Testimonials
“I have been working with Emele for the last five years during the creative development of a television drama project, having met her prior to this through her work as an actor. Emele is a true leader and fosters an incredibly safe, fulfilling and productive environment during the writers workshops we have conducted. She is as willing to learn as she is to teach and brings a sense of humour, respect and knowledge to these spaces. I look forward to our continued working relationship which enriches my creative practise as a film and television producer.”
— Liam Heyen, Producer and Co-Founder, Mad Ones Films"Emele Ugavule brought exceptional cultural leadership, insight, and care to Creative Australia’s National Pacific Arts Consultation. Her deep community knowledge and thoughtful facilitation strengthened the consultation process, helping illuminate key priorities across Pacific creative communities. Emele’s considered approach has laid a strong foundation for more meaningful and informed long‑term engagement between Australia and the Pacific region."
-Zainab Syed, Director - International, Creative Australia
“From 2023-24, Pātaka contracted Emele to produce an ambitious symposium titled Tok Talanoa. The event was distinctly international, bringing together artists from across Aotearoa as well as the Moana (Pacific) for a weekend of presentations, talanoa and performances. Emele coming on board was invaluable. Her role spanned the conceptual framing of Tok Talanoa, identifying and liaising with speakers, managing the budget, marketing the event, facilitating and wrapping up each panel and presentation, and overseeing the administration of contracts and payments. Across it all, Emele brought her amazing expertise of Melanesian art. Her vision for the event was distinctly warm, intergenerational and inclusive, as she advocated not only for a range of speakers and topics, but also underscored the need for spaces for children, catering that could warmly hold all attendants together, and opportunities for presentation and participation that acknowledges different knowledges and expertise. The event remains a highlight of our programming and has set the bar for future events. It was stimulating and rewarding and over-delivered on what resources were available. We were able to contract out Tok Talanoa with full confidence to Emele, knowing she would be across every aspect of the event. We would work with her again in a heartbeat and could not recommend her more highly to anyone looking to organise any type of event.”
— Ioana Gordon-Smith, Lead Curator, Pātaka Art + Museum“Working with Emele has been a deeply formative part of my creative journey across several collaborations. A few include her inviting me as a director’s attachment on Kalaga Atu, she was my tuakana for The Western Line, a stage play I developed through a PAS Open fellowship at the Writing and Society Research Centre, and through her invitation to perform at the launch of Kalokalo, an anthology she produced by poet Arieta Rika.
Every collaboration and interaction has always been met with care and generosity, while maintaining a professional relationship grounded in cultural safety. Her guidance has given me the confidence to develop, produce, and direct my own work. She is a steadfast advocate for my creative practice as a tusitala and people weaver, and has continually challenged me to grow and to push for stronger representation of Pacific stories, especially in so-called Australia.
I co-founded the Tagata Moana Writers, a village of pan-Pacific storytellers in NSW. Emele is one of the reasons this space exists because of the foundation she laid before my arrival in Sydney. Later, I invited Emele to share her wisdom with our emerging writers, to foster and nurture other emerging storytellers in the same way she helped me.”
- Gabriel Faatau'uu-Satiu, Founder & Creative Director | Co-Founder & Lead Facilitator | Tusitala & People Weaver, Satiu Studios | Tagata Moana Writers