Yuki Kihara: Der Papalagi (The White Man)

Der Papālagi (The White Man) responds to German national Erich Scheurmann’s 1920 book Der Papālagi. Kihara staged a social experiment in which Christian and Barbara Durst – German migrants living in Sāmoa for over 24 years – “go native” appearing dressed in full indigenous Sāmoan regalia in locations in and around Apia. The series raises questions about Sāmoan nationalism and the politics of home and belonging, exploring ethical boundaries between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation.The work premieres on 18 November at Cairns Regional Gallery, Queensland.Yuki Kihara received support from Creative New Zealand to make this work.