Moilang (Rosie) Ware: Ngau Buai
By Katina Davidson
'Embodied Knowledge' July 2022
Across 12 scenes, we follow the journey that Moilang (Rosie) Ware’s three great athes (grandfathers) took: travelling from their homes on Ouvéa and Maré, of the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia; spending time on Erub (Darnley Island), Mer (Murray Island) and Besi (Mabuiag Island) in the Torres Strait; to their eventual settlement at Wug village, also known as St Pauls, on Moa Island.
Other scenes fondly recall faraway Kanak villages, coconut crab and other local food, as well as the fleche faitiére symbol which features on the Kanak flag and on houses belonging to chiefs. South Sea Islander families arrived at Wug village in the early 1900s by permission of the Moa chief Anu Namai. At the time, there were no white people there.
The final scenes show life on Moa Island, where low tides make the reef accessible and monsoon season signals the flow of fresh water from the mountain. Significantly, the textile also shows three different styles of houses, built by generations of the family since 1900, and still standing today.
Feature image: Moilang (Rosie) Ware's Ngau Buai 2022, installed for 'Embodied Knowledge', QAG, August 2022 / Purchased 2023 with funds from Anne Best through the QAGOMA Foundation / © Rosie Ware / Photograph: N Harth, QAGOMA
Connected objects
Ngau Buai 2022
- WARE, Moilang (Rosie) - Creator