OUR CREATIVE SIDE ALWAYS COMES THROUGH ,
NO MATTER HOW HARD WE TRY TO SUPPRESS IT . this responsibility to make things aware or to start discussions , or to record things .”
sure that it ’ s not just the surface level of it looking pretty , but that there is an underlying reason behind it . And I think that is what we probably get caught up with the most .”
Emily : “ I think the biggest thing with us is our creative side always comes through , no matter how hard we try to suppress it . And I think that is part of being an artist , you feel like you have this responsibility . I feel like I have
OUR CREATIVE SIDE ALWAYS COMES THROUGH ,
NO MATTER HOW HARD WE TRY TO SUPPRESS IT . this responsibility to make things aware or to start discussions , or to record things .”
The work the sisters produce seems heavily infl uenced by their Tongan heritage – and they confi rm that 90 % of their work is about Tonga or Tongan people . When asked how their heritage infl uences their work and if they are conscious to represent being Tongan – I was a little surprised by their responses .
Vea : I never feel like I have to represent Tonga at all . Even though I lived in Tonga , I ’ m only half Tongan , so I am really conscious about that label of representing Tonga . And I think that can also safeguard us as well . People have said things like , how dare you say you ’ re a
Tongan artist when you ’ re only half , so I always view everything as not trying to represent Tonga at all . I ’ m just being myself .”
Emily : “ it ’ s our views or our takes on certain things and it ’ s up the person that either watches it , listens to it or views it , as to what they draw from it . It ’ s to make things aware and create discussion . Being Tongan comes through in our work naturally , I believe .”
Another motivation they share is the desire to encourage Tongans into the arts .
Emily : “ because you ’ re often discouraged out of it within the culture . We want to show that there are other things in life that you can do and that it is possible
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