Kween Kong

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Kween Kong
Kween Kong at RuPaul's DragCon LA, 2023
Born
Thomas Charles Fonua

(1992-08-09) 9 August 1992 (age 31)
New Zealand
OccupationDrag performer
Websitekweenkongofficial.com

Kween Kong is the stage name for the drag queen persona of Pasifika New Zealander former dancer Thomas Charles Fonua (born 9 August 1992). Kong is best known for competing on the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under, where she was a runner-up.

Early life and education[edit]

Thomas Charles Fonua[1] was born on born 9 August 1992[2] in New Zealand, a Pasifika New Zealander with Samoan and Tongan descent.[3] Fonua speaks both languages, and says that language is important for maintaining his culture. He has two older brothers and a younger sister.[4]

He grew up in South Auckland, and began dancing aged seven, after his grandmother started teaching his sister to dance. He travelled to Samoa and Tonga as a child, staying with family and having to help out with chores.[4] He was raised as a Jehovah's Witness, attending church several times a week with his family until he was around 16, when his parents split up. The family realised that he was gay quite early on.[5]

When he was 16, he reached a fork in his life. One choice, encouraged by his father, was to play rugby for the New Zealand men's under-19 team, which could lead to a place with the All Blacks. The other was to join Black Grace, the top contemporary dance touring company in New Zealand. His father was worried that he would be laughed at if he became a dancer.[4] He trained with Black Grace for two years,[6] which meant moving away from home and touring with a much older group of performers. He had to go on tour to Germany for months, which he found very hard.[4]

Dance career[edit]

After completing his training with Black Grace, he stayed with them for five years as a full-time principal dancer, which included international tours,[6]

He was the recipient of an Indigenous Dance Residency, as a dancer and emerging choreographer at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Canada for at least three years. Also in Canada, he was an associate artist with Red Sky Performance, and performed at Toronto Dance Theatre.[6]

Moving to Australia, he danced with the Sydney Dance Company in Sydney.[6]

During his dance career, Fonoa worked Neil Ieremia, Rafael Bonachela, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Jock Soto, Douglas Wright, Raewyn Hill, Sandra Laronde, Ross McCormack, and others.[6]

After migrating to Australia in 2013[7] or 2014,[8] Fonua joined the Australian Dance Theatre (ADT), based in Adelaide, South Australia,[9] where he was a principal dancer for around seven years.[4]

Drag and performing artist[edit]

Living in Adelaide, Fonua and a friend took part in a Halloween-themed drag show, and then started doing drag, adopting an alter ego as a drag queen, Kween Kong. The name was originally Fonua's rugby nickname (because he was effeminate and like a bulldozer, "like a female gorilla", in his words).[4] and Fonua says that it makes him feel strong.[5][10][11]

In 2019, Fonua performed with Maggie Beer in the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, in Liner Notes Live, in which they toasted to the soundtrack of The Blues Brothers film.[3]

In March 2022, Kween Kong featured in Black Puddin', cabaret show in the Adelaide Fringe.[7] In mid-2022, Fonua co-created, choreographed, and co-starred in Rella,[12] a children's theatre production reimagining Cinderella presented by Windmill Theatre Co in Adelaide.[7]

Fonua competed as Kween Kong on the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under, from 2 July 2022, and came in as a runner-up.[13] Fonua was the first Pasifika person to appear on the show.[4]

In September 2022, Fonua performed for 29 days at the Edinburgh Fringe performing in 27 Briefs Factory.[7]

In May 2023, he was in Los Angeles creating some music to be released later in the year.[4]

Other activities[edit]

Fonua started Haus of Kong, a collective offering employment and support to young people rejected by their families due to their sexuality,[4] and to mentor emerging drag artists both personally and professionally.[3]

Costumes[edit]

Kween's costumes are made by Adelaide-based costume-maker, Sheri McCoy, who works under the trade name of CostumeCreater.[7]

Awards and recognition[edit]

Fonua was the recipient of the New Zealand Prime Minister's Pacific Youth Award for Arts and Creativity in 2014.[14][6]

He is the recipient of an inaugural "30 Under 30" award by Coming Out Australia, supported by the Boston Consulting Group, in August 2019.[15][1]

In 2019, Kween Kong won the Miss Drag Nation Australia title[4] in Drag Nation Australia.[16] Drag Nation is a national drag competition, with entrants first competing in state competitions, giving them an opportunity to represent their state in the national finals.[17]

In 2022 Fonua was nominated for the Dora Award For Outstanding Choreography in Canada.[12]

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2023 Logie Awards of 2023 Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Nominated [18]

Media appearances[edit]

In January 2023, Fonua (as Kween Kong) was a guest on Australian TV show The Project with Hannah Conda[19]

In May 2023, he was interviewed on the inaugural episode of Stories from the Pacific on ABC Radio.[4]

In February 2024, Fonua appeared with Australian journalist and television presenter Narelda Jacobs on Fran Kelly's podcast Yours Queerly.[5]

Year Title Role Notes
2022 RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Herself Season 2 — Runner-up
2023 The Project Herself Guest with Hannah Conda
Erotic Stories Rachel Tension 1 episode
2024 Bring Back My Girls Herself Guest

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Episode 16: Dance as Self-Expression w/ Thomas Fonua aka Kween Kong". RedCircle. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2024. This week on the show Kealan is joined by award-winning choreographer and dancer, 30 Under 30 recipient, and community leader Thomas Charles Fonua aka Kween Kong... founding the Haus of Kong, and winning Drag Nation Australia...Find Thomas at @thomascharlesfonua
  2. ^ @kweenkong_ (10 August 2022). "It's my bday! This is what 30 looks like …" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ^ a b c Vlach, Anna (8 July 2022). "RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under South Aussie contestant revealed". The Advertiser (Adelaide). Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Fonua, Thomas (31 May 2023). "Thomas Fonua on Kween Kong, Black Grace and the fateful decision that changed his life" (audio and text). ABC Pacific (Interview). Interviewed by Macumber, Bobby. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Schafter, Mon (27 February 2024). "Why journalist Narelda Jacobs and drag star Kween Kong have been admiring each other from afar". ABC News. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "Thomas Fonua". Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Kween Kong on reality TV and representation". CityMag. 14 September 2022. Archived from the original on 15 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  8. ^ "Thomas Fonua : Australian Dance Theatre". Australian Dance Theatre. 1 March 2015. Archived from the original on 26 February 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  9. ^ Tonkin, Maggie (2016). Fifty : half a century of Australian Dance Theatre. Mile End, SA: Wakefield Press. p. 167. ISBN 9781743054581.
  10. ^ Brooks, Sam (18 September 2022). "Kween Kong could've been an All Black". The Spinoff. Archived from the original on 17 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  11. ^ "Episode 16: Dance as Self-Expression w/ Thomas Fonua aka Kween Kong". amp.listennotes.com. Two Two Guys. 25 April 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  12. ^ a b "Rella". Windmill Theatre Company. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Meet the 10 Queens on 'RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under' Season 2". www.out.com. 14 July 2022. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  14. ^ "Pacific Youth Awards". 22 January 2015. Archived from the original on 22 January 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  15. ^ Out for Australia (23 August 2019). "Out for Australia, proudly supported by the Boston Consulting Group, are shining a light on the next generation of LGBTIQ role models through their inaugural 30 Under 30 awards..." Retrieved 8 March 2024 – via Facebook.
  16. ^ Russell, Stephen A. (30 March 2021). "We Are Here brings BIPOC brilliance to Darlinghurst Theatre". Time Out Sydney. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  17. ^ "Meet the 10 Queens on 'RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under' Season 2". Out. 14 July 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  18. ^ Knox, David (19 June 2023). "Logie Awards 2023: nominees". TV Tonight. TV Tonight. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  19. ^ "Kween Kong and Hannah Conda: How RuPaul's Drag Race Changed Their Life". YouTube. The Project. 13 January 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.

External links[edit]

  • Media related to Kween Kong at Wikimedia Commons
  • Interview on Stories from the Pacific, 31 May 2023
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