Sailasa has the unique gift of movement, chanting, composition and knowledge which is passed on to a chosen few by our elders.

Sailasa was an Artist in Residence at the Oceania Centre for Arts and Culture since 1998.

Sailasa Tora's traditional village is on Koro island, between Fiji's two major islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu.  Sailasa's mother taught him guitar and ukulele from an early age. He started playing bands at fifteen or sixteen and learned instrumentation and composition, trumpet and cornet as a member of the National Youth Band in Fiji. His early musical education included 4-part harmony in church, and Fijian popular music. Their mother also introduced him to classical music.

"The past is just like today, we have dark and light together, you know. You've just got to reach into the light and leave the dark. That's what I've done with the music. There was no Christianity in Fiji, back in those days. But it doesn't mean that God wasn't around for those guys, because there were very uplifting parts of our culture even back then." 

"People look at the ocean as a sort of barrier between two places. With my forefathers - the sea was like something that connected two places together, it was our street, it was a highway in which we used to travel from one place to another. The mind, if you use it well, is also a highway - generations could travel from one place bringing good things about life to another generation to improve their lifestyle, not only generations but between people all over the world".