Dr. Linda Arthur Bradley is a scholar and world traveler who has been doing research and fieldwork on Hawaiian, Polynesian and Indonesian material culture (art, clothing, textiles and architecture) for the past 27 years; she is Professor Emerita from Washington State University, prior to which she was a Professor at the University of Hawai`i.

Dr. Arthur Bradley was the Curator of Historic Costume and Textiles Collections in both institutions. She routinely collaborates with other scholars as she rounds out her lectures, to ensure that the information is both engaging and current. Listed in Who’s Who in America, Dr. Arthur Bradley is regarded as the world’s authority on Hawaiian fabric design and clothing. She is an award-winning author and lecturer. Her interesting, entertaining and thought-provoking lectures in universities resulted in her winning both state and national awards for excellence in teaching.

As a consultant Dr. Arthur Bradley has been an expert witness in copyright infringement cases with regard to Hawaiian fabric prints, has worked with the Smithsonian and other museums, and has consulted on the costuming of three movies. She is frequently a keynote speaker at the opening of museum exhibits on Hawaiian clothing and textiles. As an author, she has written countless articles and seven books, four of which are on Hawaiian topics: Aloha Attire: The History of Hawaiian Dress; The Aloha Shirt (in Japanese, with co-author D.Brown)and two Ka Palapapa Po’okela Award winning books- The Art of the Aloha Shirt and At the Cutting Edge: Contemporary Hawaiian Quilting.

---

Lecture Topics- Hawai`i

---

1. Boat Days- The Romance of Luxury Cruising to Hawai’i in the early 20th Century
Travel on Matson’s cruise ships was truly luxurious in the heyday of cruising (before WWII). Images of life aboard those cruise ships will set the scene. On the other side of the trip, arrival into Oahu was referred to by the locals as ‘Boat Days’. Passengers were greeted with enthusiasm, music, dancing and leisure. Matson cruise ships were instrumental in the development of tourism in Hawai’i.

2. Aloha Attire: The Evolution of Unique Clothing for Living in Hawai’i
Environmental and cultural factors were important in the development of island dress. In Hawaii, aloha shirts and muumuus are well known as garments designed to be comfortable in hot, humid environments. Hawaii’s loose garments with bright prints were adopted on other Polynesian islands, and by 2000 Hawaiian prints were featured by major Italian designers.Today Hawaiian prints are worldwide.

3. From Trash to Treasure: Hawaiian Shirts as Valuable Collectibles.
Wear your Hawaiian shirt to this presentation and Dr. Arthur Bradley, the world’s authority on aloha attire, will discuss aloha shirts with you and provide estimates of value. Learn how the aloha shirt went from fashionable, to tacky, and then to highly collectible. The highest price thus far at auction was $17,500 for a shirt made in the early 1950s. It’s fashionable again, and all around the world!

4. The Hawaiian quilt: a unique American Art Form
Before the arrival of missionary women and their quilts, Hawaiians slept under layers of barkcloth (kapa). They were especially intrigued by the Album quilts brought by the ladies, and first integrated those designs into their barkcloth. What began as functional textiles became art. Folklore, history and rituals are important in the construction of these beautiful and very expensive works of art.

5. Hawaiian Style: Houses, Architecture and Interiors
There are a number of unique aspects to Hawaiian style- the environment is important not just in art and textiles, but also in its’ structures. There is often very little in the way of barriers between inside and outside. Hawaiian homes are based on the melding of cultures in the design, as well as informality and comfort.

---

Lecture Topics, Polynesia, Melanesia and Bali (Indonesia)

---

1. Might Christmas Island Disappear?
Many of the small islands and atolls in Oceania, like Christmas Island, are being affected by rising sea levels. Polynesia is at risk: Hundreds of inhabited atolls and islands throughout the Pacific are expected to disappear because they have little high ground. If climate scientists and oceanographers predictions about rising sea levels prove to be true, then many of these islands could become uninhabitable. This lecture will describe how visitors can better understand the evolution of these islands, and the threat of rising sea levels.

2. Gauguin and his Polynesian Art:
Polynesians have been the focus of Western artists. Paul Gauguin is well known for his art depicting the peoples of Polynesia. In 1891 Gauguin permanently moved to Tahiti but found it too corrupted by Westernization and moved on to the Marquesa Islands such as Nuku Hiva. It was on Hiva Oa that he finally settled and spent his final days. In his art, Gauguin combined everyday observation with his own perception of the beauty of living simply. His art, much of which is on display at the Musee d’ Orsay in Paris, has left a rich visual record of the early years of westerner’s visits to French Polynesia.

3. Traditional Polynesian Dress: Textile Art and Comfortable Dress
Environmental and cultural factors were important in the development of island textile art and dress. In Hawaii, aloha shirts and muumuus are well known as garments designed to be comfortable in hot, humid environments. Missionaries from Hawaii traveled throughout Polynesia in order to convert islanders to Christianity; in doing so they brought these loose garments to the Islands. Native artists developed batik, a process for creating bright prints that are now visual icons of Samoa, Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea and Samoa. The process of making batik on Bora Bora will be featured in this presentation

4. Tapa Barkcloth in Samoa and Fiji
Before westerners arrived in Oceania, many of the island peoples made a non-woven fabric from plants that was called tapa. Woven fabrics were introduced by missionaries in the 19th century, but tapa continue to be made in the islands. Generally referred to as barkcloth, tapa is made by compressing the inner fibers of the paper mulberry tree into fibers and through repeated pounding a non-woven cloth is created and used for a variety of functions. Tapa production is a major art form in Samoa, Fiji, and Tonga today.

5.. The Body as Wearable Art: Tattoo Practices throughout Oceania
Tattoo is an art form that has been practiced throughout Oceania, and is present in all of the islands we’ll visit on this cruise. Tattoo is especially well known in Hawai`i, Samoa and Fiji, but is also prevalent in New Guinea, Vanuatu, on Christmas Island and in the Soloman Islands. Captain James Cook reported this art form in 1769. Then the tools included needles carved from bone or shell, inserted into a handle (much like a small rake). They were used to apply permanent ink that was pounded into the skin with a mallet. Varied patterns developed, and they have great socio- cultural significance. Some tattoos take months to complete, are ritually important, as they are used in important rites of passage.

---

6.Textile Art: Traditional Textiles from Bali

---

While Balinese textiles originated as functional items of clothing, they quickly became items of art in Bali.
They are not worn for everyday clothing now, but are primarily worn for festivals and rituals. The most incredible textiles woven, and the amazing artistry is found in how design is created through selective pieces of each yarn being dyed prior to weaving, (ikat and geringsing) or the integration of gold wire into the weaving (songket) or application of gold foil to the surface of the textile, as found in perada cloth. In spite of their high cost, Balinese textiles are in high demand for interior designers around the world.

Primary focus on Hawaii, South Pacific, South American cultures, Generalized focus on fashion throughout the world. I've lectured aboard many Norwegian cruises as well as Princess. Just finished lecturing (3/2022) on Viking's world tour and loved it! Evaluations have consistently been very positive.

Lectured aboard the P&O world cruise from Hawaii-New Zealand January - February 2023

The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.