Polynesian Studies Commons^™

Shaping Pacific Islander Identities In The Diaspora: Using E-Talanoa To Strengthen Transnational Ties, Lorna M. Probasco

Master's Projects and Capstones

Pacific Islanders have engaged in transnationalism since the time of their early voyages. Ancient wayfinders first learned to read the stars and swells to cross the ocean for a myriad of reasons: trade, opportunity, education, adventure, and more. Today, our borders have stretched beyond those of the Pacific Ocean, from the far reaches of Australia to the corners of Alaska, and yet we still maintain these transnational bonds with our ethnic homelands. One such way we foster these ties and build cultural competency is through talanoa.

Talanoa, a pan-Pacific speech genre, is more than just a form of communication. It …

Rapping Back: Counter-Narratives From Auckland, New Zealand, Mariel Lopez Rogers

Master's Theses

Across the Pacific in Auckland, New Zealand two rap groups, Homebrew and @Peace, are contributing to a theoretically rich and socially conscious Hip Hop scene. Their music critically questions commercialism and conformity in a culture shaped by a history of colonialism. This makes their message starkly opposed to the normative values of New Zealand. The musicians of Homebrew and @Peace, a mix of Polynesian and Pakeha (people of European descent), employ methods of decolonization theory through the use of storytelling and focus on indigenous values. In a country that has adopted the neoliberal beliefs that competition drives human relations, and …