Understanding Values
Combatting Neocolonialism with Indigenous Epistemologies in Literature: An Analysis on Patricia Grace's Novel Potiki
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Amari Ohara
This essay examines how Pacific Island epistemologies view time and culture as fluid and place value in history, land, and community. With the introduction of Western influence in the Pacific, there have been attempts by the West to minimize these values for the sake of economic gain, which can be seen through land struggles in which the Western influences want to use to build tourist attractions, much at the expense of the native islanders. This paper reflects how literature portrays the way loss, land struggle, and resilience of Pacific epistemologies have carved a path for Indigenous cultures to protect their values and combat Western oppressors in times of changing values.
Bridging Cultural Divides in Healthcare Communication: Practical Strategies for Supporting International Students on U.S. University Campuses
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Akshata Balghare
This paper explores the challenges international students face in navigating the U.S. healthcare system, focusing on cultural and technical barriers that limit access to essential health information. The study examines how international students' diverse cultural backgrounds influence their understanding and interaction with U.S. healthcare services. Conducted at a large public university in West Texas, the research employs a user-centered design methodology to advocate for culturally inclusive healthcare communication. Data collection involved four phases: interviews to investigate international students' healthcare experiences in their home countries and their perceptions of university-provided resources; task observations to evaluate their ability to navigate the university's health insurance website; focus groups to collaboratively develop strategies for improving access to healthcare information; and an online survey to capture broader insights from the international student population. Findings emphasize the need for universities to adopt multicultural approaches in healthcare communication, ensuring that information is accessible and comprehensible to a diverse student body. Recommendations include updating international student orientation programs and enhancing digital resources, key sources of health information, to better address their needs. By engaging with "Oceanic Journeys," the paper contributes to a broader dialogue on fostering inclusivity and understanding in the humanities, particularly through strategies supporting international students' healthcare communication.
The Value of Personal Travel Diaries
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Vladimir Riabov
An epistolary phenomenon of personal diaries is analyzed from different prospectives including person’s motivation (self-expressions and honest reflections on events in the world, society, community, and personal life). Travels give unique opportunities to a person in exploring the surrounding world and her/his role in the universe. The travelers’ stories reviewed reveal personal discoveries of the world beauty (“A “Wondrous Paradise” of Ocean Barrier Reefs”), reflections on civilization history (ruins of Pompeii; battlefields near Thermopylae, the Silarius (Sele) River, Verdun, Auschwitz-Birkenau, Stalingrad, Omaha Beach, and Hiroshima), and search for wisdom and harmony (immersed in Balinese’s peaceful and hospitable nature centered around their faith in karma). Students and faculty share their experiences in educational trips (“Cultural Immersion Trip to Senegal”, “Children of Honduras”, “Discovering Rome”), natural science trips (“ARGYLES Scholars Explore Niagara Escarpment”), and professional and environmental missions (“Volunteering in El Salvador”, “Our Honduran Mission”, “Nursing Students Go to Belize”, and “A Biodigester for Costa Rica”). Community members contribute with “Christmas in Bethlehem”, “Quebec, the City of Dreams”, “Immersing in San Miguel de Allende”, “Streets of Asia: Guangzhou” and personal reflections (“Eternal Love: A story of a Japanese artist and his painting”, “Where She Is ….”, “A Cry in the Wilderness”, and “A Millennium Trip to Egypt”). All these stories illustrated by photographs were peer-reviewed and published in academic journal editions. Warm readers’ comments posted in multimedia encourage authors to continue endeavors and support them in moral struggles. These personal stories gently contribute to powerful steams of Humanities.
Sustaining Kanaka Maoli Values in Fashion
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Andy Reilly
Despite efforts by colonizers to eradicate Hawaiian culture, the 1970s saw the re-emergence of Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) identity, language, and culture. One area where this continues to be seen is in clothing designed by Kanaka Maoli entrepreneurs who use cultural values to guide their decisions. Using a case study methodology, the authors interviewed designer Micah Kamohoali`'i and examined a transcription of the interview using a line-by-line analysis, yielding four themes: authenticity, education, responsibility, and sustainability. These themes were related to Kanaka Maoli values of i ka ʻōlelo ke ola, i ka ʻōlelo ka make (in the language there is life and in the language there is death), `ohana (family), kuleana (privilege, responsibility), and aloha `aina (love for the land). Findings align frameworks for the study of material culture, expand the literature to include Hawaiian fashionable clothing, and yield insights into alternatives to the Western fashion system.
