ‘uli [black], as in mataafi [eye of the fire] or avaafi [hole of the fire] and matāmatangi [eye of the winds] or avamatangi [hole of the winds], considered as matakula [red eye] or avakula [red hole] and mata‘uli [black eye] or ava‘uli [black hole] respectively. Kula [red] and ‘uli [black], or, for that matter, matakula [red eye] or avakula [red hole] and mata‘uli [black eye] or ava‘uli [black eye], are dependent on the movement of ivi [energy] or teke [force], where the former results in a loto-tu‘a [inside-outside] motion and a tu‘a-loto [outside-inside] movement of ivi [energy] or teke [force] respectively.

Faiva ‘A‘alo [Performance Art of Rowing]

The word ‘a‘alo is derived from the root word ‘alo, both of which mean rowing. Likewise, both the words ‘alo‘alo and ‘alofi are derivatives of the term ‘alo, which also mean rowing. As a form of social activity, ‘a‘alo [rowing] belongs in the genre faiva [performance arts], popularly known as faiva ‘a‘alo [performance art of rowing]. ‘A‘alo [rowing] and faiva ‘a‘alo [performance art of rowing] are generally featured in the specific context of faiva ‘alopōpao [canoe-rowing] and faiva ‘alovaka [boat-rowing]. Similarly are the performance arts of faiva fakatētēvaka and faiva lovavaka, both connected with the performance art of boat-racing, and implies the use of the sails and winds by the sailor for sailing as opposed to the use of oars and manpower by the rower for rowing. There is also the individual faiva siu‘a‘alo [performance art of fishing and rowing] and faiva ‘alo‘atu [performance art of rowing and bonito-fishing], which are commonly associated with fishing, rowing and bonito-fishing.

Faiva Tau‘a‘alo [Performance Art of Rivalled Rowing]

Besides the aforementioned rowing-related forms of social activity and artforms, there also exists tau‘a‘alo [rivalled rowing] as a form of human practice and form of art. Originally, tau‘a‘alo [rivalled rowing] as a form of social activity and an artform was connected with the sea. It has evolved over time and space to poetry and dance as new performance arts. In its original form, the combined theme of both the song and dance was confined to such sea-based activities as fishing, diving and sailing. Likewise, faiva tau‘a‘alo [performance art of rivalled rowing] has acquired new forms, notably, faiva ta‘anga tau‘a‘alo [performance art of rivalled-rowing poetry], faiva hiva tau‘a‘alo [performance art of rivalled-rowing music] and faiva haka tau‘a‘alo [performance art of rivalled-rowing dance]. The common poetic, musical and dance sea-related theme is now extended to include land-based activities such as title installations involving the coronations of Tongan kings, exclusively performed by the village of Holonga in Vava`u.

Generally, under the faiva ‘a‘alo [performance art of rowing] are the specific faiva ‘alopōpao [performance art of canoe-rowing], faiva ‘alovaka [performance art of boat-rowing] and faiva tau‘a‘alo [performance art of rivalled rowing]. On the other hand, faiva fakatētēvaka and faiva lovavaka are commonly connected with the performance art of boat-racing. Both terms fakatētēvaka and lovavaka point to boat-racing. Besides, there is also the faiva faifolau [performance art of voyaging]. Although both rowing-related and racing-related performance arts are body-centred, they are merely differentiated by way of the former utilising both the oars and manpower and the latter incorporating both the sails and winds. Similarly, the same applies to faiva haka [performance art of dance] as a general category, which specifically includes, inter alia, faiva lakalaka [performance art of lakalaka dance], faiva ma`ulu`ulu [performance art of ma`ulu`ulu dance], faiva tau`olunga [performance art of tau`olunga dance], faiva me‘etu‘upaki [performance art of me‘etu‘upaki dance].

Mata [Eye], Ava [Hole] and Faiva ‘A‘alo [Performance Art of Rowing]

Like all arts, whether they be faiva [performance], tufunga [material] or nimamea‘a [fine] arts, faiva ‘a‘alo [performance art of rowing] uses the artistic device of mata [eye] or ava [hole] in the form of mata‘ifohe [eye of the oar] or ava‘ifohe [hole of the oar] and mata‘ivaka [eye of the boat] and ava‘ivaka [hole of the boat]. The exercise of such artistic devices involves the mediation of the fohe-tahi [oar-sea] and vaka-tahi [boat-sea] intersections by means of intersecting kohi [lines] and vā [spaces], on the abstract level, and intersecting fuo [forms] and uho [contents], on the concrete level. The place where kohi [lines] commonly intersect is the mata [eye] or ava [hole], which is the point where ivi [energy] or teke [force] is most powerful, concretely expressed by means of intersecting oars, boat and sea. Given that faiva [performance arts] are tefito-he-sino [body-centred], there is a requirement for a two-way, continuous and smooth flow of ivi [energy] or teke [force] between the rower, oar and boat, that is, rower, rowing and rowed.

While the mata [eye] or ava [hole] as an artistic device cuts across the three genres, namely, faiva [performance], tufunga [material] and nimamea‘a [fine] arts for the production of tatau [symmetry], potupotutatau [harmony] and faka`ofo`ofa [beauty], it variously exists by other names, especially in the case of performance arts. In faiva ta‘anga [performance art of poetry], faiva hiva [performance art of music] and faiva haka [performance art of dance], for instance, the general artistic device of mata [eye] or ava [hole] for the mediation of the intersecting meanings, intersecting tones and intersecting bodily movements is, as specific artistic devices, variously called heliaki, tu‘akautā and hola, kaiha‘asi or haka-funga-haka respectively. These specific artistic devices heliaki, tu‘akautā and hola further subdivide the existing intersections in human meanings, musical notes and bodily movements, symmetrically transformed and communicated through sustained harmony and beauty, with the effect of some psychoanalytic, hypnotic or therapeutic nature.

Matakula [Red Eye] or Avakula [Red Hole], Mata‘uli [Black Eye] or Ava‘uli [Black Hole] and Faiva ‘A‘alo [Performance Art of Rowing]

Ethnographically, the movement of ivi [energy] or teke [force] is symbolised by kula [red] and `uli [black]. When ivi [energy] or teke [force] moves from kula [red] to ‘uli [black], it forms a mata‘uli [black eye] or ava‘uli [black hole] and from ‘uli [black] to kula [red] results in a matakula [red eye] or avakula [red hole]. A matakula [red eye] or avakula [black eye] engages in a loto-tu‘a [inside-outside] movement of ivi [energy] or teke [ivi] and a mata‘uli [black eye] or ava‘uli [black hole] undergoes a tu‘a-loto [outside-inside] motion of ivi [energy] or teke [force]. In faiva ‘a‘alo [performance art of rowing], as in faiva ‘alopōpao [performance art of canoe-rowing], the motion of ivi [energy] or teke [force] from kula [red] to ‘uli [black] results in mata`uli [black eye] or ava`uli [black hole], negotiated at the interface of the oars, boat and sea. In a similar manner, the movement of ivi [energy] or teke [force] from kula [red] to ‘uli [black] in faiva lovavaka [performance of boat-racing], for example, is mediated at the crossing-points of the sails, boat and winds.

Conclusion

The division of Tongan art into faiva [performance], tufunga [material] and nimamea‘a [fine] arts is suggestive of their spatiotemporal, substantial-formal and functional variations on both the abstract and concrete levels across the three genres. However, the three artistic genres are collectively concerned with the production of tatau [symmetry], potupotutatau [harmony] and faka‘ofo‘ofa [beauty]. All arts are therefore concerned with the mediation of time-space, form-content and functional conflicts in the subject matters under the creative process, where they are transformed from a condition of felekeu [chaos] to a state of maau [order] through sustained symmetry and harmony to create beauty. The concerns with their functionality are a matter of secondary importance. Included here is faiva ‘a‘alo [performance art of rowing]. As such, faiva tau‘a‘alo [performance art of rowing] involves the mediation of tensions at the points of intersection of the oars, boat and sea, resulting in the uninterrupted flow of ivi [energy] or teke [force] in symmetrical, harmonious and beautiful ways.

Acknowledgements

Critical reading of, and commenting on, an earlier draft of this essay by Mele Ha‘amoa Māhina ‘Alatini, ‘Aisea Nau Matthew Māhina, Hikule‘o Fe‘ao-moe-Ako Melaia Māhina, Kolokesa Uafā Māhina-Tuai, Bruce Sione To‘a Moa and Sēmisi Fetokai Potauaine are truly acknowledged with gratitude. Mālō ’aupito.

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