portrait, documentary and events
Evotia in the Media
Lady in waiting. Samoa 2006
The photography of Evotia Tamua - Nine to Noon, Radio NZ
28 November 2018
Evotia Tamua is a professional Auckland based photographer of Samoan descent. She sees photography as an art form which embodies and preserves culture.
Evotia reflects on her childhood, when there were no photographs in her Mt Eden family home, of her grandparents who remained in Samoa. Her Mum said, 'we don't have photos of the family, because we are too poor'.
That was the catalyst for Evotia striving to preserve her Samoan heritage.
Little Island Press publishers and owners Evotia Tamua and Tony Murrow. Photo: Dionne Fonoti
A decade of publishing Pacific books - Radio NZ
1 December 2017
An Auckland based Pacific publishing house celebrates a decade of its business operation this month and is already looking towards the future.
Its business model takes profits from commercial and public vendor work which is then used to produce Pacific books and other content such as videos.
Little Island Press is holding its 10 year celebration to coincide with a commonwealth book launch organised by Tony Murrow and Evotia Tamua who co-own and run the business.
Auckland-based Samoan photographer Evotia Tamua. Photo: Evan Donnelly
Twenty Years of Samoa - Dateline Pacific, Radio NZ
22 July 2016
Evotia Tamua first started taking photos in the late eighties not knowing she would soon embark on a 20-year journey documenting Salelesi village and its changes.
"I started it because I just wanted to record what people look like," she said.
"I'm the same as my father, he was really interested in my family history. So, he would write things down and interview certain family members and for me, it was really about recording what people looked like before people died or moved away or became old."
Auckland Girls Grammar School Samoan group perform at Polyfest.
Polynesian Auckland in the frame - Michael Field, Fairfax Media
31 January 2009
Photographing Polynesian dance is a bit like catching images from a rugby game.
Mt Eden born Samoan photographer Evotia Tamua has armed herself with cameras for the last 20 years of Auckland's Polynesian Festival and produced a book on it, along with another essaying the city's Pacific people.
Yes, she says, it is easy to photograph the annual Polynesian Festival, and no, its not.