Kiribati Te Wa illustrates the traditional te wa (sail canoe). The vessel is traditionally a male driven craft; it is tied to those qualities, which, in Kiribati, are seen as important in a man; strength, stoicism, and the skills of fishing, boat handling, and survival at sea.

This illustration, however, indicates that a woman brought the te wa to this picturesque location. In this, the artist is making a deliberate creative statement about the traditional construction of the te wa, as Kiribati women make the sennit string. This string literally holds the boat together.