Barbara Andaya

Professor Barbara Andaya is a faculty member in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, affiliated with the School of Pacific and Asian Studies (SPAS). Her research explores women’s roles in Asian indigenous religions, emphasizing comparative analyses across Southeast Asia and broader Asian contexts. She contributes to interdisciplinary platforms like Art of the Ancestors, which highlights artistic and cultural traditions of Southeast Asia and Oceania.

Her work examines how older women mediate spiritual practices, such as the Ghatu dance-drama in Nepal, where they guide entranced youth during rituals. This reflects her focus on historical and anthropological dimensions of gender in religious frameworks. While no specific grants or advising roles are detailed, the Department of Asian Studies actively supports student initiatives, as seen in funding for MAAS student Hla Moe Tara Hlaing’s attendance at conferences.