This study is concerned with representation. It considers the nature of a culturally located, discursive form called veitalatala and its creative translation into designed artifacts that consider the lyrical and graceful nature of Tongan women’s tālanoa.

We rely very heavily on things, environments, or people external from ourselves to preserve our own memories. Mnemonic reminders, whether they are visual, aural, olfactory, or tactile, reinforce our memories, strengthening neural pathways. The removal of reminders through the destruction or disintegration of an environment that might have scaffolded mental processing could very likely cause...

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the lived experiences of contemporary Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) women voyagers and navigators from the double hulled sailing canoe Hōkūle'a. The research is unique because it addresses the historical and contemporary gaps in scholarly texts and publications that have scarcely included women's perspectives and contributions as traditional...