Shayla Kearney

Many Samoan people that are living in diaspora in New Zealand and New Zealand born Samoans often have feelings of cultural disconnection and belonging. The research question guiding this capstone project is:

How can branding and packaging design reconnect Samoan people to their culture through an educational meal kit service?

This project proposes a meal kit service that is designed to reconnect individuals with Samoan culture through making meals and learning about the historical origins of the recipes and sharing this with friends and family. This is intended for audiences who are of Samoan heritage yet feel a disconnection from their culture and want to learn more about the history and traditions and sharing the meals and knowledge with their friends and family. This project is informed by research into Samoan cultural identity and disconnection, along with research into Samoan food and traditions. This project provides a meaningful and convenient way to provide the audience with an opportunity to reconnect with their Samoan heritage through recreating traditional meals and sharing the value of food with family and friends.