Tinaqu: contemporary dance to fight violence against women

The Oceania Centre for Arts, Culture and Pacific Studies staged ‘TINAQU’, a piece about violence against women.
The play was inspired and choreographed by Salote Sinukula Naulumatua. She interpreted the major incidents that affected her life through dance and music woven together with some highs and lows, joy and pain of growing up with her mother. This included dealing with the outside world, a world that is not always kind to single mothers and their children. In the process, Salote is convinced saying “It is our given right and freedom to be unique, even from the norms of society that stereotypes women to derogatory identities which limits women’s opportunities in life. We as women should go beyond definitions defined by others”.
While ‘TINAQU’ challenges us all to talk about social issues such as violence against women, it also reminds us to celebrate our mothers and the strong women that have looked after and nurtured us. It reminds us of the need to work together to fight Violence against Women, which is increasing in Fiji and the Pacific.
The production was dedicated to the late Professor Epeli Hau’ofa.