faovale imperium
james nokise | dj don luchito
the show
“This is an irreverent show…there is no place for reverence here.”
Join internationally renowned premiere comedian James Nokise, together with DJ Don Luchito, for an hour of laughter at the expense of Captain James Cook as he voyages through the many cultures of the Pacific spreading ‘enlightenment’ to a people who lived in ecologically sustainable structures and knew how to sail without compasses…
A performance featuring irreverent history, Pacific poetry and dynamic soundscapes - Faovale Imperium is basically the Disney film Moana, told by two guys who don’t look like The Rock, who even combined wouldn’t be the same size as The Rock.
Performance duration: 60-70 mins
Built for galleries and museums
Video courtesy of the National Museum of Scotland (Aug 2024)
the kaupapa
Faovale Imperium has been built specially for museums and art galleries, as an in-gallery performance. A powerful tool as part of decolonisation practice, the performance has the ability to open up conversations amongst gallery staff, audiences and guests, to re-centre objects within your collection, and critically, to provide a counter-narrative to how the works and histories of Pacific nations are revealed within non-Pacific spaces.
In the lead up to a show, we work collaboratively with our host venue to understand the spaces and the collections we’re performing within; curatorial support is critical to us safely and responsibly undertaking presentations.
Faovale Imperium has been performed in spaces around the world that hold collections with Pacific objects, Captain Cook related objects and more.
"We are excited about learning more about the cultural practises of making as the artists reframe the collections through indigenous perspectives, removing the monolith Museum voice." - National Museum of Scotland
additional offerings
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guest lecture on arts and activism
As presented previously at Victoria University of Wellington’s Pasifika Department, James looks at the links between artistic expression and activism, and how the two can, and do, overlap in colonised spaces. The role of the artist within political movements and moments is also examined, with examples and creative suggestions presented.
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Decolonisation discussion/hui
A discussion space held on site by the host venue, and led by James and H-J, for a cultural group talk on decolonisation within museums and other public spaces. The discussion is open but moderated to stay on subject. Food and drink are provided and the event is guided by Pacific protocols that are presented to participants before discussion begins.
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decolonising art workshop
As artists experienced in directing and/or creating works across different art forms our team has created multiple shows across different art forms. Using Faovale Imperium as a template, James and H-J walk participants through the creative and administrative process, highlighting issues they faced and overcame. Participants are encouraged to bring their own work questions in, to be looked at and troubleshot as they like.
