Alice Aparicio
The Myth of the Vahiné: Representation vs. Reality
My thesis, titled The Myth of the Vahiné: Representation vs. Reality, uses a mix of primary sources and an accompanying literature review to examine several topics: the history of Tahiti and its colonization/decolonization, Western sexualization of the exotic female body, and the problem of cultural representation viewed through the embodiment of fashion. It shows how the vahiné has been taking power over her representation since the 20th century and into the 21st century.