Lakiloko Tepae Keakea (born 1948) is an artist from

Tuvalu Tuvalu ( or ; formerly known as the Ellice Islands) is an island country and microstate in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean. Its islands are situated about midway between Hawaii and Australia. They lie east-northeast ...

, living in

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

. She is a member of Fakapotopotoga Fafine Tuvalu – the Tuvalu Women’s arts collective.

Background

Keakea was born in 1948, in Nui, Tuvalu. In 1957, Keakea moved to

Niutao Niutao is a reef island in the northern part of Tuvalu. It is one of the nine districts (islands) of Tuvalu. It is also one of the three districts that consist of only one island - not counting the three islets inside the closed lagoon. Niutao has ...

and in 1971 moved to

Kiribati Kiribati (), officially the Republic of Kiribati ( gil, ibaberikiKiribati),Kiribati
''The Wor ...

with her first husband. In 1996, she moved to New Zealand and currently lives in Ranui, Auckland.

Career

Keakea is considered a ''mea taulima'' artist, meaning that she creates her artwork with her hands, and is a promoter of Pasifika handcrafts. Keakea learned the practise of kolose (

crochet Crochet (; ) is a process of creating textiles by using a crochet hook to interlock loops of yarn, thread (yarn), thread, or strands of other materials. The name is derived from the French term ''crochet'', meaning 'hook'. Hooks can be made from ...

) from her mother, at the age of 12, and began making dresses and

tiputa Tiputa is a village on the French Polynesian atoll of Rangiroa, in the Tuamotu archipelago. Geography It is located on the Northern edge of the atoll, approximately 7 km East-southeast of the village of Avatoru. The two villages are separa ...

(crochet tops). Keakea began making art in the 1950s, after moving to Niutao. Her first works included a belt, baskets, fans and trays. In the 1970s Keakea became active in Fakapotopotoga Fafine Tuvalu, an art group that taught and promoted the art practices of women from the various islands of Tuvalu. She travelled with the group to the

Marshall Islands The Marshall Islands ( mh, Ṃajeḷ), officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands ( mh, Aolepān Aorōkin Ṃajeḷ),'' () is an independent island country and microstate near the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, slightly west of the Internati ...

and learned the techniques of making fafetu, a star-shaped woven design. Keakea became well known for the practise, including teaching it to other artists. In 2012 Keakea exhibited alongside several Pacific master artists in 'Home AKL: Artists of Pacific Heritage' at the

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki is the principal public gallery in Auckland, New Zealand. It has the most extensive collection of national and international art in New Zealand and frequently hosts travelling international exhibitions. Set be ...

. Keakea's largest fafetu is held in the collection of the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. She also has pieces in the collection of the

Auckland War Memorial Museum The Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira (or simply the Auckland Museum) is one of New Zealand's most important museums and war memorials. Its collections concentrate on New Zealand history (and especially the history of the Aucklan ...

. In 2018, Keakea held a major solo exhibition ''Fafetu'' at

Objectspace Objectspace is a public art gallery in Auckland, New Zealand. It opened in 2004 and is dedicated to the fields of craft, applied arts and design. Organisation Objectspace's founding chair was jeweller Warwick Freeman. The gallery's founding dire ...

art gallery in Auckland. ''Fafetu'' was curated by Malama T-Pole, who promotes Tuvaluan art forms and is a member of the Niutao Community Trust. The

Dowse Art Museum The Dowse Art Museum is a municipal art gallery in Lower Hutt, New Zealand. Opening in 1971 in the Lower Hutt CBD, The Dowse occupies a stand-alone building adjacent to other municipal facilities. The building was completely remodelled in 20 ...

in Wellington held a solo exhibit of Keakea's work in 2019 in its first solo exhibit of Tuvaluan art.

Honours and awards

In 2017, Keakea won the Pacific Heritage Art Award from the annual

Creative New Zealand The Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa (Creative New Zealand) is the national arts development agency of the New Zealand government, investing in artists and arts organisations, offering capability building programmes and developing markets ...

Arts Pasifika Awards The Arts Pasifika Awards celebrate excellence in Pacific arts in New Zealand. The annual awards are administered by Creative New Zealand and are the only national awards for Pasifika artists across all artforms. The Arts Pasifika Awards includ ...

. She was appointed a

Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have ren ...

in the

2023 New Year Honours The 2023 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 15 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebration ...

, for services to Tuvaluan art.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Keakea, Lakiloko Living people 1948 births Tuvaluan women artists Tuvaluan artists People from Nui (atoll) Tuvaluan emigrants to Kiribati Tuvaluan emigrants to New Zealand 20th-century women artists 21st-century women artists Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit