A West Papuan student became the first in his tribe to earn a master’s degree from UH Mānoa’s landscape architecture program. He worked on a community resilience project in West Maui as part of his studies.
- Dersel Bonai earned a Master of Landscape Architecture from UH Mānoa, becoming the first in his tribal lineage to receive a master’s degree.
- His capstone project focused on healing landscapes that reconnect communities with their traditions and land.
- Since January 2025, he worked as a graduate assistant on the ‘Olowalu: The Road to Resilience’ project with The Nature Conservancy in West Maui.
- His work with the West Maui community emphasized the connection between environmental health and community well-being.
- He plans to use his Indigenous knowledge in future landscape architecture work to empower Indigenous communities across the Pacific.
Source: Hawaii
Share this article
