Cultural Identity
Still Connecting
Still Connecting explores my personal relationship with culture and the idea that cultural connection is an ongoing journey rather than a final destination.
Grounded in my own Māori identity and experiences, the project challenges the expectation that cultural connection can be measured by how much language, history, or knowledge someone has. Instead, it creates space for people from any cultural background to recognise feelings of uncertainty, disconnection, learning, and reconnection within their own experiences.
Year
2026
Target Audience
Cultural Identity
I began by reflecting on my own experiences of feeling connected to a culture while still questioning where I belonged within it. This led me to explore how cultural connection is often treated as something you either have or don’t have, rather than something that can change, develop, and be questioned over time.
Through experimentation with visual language, I explored ideas of connection, separation, movement, and continuity. I developed my own interpretation of kōwhaiwhai-inspired forms, using their flowing and spiral qualities to represent a journey without a fixed beginning or end.
These insights showed that communication does not always require spoken words. I responded by developing anonymous story cards with short prompts, allowing participants to reflect and choose whether to contribute their story to the exhibition or keep it for themselves.