Bozu së !
My name is Marion Pëkecie Wawalaha, I am a Kanak woman from New Caledonia. Both of my parents have origins of Lifou island. My father is from the Kumo tribe (Wetr district) and my mother’s family is from the Drueulu tribe (Gaica district). Even though I am used to go in Lifou for holidays, I have spent most of my life in Nouméa, New Caledonia’s capital. There, I was able to meet people from various parts of the Pacific. Those encounters and what school taught me about my country made me aware of the diversity of cultures present and acknowledged there. Even though this diversity exists, we share the same love for our country, its beauty, its history, its expressions, and of course its culture that makes it so unique.
꒰ঌ(•͈⌔•͈)໒꒱
꒰ঌ(•͈⌔•͈)໒꒱
After getting my literary baccalaureate and attending a preparatory class for the Grandes Écoles in Lapérouse high school (Nouméa), I have decided to go for history studies. In my school days, I liked history because it helped me understand how the world we know today was built. In 2024, I obtained my history degree at the University of New Caledonia, and I am currently in a master’s degree of research in history in Rennes, France. My master thesis focuses on the way the French naturalists have studied the shells in New Caledonia in the second half of the 19th century. Oddly enough, I did not struggle to adapt to my new life, but the contrast of the latter with the life I had on my archipelago makes me even more proud to be born in such a wonderful and culturally rich land.
Drawing has been my passion since I was 13. At that time, I found an interest for mangas and stories posted online, especially on Wattpad. This app motivated me to write. I think that this was also the time when I understood that I could draw to do more than just represent things that I liked: I could build my own universe. Since then, I started to picture my own characters and write or illustrate stories that I posted on social media. I’ve made myself a lot of friends there (mostly other hobby artists), from New Caledonia, France, and elsewhere.
I have been posting my drawings on Instagram since 2015. I like to think of my profile as a kind of personal gallery, and also as a diary that helps me keep track on my various interests along the years. Even today, I continue to make illustrations or create small comics on my free time. Most of the time, I portray my characters in situations that are inspired by my travels, or my favorite movies or shows. Lately, I practice making videos, that are often related to trendy music or audios on social media.
I admire the way art can tell stories, share or educate the reader. That is why I also work on a fantasy story that takes place in a fictional country in the Pacific. I hope that this way I could use my art to promote elements of the cultures in Oceania through fiction.