ABSTRACT
In a conversation with Hanna B. Hölling, Jules Pelta Feldman, and Emilie Magnin, artist Rosanna Raymond discusses her interest in preserving Pacific heritage through performance. As a member of the Pacific Sisters and SaVĀge K‘lub Collective, she aims to tell Pacific stories through visual storytelling that includes her body. Raymond’s upbringing in street culture, combined with her experiences in hip-hop, spoken word, and various artistic forms, has influenced her approach to making the past present and preserving Pacific heritage. Raymond’s performance practice challenges conventional museum systems and norms, focusing on making cultural practice a living and relevant part of urban life. The concept of vā, a relational space that binds people and things, is crucial to her practice, and she has found the term to be applicable across various Pacific cultures. Representing a decolonized body that shares space with the ancestral past, the ‘Vā Body’ creates a tangible experience of intangible cultural heritage. Through her work in museums, Raymond has encountered challenges in conveying the meaning of her performances to Western institutions. She believes that cultural health and safety, including setting out intentions and asking for permission from ancestors, is essential in preserving and sharing cultural heritage through performances.
