News 10, Kween Kong

KWEEN KONG

Words by Christine Lan

Becoming the first Pacific drag queen to compete on RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under and reach the finale was incredibly significant to Kween Kong and her community, but it was only one marker in the impressive trajectory that the supremely graceful South Auckland born, Adelaide-based artist has been on.

Along with being a finalist on season two of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, Kween (aka Thomas Fonua) has been a professional dancer since the age of 16 and worked for the Australian Dance Theatre, Red Sky Performance (Canada) and Black Grace (New Zealand), won the Prime Minister’s Pacific Youth Award for Arts and Creativity (New Zealand), completed an economics degree and master’s degree in cultural leadership, and created Haus of Kong – a safe space and community development group for queer youth who have been abused or kicked out of home, to help them access the superhero within and achieve their dreams. Kween credits her triumph to being inspired by her SamoanTongan heritage, the strength of women in the Pacific community and coming from a long line of talking chiefs (Tulafale). Being a drag queen is her version of being a talking chief – a mouthpiece to keep the stories of her ancestors going through her performance and artistry and a creative means of fostering activism, representation and a lateral style of leadership based on hearing, negotiation and inclusivity.

“RuPaul said in the last episode that I’m the golden child that was able to go out and make a life for myself, but the reality

of what it looked like was the village and women around me were the ones that made it a possibility, that helped hold down the fort and supported me to go out and achieve my dreams,” says Kween. “It’s beautiful to come from a humble background, but it’s also what’s kept me so grounded and [given me] humility in my practice.”

“I attribute my strength, ferocity and power to my mum, sister and nanna especially. She’s the matriarch of our family. She passed away when she was young, but her impression and impact on our family has been lasting. Her name is Alofa, which is Samoan for love and she was love personified. She was unconditional love and also tough love. She was a conductor for a Samoan choir and that role is particularly a timekeeper, so she brings the energy to the choir and keeps everyone up. I see home videos of my nanna performing like that and seeing the attitude that she had. I always identified with that energy. When I think of women in general, especially in the Pacific community, women have a natural instinct to nurture and to lead with love. I think the biggest thing I love about my mum and my sister, my aunties, my nanna – they’re always here to pick up the broken pieces of men and families because men, especially in the Pacific community, are riddled with pride and ego because of this hierarchical system that we operate on. Being the head of a village, being the head of a family – it’s a lot of responsibility for one person to hold and if that person is tired, the roof falls over all of us and it’s the woman who picks up all the pieces and that build the broken men up.

“My strength and the version of Kween that lives within me is always going to have a divine feminine energy that comes from a maternal space based on those women that have taught me how to be strong and how to be a man.”

“That’s what it’s meant to me and what strength looks like. Outside of drag, I’ve always found it difficult to channel that energy because it’s more the physical transformation that has allowed me to access her. Going through the process of Drag Race and having those chats with Ru have made that talk a little easier and given me tools that made it accessible outside of drag too. The women in my life are some of the strongest women in life and the ones that surround me and champion me are all Pacific women. My niece is one of those people too – I see it in her. She’s got this fire and strength and it’s something inherent in the ancestry of our people. Kween Kong strives to be all those things.” Starting at Black Grace dance company in New Zealand was ideal for the artist because it combined Western contemporary dance with world and Indigenous Pacific storytelling. “Because I come from a line of talking chiefs, my version of that is through my art,” says Kween. “This is how I continue our storytelling, through my drag, but also through all facets of my artistry. I’ve always been so proud to be a Pacific representation for our communities because growing up we didn’t have many examples – that kind of excellence and definitely not queer Pacific excellence on TV. The main representation we had was sportsmen like rugby players or criminals, so the idea of me going out to the arts was so foreign and also confronting, especially for my father (a Tongan talking chief). I want to be that representation for our next generation and to really encourage excellence within the Pacific community because our perspective on this world is really graceful, beautiful and not necessarily heard from, so I wanted to make sure we had a seat at the table, so we are heard, seen and acknowledged and championed.” Moving from being a professional dancer for 13 years to a drag queen six years ago felt very natural for Kween and was more appealing because it allowed Kween to have an open dialogue and lateral conversation with audiences. Kween describes her experience on Drag Race as “such an incredible experience” and found new family in the winning queen Spankie Jackzon and fellow runner-up Hannah Conda: “I think in the long run, it’s really set me up for not only drag, but for life,” says Kween. “I found a new strength and power that I didn’t necessarily have access to before going through this process. It’s been life-changing. Those two queens really were sisters to me. Whenever I was in my head, Spankie would give me the mama treatment and Hannah would just make me laugh. Through that competition, I’ve gained two sisters for life.” “I have so much love and respect for RuPaul,” says Kween. “For me she’s been one of the only examples of black excellence or POC excellence. I think the things that she really helped me through are the things that I needed since day one and I’ve been waiting to hear. She said that I’ve been neglecting my inner child and I need to give him permission to have fun and to be happy. I think that was my breakthrough moment. And then she had another massive “My strength and the conversation with me about shame and guilt, version of Kween that which is something my whole community really faces, espelives within me is cially in the queer community. There always going to have were so many pivotal moments for myself a divine feminine that I feel has put me on a path to even energy that comes more strength.” That strength, authenticity and the from a maternal sheer magnificence of Kween will bring extra space based on vibrance and invigoration to Melbourne those women that Fringe Festival with Kween’s thrillingly fabulous event, Klub have taught me how Kong. “After being on Drag Race, I’m super to be strong and excited because one of the things I’ve been how to be a man.” doing is producing my own work,” says Kween. “I’ve got some of the best Australian burlesque performers, drag performers, circus performers, side-show performers and human beings that I love and are in my circle. We’ve created an immersive space, so it’s really genre-defying. It’s going to be unlike anything you’ve experienced. Please dress up! Everyone should look up their 90s references. The DJs will be playing 90s music and the artists will be delivering some of the iconic moments across the 90s.”

Klub Kong will bring the ultimate party to Festival Hub: Trades Hall – Club Fringe on October 13.

FRINGE FESTIVAL GUIDE Must-see shows at the Melbourne Fringe Festival

Words by Christine Lan

Naomi

Created and performed by Patrick Livesey and directed by Bronwen Coleman, Naomi is an affecting true story about love, family and mental illness. After Livesey’s mother Naomi took her own life, they interviewed eight characters from Naomi’s life. This show is Livesey’s performance of their real words, which attempts to answer difficult questions in order to help others deal with despair, while offering deep insights into mental illness.

Naomi will be performed at Festival Hub: Trades Hall – Solidarity Hall on October 15-16, 18-23.

If Our Bodies Could Talk

If Our Bodies Could Talk is a brilliant fusion of physical theatre, dance and music, created and performed by movement artist Roya The Destroya and musical artist Eliza Hull. This new immersive performance is a work about disability, the body and memory, and blends electronic soundscapes, live instrumentation and vocals with movement, physical theatre, circus and audio storytelling.

If Our Bodies Could Talk is on at the NGV on October 6. Groundswell is an experimental, immersive sonic installation created by Matthias Schack-Arnott and Keith Tucker (Megafun) about our environmental impact. The large-scale participatory experience invites audiences to step onto its surface with thousands of ball bearings rushing underfoot to create a visceral wash of sound and movement.

Groundswell is on at the State Library of Victoria Forecourt from October 6-23.

Yalinguth Live

The inspiring Yalinguth Live – directed by Jason Tamiru and featuring performances by Kutcha Edwards and Bart Willoughby – is an immersive storytelling and musical tour of Gertrude Street, Ngár-go/Fitzroy, where the Aboriginal Rights Movement originated. The Yalinguth app, in reflecting the rich Indigenous traditions and the importance of oral history, guides Melbourne audiences as they walk with Elders along this insightful journey.

Yalinguth Live begins at the Exhibition Gardens and concludes at the Builders Arms Hotel on October 8.

Once More With Failing

Written and performed by David Fowles, this brave show is a live true-crime podcast about Fowles’ horrific experience of being stabbed multiple times in his home. Conceived as he lay in hospital, this show unravels a powerful true story of how violence affected the comic actor’s life from childhood.

Once More With Failing will be performed at Club Voltaire on October 11, 13, 16, 18, 20 and 23.

CLUB FRINGE: Klub Kong

Star of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, the ever-magnificent Kween Kong brings a 90s-themed variety show that is guaranteed to thrill audiences. Admired for her powerhouse performances and inspired by her Pacific ancestry, Kween Kong will host an incredible night, featuring Australia’s best drag, burlesque, circus and cabaret artists, and electrifying DJ sets.

Klub Kong will bring the party to Festival Hub: Trades Hall, Club Fringe on October 13. Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett

Created and performed by German-born cabaret icon Bernie Dieter and directed by Tom Velvick, Club Kabarett is a boundary-pushing Spiegeltent spectacular. With her deviant charm, incredible vocals and fabulous style, Bernie Dieter and her troupe of bombastic Bohemians will host an unforgettable and provocative night, which also features breathtaking circus, aerial and fire-breathing shows.

Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett will stun at Runaway Festival Park – Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent on October 6-9, 11-16, 18-23 and 25-30.

Doghouse

Written by Sidonie Bird de la Coeur and directed by Sam Weldon, Doghouse centres around a group of friends in an all-gender bathroom of a grimy Melbourne nightclub that turns into a tumultuous and tense night riddled with miscommunication. This queer character drama features superb absurdist comedy and captures those chaotic run-ins, reunions and mishaps.

Doghouse will be performed at the Motley Bauhaus – Black Box from October 10-15.

I said what I said

Performed by Aurelia St Clair, I said what I said is a one-woman comedy show about tackling life in Melbourne, sharehouse living, probiotics for dogs, girlbosses, dating and stereotypes. With her superbly sarcastic and mocking tone, the comedian delivers a challenging and electrifying show.

I said what i said is on at Festival Hub: Trades Hall – Solidarity Hall on October 6-14.

Pendulum

Pendulum – created by percussive artist sensation Matthias Schack-Arnott and globally renowned choreographer Lucy Guerin – is an enthralling dance-driven performance installation about time in which dancers move in sync with a field of suspended bells. The pendulum acts as a timekeeper, metronome and instrument of divinity while an intergenerational ensemble of women captures humanity’s strength and vulnerability.

Pendulum will be showcased at Shed 21, Docklands on October 5-7, 13-16, 19-23. Melbourne Fringe Festival runs from October 6 – 23.