So many names, so little time.
When I was a kid, the name ‘Ofa seemed a little too ‘foreign’ or ‘exotic’ (as my year 6 teacher put it) for the burbs of Bullcreek in the 80s. So when the family moved to South Lake, I had decided I would take on a new identity. And this identity’s name would be Nicole.
I still remember all of the faces in my life, of people’s eyebrows rising as I would introduce myself. The way their head would shift to left or right slightly, presenting their ear(s) just in case they hadn’t heard correctly. Many would pronounce the ‘O’, saying my name as Oaf-ah. Others would take great pride in making a joke out of my name like “Ofa me some money will you?”, which was always followed by “Bet you haven’t heard that one!”, to which I would always follow up with a “No. Never. You are the first”.
My new alias in South Lake was working fine until my mum and I made a trip to the local shops. I ran into some of our block’s kids, and they were waving and saying “Hello Nicole!”. I know my mum assumed that the first-time was misdirected. But as more and more kids were saying hello, I could see the corner of her right brow beginning to rise gradually. Even a couple of the kid’s parents acknowledged my mum and I with a quick nod and a “Hi there Nicole”. And that’s when I copped a flick to the ear and a “Who the hell is this Nicole?”. My mum’s ‘ninja’ ear-flicking skills meant even when I knew that it was coming, I was still surprised. And it always hurt more than one would expect. And she certainly was a ninja, because I could go from laughing to crying with a quick flick to the ear and with out causing any embarrassing shopping centre scenes.
Today I work under a number of different names for a number of different projects where the medium I use is dependant on the concept.
The Community as a collective of artists, has always been one I have always respected and supported. I’ve collaborated with a number of their artists under varying pseudonyms in various ways. From music, to performance/ cabaret/ theatre to artists I attended Uni with studying Visual Arts.
I am very honoured to have been asked to be involved here on the website, and a couple of upcoming projects.
Don’t be fooled by the number of stage names/ alias/ pseudonyms I have… I know where I’m from, and where I’m going to. This blog is an invitation for you to check out what is happening in this season of my life creatively.
I’ll be posting music up soon.
