Marinating the pomfret in dark soy sauce and ginger
Polynesian wooden sculptures embody a polytheistic tradition that connected spirituality with nature. Rarotonga, Fishermen’s god Wood 16 inches high. These figures were placed on the prow of the fishing canoe to ensure the success of the fish
Learning the fish species of South-East Asia and the Pacific has helped me better understand who I am.
Turns out my favorite museum in DC is the museum of living plants, the U.S. Botanic Garden. Especially during the holidays, it’s somewhere I like to go with our family to be immersed in the plants and amongst art made of plants.
By the time Gauguin painted this bowl of citrus in Tahiti, California had already become a state and planted citrus to grow their economy. One of the citrus plants that flourished was a lime from a Pacific Island, the Tahiti lime.
A bachelor rests alone. Knowledge and Passion: Ilongot Notions of Self & Social Life (Cambridge Studies in Cultural Systems), Michelle Zimbalist Rosaldo, 1980
Photos titled Nothing to Lose by British Nigerian artist, Rotimi Fani-Kayode. I love the storytelling of his own Yoruba culture through masks and plants and berries. Much more to see in this series from 1989 that also reminds us of the connection bet
Tahiti, Fly whisk Wood, sennit 11 inch high (handle only) University Museum, University of Pennsylvania The Sculpture of Polynesia 1976, The Art Institute of Chicago
“The highly prized wood of the calophyllum plant is used for making canoes, bowls, furniture, gongs and houses in Polynesia. The oil extracted from the seed is mixed with coconut oil and used in massage and hair care. The tree is also commonly
What made Frida so special was that she embraced all of her contradictions and dualities. Having ancestors from Germany and Mexico was how she attached to indigenous culture.
When you’re adventurous but also a homebody… Photos include a prized caftan, cooking setup of my dreams, and pumpkin carving before the raccoons ate them.
New Zealand’s fertile forest with their large trees made it unnecessary for the Māoris to build outrigger or double canoes like the ones found throughout Polynesia. Māori boats were made from very large seaworthy tree trunks and ornamented with

Cultural Exchange is a monthly newsletter that explores Native Hut themes including art, nature and cooking. Centered around her everyday experiences in Northern Virginia, Vanessa pulls cultural references from all over the world, with a focus on islands in the Pacific. Join the Native Hut community wherever you reside through subscribing below.