A theatre work was born when a Tongan woman became tired of performing as other nationalities and never her own.
Artistic director Sesilia Pusiaki, of Auckland-based Lima Productions, said she had played and studied several characters in theatrical work - Samoans, African Americans, Maori, Niuean - but never Tongan.
The complete lack of Tongan work inspired her ''to touch on her own culture'' and write Sei `O Fafine.
Even though Sei `O Fafine was the first Tongan contemporary dance theatre work in New Zealand, she did not consider herself a pioneer.
''I just wanted to play my own character and speak my own language.
''It was a want to play ourselves and to identify with things we grew up with, like our mothers.
"You always see the Samoan mother and the Niuean mothers, but our Tongan mothers have a distinct charisma that we wanted to showcase.''
Otago Girls' High School pupil Losaline Ikahihifo (17) and teacher's aide Losana Taungapeau (24), both of Dunedin and both Tongan, planned to see the performance at Kavanagh Auditorium tonight, as part of Arts Festival Dunedin.
Ms Taungapeau said she was ''excited'' about seeing a dance performance incorporating Tongan language.
''Being a minority in Dunedin, it's great to see others like ourselves.''
Losaline said the performance allowed her to share her culture with her non-Tongan Dunedin friends and learn more about her culture.
She sang and danced, and Sei `O Fafine proved Tongan theatre was possible, Losaline said.
