{{Short description|Pacific weaver in Dunedin, New Zealand}} {{use New Zealand English|date=March 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}} thumb|Emma Kesha, following her investiture in August 2011 '''Misa Emma Kesha''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|QSM|size=85%}} (born {{Birth based on age as of date|70|2011|06|06|noage=1}})<ref name=":2" /> is a Samoan master weaver based in Dunedin, New Zealand, who has received awards for her contribution to the arts, Pacific communities and weaving in New Zealand.

== Early life == She grew up in grew up in the village of Fusi, Saluafata, Anomaa, Upolu. Her mother is Apoua Peai Fuatavai from Salelesi, and her father, Enosa Fuatavai, is from Fusi, Saluafata.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Kesha |first=Misa Emma |title="Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." |url=https://pantograph-punch.com//posts/whatever-your-hand-finds-to-do,%20https://pantograph-punch.com//posts/whatever-your-hand-finds-to-do |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=Pantograph Punch }}{{Dead link|date=December 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> She started weaving as a child influenced by her mother and grandmother.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Benson |first=Nigel |date=2010-11-09 |title=Weaver wins supreme award |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/weaver-wins-supreme-award |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=Otago Daily Times |language=en}}</ref> Kesha came to New Zealand in 1958 and initially lived in Auckland in Ponsonby.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2011-06-03 |title=Weaver recognised for keeping art form alive in New Zealand |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/197565/weaver-recognised-for-keeping-art-form-alive-in-new-zealand |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

She says of weaving in Samoa:<blockquote>"It's an everyday activity in the village where I grew up. In Samoa, we weave mats for the floor, and baskets to carry food from the plantation, and bags to carry your Bible to church, and personal belongings, and fans to cool ourselves in the hot Pacific climate." Emma Kesha (2010)<ref name=":1" /></blockquote>

== Career == Kesha in her working life ran a leather manufacturing business; she is retired now.<ref>{{Citation |last=Pasifika |first=Tagata |title=Dunedin Pacific Pioneer – Misa Emma Kesha |date=2013-10-03 |url=https://tpplus.co.nz/entertainment/dunedin-pacific-pioneer-misa-emma-kesha/ |language=en-NZ |access-date=2022-03-05}}</ref>

Kesha was invested in organisations to further Pacific culture and weaving. She was a member of the PACIFICA organisation (formally the Pacific Women's Council) and attended the eighth annual conference in Wellington in 1983.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PACIFICA {{!}} NZHistory, New Zealand history online |url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/women-together/pacifica |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=NZ History}}</ref> In 1983 she set up the Multicultural Weavers Association in Dunedin.<ref name=":2" /> Te Roopu Raranga Whatu o Aotearoa, a national weaving group was also set up in 1983, and Kesha was a committee member in 1993 along with Emily Schuster (convener), Cath Brown, Waana Davis, Toi Maihi, Diggeress Te Kanawa, Te Auē Davis, Rānui Ngārimu, Mata Smith (Niue) and Tepaeru Tereora (Cook Islands).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Te Roopu Raranga Whatu o Aotearoa {{!}} NZHistory, New Zealand history online |url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/women-together/te-roopu-raranga-whatu-o-aotearoa |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=NZ History}}</ref>

Kesha has tutored and exhibited in New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa, Nouméa, New Caledonia and Australia.<ref name=":1" /> A regular workshop Kesha ran was the Iva-Pacific Arts Workshops at the Canterbury Museum. In 2009 it was the ninth time for her to do this workshop as part of the Pacific Arts Festival of Christchurch organised by Pacific Underground.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |last2= |first2= |last3= |first3= |title=Pacific Arts Festival of Christchurch |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0901/S00189/pacific-arts-festival-of-christchurch.htm |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=Scoop News}}</ref>

In 2002 Kesha was the University of Canterbury Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies Artist in Residence and created an installation called ''Siva Siva Maia: Come Dance with me''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Artists in Residence {{!}} Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies |url=https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/mbc/artists-in-residence/ |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=The University of Canterbury |language=en-nz |archive-date=28 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328011953/https://canterbury.ac.nz/mbc/artists-in-residence/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Kesha was one of 100 artists to represent New Zealand at the 11th Festival of Pacific Arts in Solomon Islands in July 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wellington.Scoop » 100 NZ representatives at Festival of Pacific Arts |url=https://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=43428 |access-date=2022-03-05 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2012-03-14 |title=NZ at Festival of Pacific Arts |url=https://www.thebigidea.nz/news/industry-news/2012/mar/114934-nz-at-festival-of-pacific-arts |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=The Big Idea |language=en}}</ref>

== Honours and awards == Kesha was awarded the chieftain title Misa in recognition of service to her family and community in Samoa in 1998. She was the first woman in her family to receive this title.<ref name=":1" />

At the 2010 Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards, Kesha won the supreme award.<ref name=":1" /> Kesha was awarded the Queen's Service Medal (QSM) in the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours, for services to the Pacific community.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/queens-birthday-honours-list-2011 |title=Queen's Birthday honours list 2011 |date=6 June 2011 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=5 March 2022}}</ref>

== Personal life == Kesha married Harry (Hira) Kesha in 1961.<ref name=":0" />

== References == {{reflist}}

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== External links == Dunedin Pacific Pioneer – Misa Emma Kesha - [https://tpplus.co.nz/entertainment/dunedin-pacific-pioneer-misa-emma-kesha/ Youtube video]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kesha, Emma}} Category:1940s births Category:Living people Category:Samoan emigrants to New Zealand Category:New Zealand weavers Category:Recipients of the Queen's Service Medal