As part of our He Toi Hou programme, Kia Mau Festival presents the new work from emerging artist Lila Crichton (Satuimalufilufi, Satapuala, Sāmoa).

Written by: Lila Crichton
Production Company: Woven Collection
Director: Lila Crichton

Spoiler: it’s messy under the Fala

At the centre of many Samoan homes lies the fala—a woven mat, passed between hands, across generations. It carries memory, it speaks of care, and it holds space for ceremony, conflict, grief, and celebration. In A Master of None: Brown Fala, this sacred practice of weaving becomes the central metaphor for a bold, choral performance work that unravels and rethreads what it means to belong—especially when that belonging is fractured by silence, power, and diaspora.

Set against the backdrop of Samoan communal life, Brown Fala draws together a cabinet of Pacific voices—singing, speaking, and moving in layered harmony. The ensemble traverses gospel, R&B, traditional choral forms, and spoken word theatre to create a richly textured soundscape of memory and resistance.

But this is not just a celebration. It is also a reckoning.

The work confronts the harm caused by misguided leadership—within systems, within communities, and within ourselves. It asks: what happens when those meant to protect us use power to wound instead? When silence becomes a coping mechanism, a weapon, or a cage? Whether inherited, enforced, or chosen, silence—this piece tells us—can be deadly.

With threads of lament and rage, tenderness and humour, Brown Fala speaks directly to the experience of Pacific people who live between homelands and host lands, faith and frustration, duty and disillusionment. Yet, even as it grieves, it also rejoices. Because in the act of weaving, there is healing. In the collective voice, there is power. And in returning to our own stories, there is freedom.

At its heart, A Master of None: Brown Fala is a deeply personal and profoundly communal offering. A tribute to the mat, the memory, and the voices who will not be silenced.

Review: “The best art makes us look inward as well as outward. This is it. ” — Deirdre Tarrant, Theatrereview.org

30 & 31 May 2025
Circa One
8pm Friday 30 May and 2pm and 8pm Saturday 31 May
Audience Care: PG Recommended
Price: $10 – $50

Presented by next generation artist from Te Whanganui-a-Tara, writer, director and composer Lila Crichton of the Woven Collective.

He Toi Hou brings together the most innovative and thought-provoking contemporary Indigenous arts. This pou is a testament to the spirit of creation and offers a space for fresh, dynamic works to make their debut, allowing audiences to experience the raw power and authenticity of new voices or old voices in new ways.

Kia Mau Festival is at the forefront of contemporary Tāngata Whenua, Tāngata Moana, and Indigenous arts in Aotearoa and beyond. We are innovators—pushing boundaries, redefining forms, and forging new paths with creative risk-taking at every step.Right here, right now, we bring together local, national, and international artists in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. We find the intersection where our stories intertwine, creating an experience that is uniquely ‘local’ yet unparalleled in Pōneke throughout the year.

Kia Mau Festival offers a truly unique experience, led by Tāngata Whenua, Tāngata Moana, and Indigenous voices at every level—from our leadership to our artists and audiences. Unlike any other festival, we are not just a platform for presentations; we are a hub for kōrero and whanaungatanga.