Rako Pasefika

Rako
is an urban Pacific artistic movement based in Fiji and Australia.  It was formed by a group of
Rotuman and Pacific artists as part of their quest to gain more
insight, depth and knowledge of their heritage, to share ancient art forms and stories, but with the freedom to create new work without
boundaries..










As navigators Rotumans were always connected to other
islands.. the arts, symbology and stories of voyaging people
were always represented through their work, but with most of our
people now in cities the culture has changed and our music, our dance and our art is an expression of finding that balance of having you feet planted firmly in your land, but your minds and souls free to
navigate and explore the world.











Rako literally
translated means to learn, or as a noun it means school.












Rako is symbolic of the organic process
of creative learning - listening, experiencing, collaboration,
exchange and expressing this knowledge through movement, spoken
word, imagery and music.











As we create we learn





As we merge we discover





As we know we sing

Our music brings all this to the forefront.  Strong, deeply rooted in our Rotuman chants, beats and rhythmic fibres of our Pacific connections to Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga, Walis and Futuna and the Cook Islands woven into each song.