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Story: Tongans

Filipe Onevula Tohi

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Filipe Onevula Tohi

Filipe Tohi came to Auckland from Tonga in 1978. He moved to New Plymouth, where he developed a unique style as a sculptor, drawing on European art traditions, Māori wood carving and the shape of Tongan stone ruins. Here he is working on the Auckland University fale using the ancient art of lavalava – the lashings which bind traditional houses and canoes.

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How to cite this page

Melenaite Taumoefolau, Tongans – Pacific Islands identity, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/1269/filipe-onevula-tohi (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Melenaite Taumoefolau, published 4 March 2009, updated 1 July 2024.