When Yuki Kihara explains the meaning of her Japanese name, the picture of a crisp winter’s day instantly appears. “The translation of my name is naked autumn trees clothed by the falls of gentle snowflakes. “Japan just comes into mind, don’t you think? But I was brought up under the coconut tree,” she laughs heartily.
Kihara is proud of her Japanese roots - through her father - and her Samoan ancestry through her mother, who hails from the village of Fitiuta on the island of Taʻū, in the Manu’a group of islands, in American Samoa. And it is in Samoa where Kihara, also a proud fa’afafine (transwoman) , is now based as an international artist; having previously been based between New Zealand and the islands for several years before moving to the motherland permanently about 12 years ago. “I was able to be based anywhere around the world and I’ve decided that Samoa was the place that I wanted to be.
I’ve been very blessed to be based in Samoa...
and Aotearoa is my second home.” Kihara initially trained as a fashion designer at the then Wellington Polytechnic and graduated with a Bachelor of Fashion Design Technology in the mid-90s. A paradise where there is no judgement She went on to use her skills in the performing arts, film and television industry; working behind the scenes as a wardrobe manager responsible for the actors’ costumes and wardrobe.
That behind-the-scenes work ultimately inspired her to get into photography and video in a way that let .
