Before beginning this journal, it is important to acknowledge my position within the learning and research process. I am a Māori creative practitioner of Ngāi Tūhoe descent whose work is grounded in storytelling, cultural expression, and connection. As someone of both Māori and Pākehā heritage, I have spent much of my life navigating multiple ways of knowing and understanding the world. This duality shapes how I engage with both creative practice and academic research.

My research explores the concept of hononga and the relationships that exist between maker, kākahu/whakarākei, and wearer. As I am researching my own practice, I occupy the position of both researcher and participant. This means the reflections contained within this journal are not only responses to course materials, but also reflections on myself, my practice, and the assumptions I bring into the research process.

Through this Master's journey, I have begun to recognise that I have developed a visual vocabulary through years of creative and commercial practice. While many of my design decisions have become intuitive, this course has encouraged me to slow down, interrogate my practice, and consider how I might better understand and articulate the ideas, values, and relationships that shape my work. These reflections document part of that ongoing process.