This Matariki, CIRCUIT presents Vailahi Vailahi's Drone footage of Nanumea and Funafuti (2025) on Masons Screen. Mapping parts of Tuvalu under threat from rising seas, Vailahi's video is part of a body of work which seeks to explore "how technology can act as a vehicle to safeguard stories, traditions, and sacred sites, ensuring they remain accessible and meaningful for all generations young and old."
This is the sixth year that CIRCUIT has worked with an artist to show a new work over Matariki on Masons Screen. Drone footage of Nanumea and Funafuti runs from 10 June to 21 July 2025 and is curated by CIRCUIT's Kaitiaki Kiriaita Tanya Ruka (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Pakau and Waitaha). As Ruka says:
"Matariki as a festival or holiday is in danger of becoming another culturally misappropriated 'event'. But traditionally, when the constellation appeared in the sky, it signalled seasonal change and a time for communities to plan and map the year ahead—for the survival of the tribe. In Aotearoa, with its many cultures, it’s so important that people witness the strength of Tangata Pacific. Vailahi's work is not only about his own ancestry, but also speaks to the experiences of all peoples living in the Pacific. We’re already seeing the impacts of coastal erosion, with significant Māori sites being affected—urupā slipping into the sea, flood devastation… I think there’s something really beautiful about hearing the voices of our different nations at this time—we’re honouring our tūpuna and those who have passed, together. We’re also seeing our nations come together more and more to understand the problems we’re facing and to find solutions collectively."
About the artist
Vailahi Vailahi is a Aotearoa-born Nanumean and multidisciplinary artist based in Porirua in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. His practice explores how technology can be used to document and share Indigenous knowledge, ensuring that Pacific heritage is preserved for future generations. This research is deeply personal; as he describes: "I'm seeking to find ways to protect the heritage of my homeland from the threats of climate change and cultural erosion.” Vailahi recently completed a Master of Design Innovation at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University, where his research included Virtual Reality (VR) mapping of the islands of Tuvalu. His interest in using emergent digital image technologies stems from a statement made at COP 26 in 2021 by Tuvalu’s former Minister of Justice & Foreign Affairs Simon Kofe. Facing the likelihood of Tuvalu disappearing due to climate change, Kofe stated that the most suitable alternative to securing the land, ocean, and cultural traditions would be to replicate them in the virtual world.