Viliami Toluta'u

Who is Viliami Toluta'u?

Asipeli Havea "Viliami" Toluta'u is a sculptor and a professor of sculpture at Brigham Young University–Hawaii

Toluta'u attended high school at Liahona High School in Tonga. He then went to study at BYU–Hawaii. He then went on to earn an M.F.A. from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in 1983. He has been on BYU–Hawaii's art faculty since 1991.

Among works by Toluta'u is the statue of George Q. Cannon and Jonathan Napela at BYU–Hawaii that was unveiled as part of the 1997 Mormon pioneer sesquecentennial celebration. He also did a statue depicting Finau Ulukalala Feletoa II's 1807 encounter with writing for Liahona High School. He also did the sculpture Mamalahoe that is at the Windward Oahu Courthouse. He has also done sculptures for several elementary schools in Hawaii.

Among those who have studied sculpture under Toluta'u are Steven K. Sperry and Jacob Dobson.

Toluta'u also did the sketch art for Tuku Fonua - The Land Given to God, a BYU–Hawaii produced film that was done on commission from the government of Tonga.

In 2007 Toluta'u co-chaired along with Tavita Ka'ili the centennial celebration of the LDS Church in Tonga.