Papa
Lloyd Ngiusanga, 2025
75х99cm, acrylic on canvas
Honiara, Solomon Islands
75х99cm, acrylic on canvas
Honiara, Solomon Islands
How does the traveller see it?
(Fragment of a post from a Facebook page)
This painting caught me immediately with its energy. The energy of dancing tattooed warriors.
Are you an artist, I asked an elderly seller deep inside a craft market in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands.
No, he said. My son is the artist. A boy (clearly his son) then cut something off a piece of wood nearby their little shop. I asked him: “What’s your name?”
His name is Lloyd, replied the father.
He doesn’t speak English? I asked.
That question went unanswered.
I don’t see a name on the piece, I then remarked after looking it over.
The young author’s eyes were fixed on some point and showed no signs of life.
The father said something to him in Pidgin English, pointing to a corner of the canvas.
I’ll come back tomorrow and buy it, I reassured him, if there’s a signature.
And so after a trip to the island of Tulagi the next day, I returned. The painting was now signed in the corner and yesterday’s date was written as well: July 3rd, 2025.
This painting was clearly not finished yesterday, I said. How old is it?
No answer.
Then I told the father: “I’d like to take a photo with the artist”. One waive of his hand and the boy, with his lifeless gaze caused no doubt by constant use of betel leaves, was holding the painting up with me for a photo.
The seller called this dance “papa”, and later in the national museum people informed me about the Suahongi dance (“dance in flight”).
Are you an artist, I asked an elderly seller deep inside a craft market in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands.
No, he said. My son is the artist. A boy (clearly his son) then cut something off a piece of wood nearby their little shop. I asked him: “What’s your name?”
His name is Lloyd, replied the father.
He doesn’t speak English? I asked.
That question went unanswered.
I don’t see a name on the piece, I then remarked after looking it over.
The young author’s eyes were fixed on some point and showed no signs of life.
The father said something to him in Pidgin English, pointing to a corner of the canvas.
I’ll come back tomorrow and buy it, I reassured him, if there’s a signature.
And so after a trip to the island of Tulagi the next day, I returned. The painting was now signed in the corner and yesterday’s date was written as well: July 3rd, 2025.
This painting was clearly not finished yesterday, I said. How old is it?
No answer.
Then I told the father: “I’d like to take a photo with the artist”. One waive of his hand and the boy, with his lifeless gaze caused no doubt by constant use of betel leaves, was holding the painting up with me for a photo.
The seller called this dance “papa”, and later in the national museum people informed me about the Suahongi dance (“dance in flight”).
And what do you think?