Appointed by Enari in recognition of his contribution as a mid-career artist, Tapu brings a body of work that spans choreography, photography, film, and installation. As co-director of Ta‘alili, he has created bold, layered works such as Masina Tuai and MANU MALO, which interrogate Moana futurism, time-space narratives, and reimagined ancestral memory.

The Samoa residency offers Tapu a rare opportunity to slow down, re-centre, and create from within the land and culture that shaped him.

“We’ve long looked at how the body holds ancestral knowledge and responds to contemporary pressures — political, environmental, spiritual,” Tapu says. “This residency gives us time to deepen those ideas within the very landscape they come from.”

Aloali‘i Tapu
Interdisciplinary Artist | Director of Ta‘alili | Pacific Storyteller

“Our children will feel the land, the language, the songs, and the dances that have shaped our lineage.”
– Aloali‘i Tapu

Aloali‘i Tapu is an award-winning choreographer, dancer, filmmaker, and co-director of the collective Ta‘alili. His work spans contemporary dance, visual arts, and Indigenous storytelling, often exploring themes of masculinity, memory, and movement in the Pacific. His past works (Masina Tuai, MANU MALO) fuse choreography with film and sound, reflecting a bold vision for Moana-centred futures.

Aloali‘i Tapu is a highly regarded Pacific artist, known for his bold and interdisciplinary practice across dance, film, photography, and installation art. His work explores themes of masculinity, memory, migration, and identity, grounded in Samoan heritage and collective dreaming.

The 2025 residency offers Tapu the opportunity to continue this work through on-island research, collaboration with local artists, and community engagement.