2025 : 06 Alex Mao Youth Photo Award

Rose Fifita;The forever flower;I noticed this plastic flower during White Sunday practice,  the same one that’s been there since I was little. I’d never paid attention to it before, but something about the way the light hit made me stop and grab my camera. It’s small and kind of tacky, but it’s been part of every celebration, every prayer, every memory. Somehow, this faded flower ended up being one of the most real symbols of my Tongan church and all the traditions I grew up with.
Rose Fifita;Future in ceremony;This photo captures young Tongans standing in tradition, framed by light and shadow. It speaks to pride, responsibility, and the power of passing culture down to the next generation.
Rose Fifita;Home is the frame;This is the wall in my family’s home, covered in photos from first birthdays, 21sts, weddings, and everything in between. Each frame holds a memory, a person, a moment we’re proud of. It’s where our culture lives every day, not just in big events, but in how we honour them, remember them, and hang them right where we can see them.
Isabella Nabouta;Na Bati Lailai   The Young Warrior;Inspired by Raude by Black Rose, this image of my little brother Jireh in traditional Fijian warrior wear reflects our people’s strength, sacrifice, journey   themes echoed in the stormy sea and Jireh’s Cakaudrove heritage
Rose Fifita;He ‘Otua ‘A Tonga (God of Tonga);I took this inside my Tongan church, just as the light fell across the scripture written in our language. It reminded me that faith is not just something we practice, it’s something passed down in the way we speak, worship, and live. Seeing the Word in Tongan reminds me of who I am, and who came before me.
Rose Fifita;Where we gather;I captured this photo at my Tongan church, a place deeply tied to my roots. The glow behind the windows felt like more than a sunset; it felt like culture, pride, and memory shining through. This is where I feel grounded, where my identity is shaped and carried forward a reflection of the light I come from.
Rose Fifita;Nasaleti;This worn sign marks the entrance to Nasaleti, my Tongan church. Time has chipped at the letters, but the meaning remains untouched. To me, it reflects how our cultural roots may weather and shift, yet their strength stays grounded in memory, faith, and pride.
Sara Li;In the Square of Me;My work explores my self identity and emotional isolations. I’ve photographed my own silhouette through a semi opaque pane of glass, the blurred square at its center fragmenting my reflection. Bathed in cool blue tones, the image invites you to linger on the spaces between clarity and concealment, asking “Ko wai au? / Who am I?” The obscured form and subtle distortions symbolize how identity feels both visible and hidden, a layered self revealed only through reflection.
Florence;Flowers
Florence;Flower with the Sunlight
Florence;Model
Jingjing Lyu; Butterfly or the Memory of Her Homeland; Light cuts across her face like memory — sharp, sacred, and full of ache. A paper butterfly rests on her cheek, fragile as the culture she carries. She does not speak, yet her silence echoes: of resilience, of beauty weathered by time, of a girl who is both shadow and flame.

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