Collection · Research & writing
Reframing the Pacific
Two essays examining how colonial accounts, tourism media, and material culture shaped Western perceptions of Rapa Nui and Hawai‘i.
Essay one · 2024
Published by USC Pacific PostcardsRapa Nui: The Lost People
Using an 1869 account from Macmillan’s Magazine, this essay examines colonial encounters, forced displacement, environmental narratives, and how Western sources have shaped the history told about Rapa Nui. Published in USC’s Pacific Postcards collection.
Essay two
Hawaii: A Portrayal of Paradise
Through LIFE magazine’s 1959 depiction of Hawai‘i, this essay investigates how the bikini, Aloha shirt, surfing, and other cultural symbols were commercialized to sell an image of tropical paradise, and how that imagery influenced California beach culture.