Zion Savea, 8, shows off his ailao afi (fire knife) dancing skills.
Most kids are taught not to play with fire, but for 8-year-old Zion Savea and his family, afi (fire) has connected them to their rich Samoan culture and history.
Ailao afi or siva afi (fire knife dancing) originates in Samoa and is originally performed with a nifo oti - a type of club or knife with teeth along one edge and a hook at the end.
Some accounts say the siva afi was used as a warrior’s show of prowess; while others say it was a communication tool at night - particularly during war and colonisation.
These days, it features in Polynesian cultural performances across the world, with competitors descending on the shores of Hawaii every year to compete in the World Fireknife Championship.
Iunia and Lafi Savea, Zion’s mum and dad, saw the spark in their little boy’s eyes before he had even started primary school.
“Ever since he was four his dad used to show him fire dancing in Hawaii and around the world and we noticed he was really interested and would pick up a stick and start spinning,” mum Iunia says.
Zion Savea, 7, is a siva afi dancer from South Auckland. Photo / Supplied
His parents, both New Zealand-born and based in South Auckland, wanted to ensure their son embraced Samoan culture while having fun; as Iunia did in her younger years, finding her place with siva Samoa (Samoan dance).
Nu’ulua Performing Arts Academy, in Kelston in West Auckland, took Zion in for training in 2020. Lessons, however, were cut short, as the Covid-19 pandemic reached Aotearoa.
“During that time, me and my husband used to get him to do 100 spins every day. It was a good time for him to really get into it and he picked it up so fast.
“The other thing about Zion is he loves drumming and that plays a big role in it. That’s what gives him his energy. When he hears the drums it makes him go harder.”
Zion then joined the Siva Afi Māngere workshop, tutored by Amo Ieriko, and is now a member of Ōtara Siva Afi, run by Noelani Ah Chong.
With two years of training under his belt, he was ready to compete at the NZ Schools Siva Afi Competition earlier this year, in March, which was held online.
‘I looked around the room and their jaws were dropped’
“One thing I always tell Zion is to be humble. This is a gift from God. This is a talent you can be proud of but you have to be humble,” Iunia says.
Zion has taken his mum’s advice and recently shocked friends recently at the Puhinui School cultural assembly, where he performed for the first time for his teachers and friends.
“I looked around the room and their jaws were dropped. It was the best crowd he ever performed for. All the kids were screaming. After he performed he just went back to being himself. He just wants to be a kid again.”
Zion represents his villages of Sapapalii, Faleapuna, Sale’imoa and Lufilufi every time he performs. His talent has him sharing space with ailao afi legends and even his favourite music artists.
“I met (Samoan hip hop artist) Poetik and Melanie (the first female world fireknife champ),” says Zion.
Melanie Tia performed alongside Zion and the Ōtara Siva Afi group at Toa Samoa celebrations, in Ōtara, on the big Rugby League World Cup finals weekend.
Zion was the opening act for the performance and his mum says he was nervous to see so many people in the crowd waving their Samoan flags. But after a prayer and some reassurance from mum, he stunned the crowd.
“It was awesome! It was great. I got a blister,” he says with a giggle.
The performance at the Ōtara Le Toa 274 event was dedicated to his late uncle, Tai Savea, who also played for the Samoa rugby league team in 1998.
“He was very emotional that night before he went on stage, but he was hyped and ready to perform his heart out in honour of our Toa Samoa team and his beloved uncle,” his mum said.
With back to back weekends of performances, Zion is making a name for himself as a talented young ailao afi from South Auckland.
Inspired by the likes of five-time World Fireknife Champion Mikaele Oloa and Melanie Tia, Zion hopes to compete on the world stage in Hawaii one day.
But for now, he is happy having fun and developing his skills.
The family, which attends the Papatoetoe EFKS Congregational Christian Church of Samoa, maintains a strong connection to culture and faith and this plays an important role in setting Zion up to succeed.
“Siva afi is a part of our Samoan culture and we love how our son embraces his culture and is proud of it. Our ritual before any practise and any performance is start with God, end with God,” Iunia says.
“He deserves all the glory for blessing our Zion with this wonderful talent.”
Zion says: “I love siva afi because it’s my culture and I love my culture.”
Proud Samoan and siva afi dancer Zion Savea, from South Auckland. Photo / Supplied
