The VII Foundation partnered with Creative New Zealand to offer a program for Pasifika creatives from Aotearoa. The first workshop in this program concluded in 2022. Contributing photographer Christopher Morris, along with Pacific photographer Raymond Sagapolutele, assisted nine emerging storytellers in developing new skills and crafting unique stories.

To explore the Pasifika perspective, The VII Foundation’s Education Director, Dr. David Campbell, interviewed several participants regarded as emerging storytellers, including Frank Falaniko Talo, Jasmine Tuia, and Siniva Williams. This discussion was recorded and is available to watch in our Video Collection.

During the interview, the group addressed questions such as: Is there a Pasifika perspective in photography? How does this perspective challenge conventional visual representations of Aotearoa? What stories are emerging from a Pasifika viewpoint?

The photo essays created by all the participants are published below.