One of many exhibitions at MIF2025 is FALE SĀ / Sacred House — a spiritual and political sanctuary created by FAFSWAG, the groundbreaking queer arts collective from South Auckland, Aotearoa (New Zealand). (ALL PHOTOGRAPHY JOY COKER (C) 2025)
Located within the wider programme of Manchester International Festival, FALE SĀ invites audiences into a space shaped by Indigenous knowledge, gender fluidity, and collective memory. It is both art and ceremony — a powerful reminder that queer and Indigenous identities have always existed, long before colonial systems attempted to erase them.
“We’re all queer and of Indigenous descent,” says Elyssia Wilson Heti, an interdisciplinary artist and producer with FAFSWAG. “This work comes from a place of shared practice, drawing on ancestral knowledge systems and translating them into contemporary conversations.”
Founded in 2013, FAFSWAG emerged in response to the absence of queer, Pacific representation in the creative industries. Over 12 years, the collective has grown into a transnational force, producing bold, culturally rooted work across disciplines — from digital installation and portraiture to performance and film.
Their presence at MIF2025 marks a significant moment, both in their ongoing relationship with Factory International and in the evolving global discourse around identity and decolonisation.
At the heart of the exhibition is Rest in Palotu — a portrait series featuring each member of the collective. Beyond static images, each portrait is enhanced with augmented reality: visitors can scan a QR code to hear personal reflections, stories, and layered interpretations of what FAFSWAG means to them.
“This was a collective work that we made all together,” Elyssia explains. “The designs in the background are drawn from different Tapa cloth traditions across the Pacific. Where I’m from — Niue — we call it Heapo. These motifs represent the diverse places we come from, including Māori members of the collective.”
In addition to the portrait series, other works in FALE SĀ explore relationships between animals and Indigenous law — a response to a provocation by lead artist Pati Tyrell. Each member offers a personal, culturally rooted take on how these connections shape their worldview.
“There’s a real urgency to tell our stories right now,” Elyssia says. “The political climate we live in demands it. But this exhibition is also about care — reminding ourselves and each other that trans bodies, gender expansive bodies, have always been here. We have queer ancestors who live beyond us.”
FALE SĀ / Sacred House is not just an exhibition. It is an act of resistance, a gesture of healing, and a deeply moving tribute to ancestors and futures alike.
As Manchester becomes a stage for voices across the globe, FAFSWAG’s offering stands to the power of Indigenous storytelling — fierce, poetic, and beautiful, if you just want to see great portraiture.
🗓️ On now until 20 July 2025
HOME, Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4FN
🎟️ Free Entry
🌐 More info: factoryinternational.org/whats-on/fale-sa-sacred-house
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