Shigeyuki (Yuki) Kihara (Artist research)
Artist research:
Name: Shigeyuki (Yuki) Kihara
Where are they from and where are they now:
contemporary artist
Kihara is also a fa'afafine, the third gender of Samoa. Born in Samoa, Kihara's mother is Samoan and her father Japanese. Kihara immigrated to New Zealand at the age of sixteen to further her studies.
She trained in fashion design at Wellington Polytech (now Massey University). In 1995,
Yuki Kihara is an Interdisciplinary artist whose work
Artwork (for each relevant piece):
Name of work: Der Papalagi (The White Man)
What is it, and what is it made of:
The title of this new series comes from a book written by Erich Scheurmann, a German national who lived in Samoa during the German colonial administration of the country (1900 – 1914). Published in 1920, it contains descriptions of European life seen through the eyes of Tuiavii, a Samoan chief. The book was widely criticised however, after it was discovered that Scheurmann had created the character of Tuiavii and that the descriptions were in fact his own social commentary.
Papālagi is used to describe non-Samoans, or anything considered not indigenous to Samoa or Samoan culture.
a public performance presented as a social experiment in which Christian and Barbara Durst – German migrants who have lived in Samoa for over 24 years – “go native”. Dressed in full indigenous Samoan regalia, they make public appearances in five locations in and around the capital city of Apia. The varied reactions of the public to the German couple are captured in video
Interdisciplinary artist Yuki Kihara will present free public screenings of her 11 minute video entitled Der Papālagi (The White Man) on Samoa’s largest digital billboard located above Maxkar Stationary in Savalalo, Upolu Island, Independent State of Samoa. The public screening of Der Papālagi (The White Man) is the first presentation held in Samoa.
‘Der Papalagi is a social experiment in which Christian and Barbara Durst, German migrants who have lived in Samoa for over 24 years, “go native”. Dressed in full indigenous Samoan regalia, they make public appearances in five locations in and around the capital city of Apia.
11-minute video
Image:
Video still from ‘Der Papālagi (The White Man)’ [2016] by Yuki Kihara
What does it mean/represent:
In this new series of work Yuki Kihara breaks down both historic and contemporary forms of escapism confronting these exotic fantasies with the reality of life in Sāmoa. Through this strong statement we are challenged to consider the politics of home, belonging and authenticity.
Connection to culture:
Kihara fuses performance, photography and video to explore themes of Pacific culture, identity, indigenous spirituality, colonialism, stereotypes, gender roles, and consumerism.
. The series raises questions about Sāmoan nationalism and the politics of home and belonging, exploring ethical boundaries between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation.
Connection to collonialism:
Barbara and Christian Durst, a German couple who have lived in Sāmoa for 24 years, standing dressed in indigenous Sāmoan regalia reserved for those of the highest ranks
Erich Scheurmann’s Der Papālagi takes direct inspiration from the ‘enchanting paradise’ of Sāmoa. Scheurmann, a German national, lived in Sāmoa from 1900 until 1914 while the islands were under German administration. Published in 1920 the book
uses Scheurmann’s text as a spring board for a series of new work.
According to Scheurmann the book had two purposes: to protect the Sāmoan community against a destructive European influence, and to reveal how someone who is “still so close to nature” sees the European culture.
Critique/response to artwork:
The varied reactions of the public to the couple are captured in video and raises questions around Samoan nationalism and the politics of ‘home’ and ‘belonging’ while exploring the ethical boundaries between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation.
“Who gets to decide what is ‘authentic’?” That is one of the questions artist Yuki Kihara raises through her artwork titled, ‘Der Papalagi (The White Man).
While Scheurmann was exposed for inventing the character of Tuiavi’i after his book received critical acclaim, I came to the conclusion after reading the book that while it was problematic that Scheurmann romanticized Samoan life amd culture, deep inside Scheurmann really wanted to be a Samoan.
Scheurmann despised Europe for its colonialism in the pacific during a time when anyone who spoke against the European regime particularly in Germany at the time was prosecuted.
“What completes the public performance is not necessarily the papālagi actors but it’s the varied reactions from the people on the street. Some people were perplexed by what they saw, some people thought it was amusing and some couldn’t care less. All these reactions are relevant and allegorical to what people thought of Samoan culture in general
“I find it interesting that dressing Papālagi actors in Samoan indigenous regalia would spark a conversation among Samoans about ‘authenticity’. I mean, who gets to decide what is ‘authentic’?” she said.
“I’ve had heated discussions with Samoans who told me that papālagi actors should not have worn the indigenous regalia because they are not indigenous to Samoa, but how is it any different from John Key and Ban Ki-Moon having a matai title? While others would say that a mānaia and a taupou appearing outside of the village or ceremonial context is culturally offensive, but how is it any different from Samoans appear dressed as a mānaia and a taupou to entertain tourists in resorts?”
Answer comment on the webpage: I sure would love to see the video to know what this is all about. But a Culture is one of the most sacred form of identity treasured and hold dear by any people. As it is not only their identity but also its their way of life. Its who they are, and what make them to be who they are. But the statement below mentioned the Papalagi as actors so this must be a play, and as long as this play isn't presenting the culture in a way that will misrepresent the indigenous people and mislead others by making them believing its true then I suppose it would be ok. But in this case not sure without knowing the story and seeing the video.”
Another commenter: Being Samoan comes from the heart. Color of skin or one's features does not define a Samoan. Put my family together and there are dark complexion cousins, nephews, nieces as well as blue eyed brown skinned ones, or cousins that look Chinese. What defines being Samoan depends from what perspective one takes. For me, it is one who participates in the fa'a Samoa, our aganu'u of taking a family si'i to a wedding, a funeral, or the ceremony of bestowal of a family title (saofa'i). Being Samoan is one who puts family first before one's self; reaching out to those who need help be it financially, moral support, spiritual guidance, or just someone to talk to. A Samoan like myself who can laugh at the shortcomings of our culture and people, and say: "only in Samoa" A golden thread links these elements of life into a fabric, or a ie toga, revered as a "measina o le atunu'u." These threads of our lives embodies who we are as a people. Can a palagi uprooted from Deutschland feel the essence of being Samoan.... yes. Once a person embraces Samoan culture and accepts its flaws and ambiance, the heart transforms into a giving one, a caring one, and a resilient one with a le kea attitude when people think otherwise of you. Malo Barbara ma Christian Durst. Manatua pea le motto o si tatou atunu'u : Fa'avae le Atua Samoa. That is the utmost power that anoints our island home with so many blessings!
Artist further/other work/development:
Yuki Kihara’s 2015 series A Study of a Samoan Savage show a man as a manifestation of the Pacific demi-god Maui, being examined. The images show the use of medical instruments in the human body’s evaluation and reference the role of photography in 19th-century scientific and pseudo-scientific analysis. In Kihara’s estimation, Samoan men were historically depicted as ‘exotic savages, fetishized as a subject and as an object, colonised and treated as commodities’.
As background to this series Kihara studied the historical European use of anthropometry as a tool in social anthropology. Anthropometry involves ‘taking the measure of a man’ and is a pseudo-science encountered in cross-cultural studies of non-Western people. The practice involved the hierarchical evaluation of race based on body shape and skin colour. Early anthropologists used photography to collect information about ‘body types’, which they then employed to propound scientific theories, including racial eugenics or the supposed genetic improvement of the human race.
C-type print
800 x 1000 mm
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shigeyuki_Kihara
http://www.tautai.org/der-papalagi-the-white-man-yuki-kihara-cairns-regional-gallery/
http://www.creativenz.govt.nz/news/yuki-kihara-der-papalagi-the-white-man
http://artistsalliance.org.nz/events/der-papalagi-the-white-man-yuki-kihara/
https://stpaulst.aut.ac.nz/all-exhibitions/yuki-kihara-der-paplagithe-white-man
https://www.aucklandartgallery.com/explore-art-and-ideas/artwork/22711/a-study-of-a-samoan-savage-nose-width-with-vernier-caliper
http://www.samoaplanet.com/der-papalagi-white-man-screening-samoa/
http://www.samoaobserver.ws/en/01_12_2016/local/14456/Here%E2%80%99s-your-chance--to-see-%E2%80%98Der-Papalagi--(The-White-Man)%E2%80%99.htm
What I have learnt:
Scheurmann had created the character of Tuiavii and that the descriptions were in fact his own social commentary. (What if I make a character to fumble through all these issues?
exploring the ethical boundaries between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. Find it!
Feel she has the right to portray it in this way because they commercialise their own culture in the tourist market.
It is interesting to see a commenter standing up for the German couple saying they have the right to portray this culture because they have dwelled into it and have completely accepted it. I wouldn’t be able to do this because fully accepting one culture means losing another. On these term, I will never be a New Zealander.
