My name is Seallioe Toailoa, I am 17 years old and currently go to Southern Cross Campus as a Year 13 Student. My birth name is Sealiioe Ioane, born in Fusi Safotulafai in Savai’i, but raised in Vaiteleuta in Upolu, Samoa. I moved to New Zealand in 2018 alone and was adopted by Salofa and Filogia Toailoa. My birth parents believed that by moving to New Zealand, I was being given a chance to improve my future prospects, to gain an education and to ensure that I would not struggle as they have back home.
At Southern Cross Campus, I am a Printmaking Student, passionate about creating work that are narratives about my identity. There is a saying back home in Samoa:
“E lele le toloa, ae ma au i le vai,” which means where ever you fly, you will always come back to the water. I liken it to being strong in my identity, as Samoan, regardless where ever life takes me, I will always go back to Samoa.
Next year I plan to pursue a degree in Visual Arts to further develop my skills in Printmaking and understand the underlying concepts in Pasifika Art. I hope to become one of the greats like Fatu Feu’u, or John Pule, or Michael Tuffery and to show case my work on a world stage.