Kahoʻolawe Mural Art Program

Some of the mural art program's youth participants

Earlier this year, the KIRC formed a collaboration with Kihei Charter School and Maui artists geared to engage the next generation in restoring, protecting and preserving Kahoʽolawe while also prompting a community dialogue about the importance of doing this work.

Student presents her ideas for the mural

Over the course of just two weeks, a group of 50+ participants aged 12 & 13 excitedly exchanged word associations, visual concepts and ideas taken from their Mālama Kahoʻolawe curriculum (available at http://kahoolawe.hawaii.gov/plans-policies-reports.shtml) in order to create a public mural to help teach others about Kahoʻolawe. Led by KIRC staff and artists Valentin Miró-Quesada + Jennifer Brown, main themes began to emerge as the students sharpened their messages about Kahoʻolawe into a mural blueprint. Together, and through many versions of their cohesive concept, (via drawings and individual oral presentations), a final image materialized. Within 3 days, the image was transferred to a 40-foot storage container being repurposed as part of a native plant nursery at the KIRC's Kihei Boat House property.

Prepping the container for student participation

"For the seventh and eighth graders at Kihei Charter School, this is an opportunity to work with real scientists, historians, and preservationists in the field, getting their hands dirty, and making meaningful connections between the things they learn in class and the world around them," states former school director Jen Fordyce, "For some of our kids, it is the best part of coming to school (and the kind of experience that will hopefully keep them from dropping out in the future)."

By learning to work together, contributing ideas and gradually incorporating parts of everyone's perception, participating youth significantly impacted the space, the community and the way those passing by the mural might consider Kahoʻolawe.

Students collaborate on mural vision

Today, just past the Kihei Boat Ramp, you can see their work of art which illustrates Kahoʻolawe volunteers requesting permission to serve Kanaloa (personified by the kino lau, or body form, of the heʻe, or octopus), with hoʻokupu of native plants - just as bid by protocol. 

The mural was unveiled at the KIRC's inaugural Mahinaʻai Night in May of 2015, an important part of the mural making process offering time for reflection. This Thursday, November 19, we invite you and your ʻohana to join us at our culminating Mahinaʻai Night event; the last in a series of 2015 events sponsored by the Maui County Product Enrichment Program (CPEP), to celebrate the Kahoʻolawe Mural Art Program. Together, let's ponder those same questions explored by these extraordinary young artists and make plans for continuing to share the spirit of Aloha Kahoʻolawe with our Maui community & beyond.

• What do you see? How does it relate to Kahoʻolawe?
• What effects can murals have on their environment and the people who see them?
• How does the mural make you feel when you look at each part?
• How does working together as a group instead of independently change the outcome?
• What can you "say" with art and murals?
• Where else do you find symbols that have a message to tell you?

Mahinaʻai Night is here! Please help us celebrate:

Thursday, November 19, 2015

5:30 - 7:30 PM | FREE

RSVP's Requested here or at 808.243.5020

NOTES: Park at the Kihei Boat Ramp and follow signs for the Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) - just a short walk to the boat house site (2780 South Kihei Road). Flash lights and closed-toe footwear are strongly recommended as you will be walking on a mulch-lined path amongst kiawe. Because there are no ATM's on site, please bring cash or checks if you plan to purchase food, beverages or to make a contribution to the Kaho'olawe Rehabilitation Trust Fund.

Sample mural concepts

Mural concept

Revised mural concept

And revised again

Student vision

Student vision

Student vision

Day 1 of 3 days of mural install

Day 3 of mural install

KIRC Collaborates with UH Maui's Institute of Hawaiian Music for its Final Mahina‘ai Night

IHM

The KIRC is proud to collaborate with UH Maui's Institute of Hawaiian Music (IHM) for its (final) Mahina‘ai event on Thursday, November 19, 2015 from 5:30-7:30 PM.

An exemplary program that mentors and trains aspiring musicians in performing, singing, composition, repertoire development, recording techniques, and marketing of Hawaiian music, IHM comes to us through the leadership of Dr. Keola Donaghy. Here, we learn a bit more about Keola and IHM's involvement with Kaho‘olawe.

Donaghy

Why are you volunteering your time for Mahina‘ai?
I grew up in Kama‘ole myself, in the 1970s, when the bombing was still going on, and first visited Kaho‘olawe in 1993. Today's generation and those who have moved here need to be reminded of the history of the island, the damage that was inflicted not only to the island but the Hawaiian people because of its abuse.

We have drastically scaled down access and operations on Kaho'olawe due to the results of this year's legislative session. How do you think these Mahina‘ai events can help garner more support for the 2016 session?
I think that events like these are crucial to raising awareness of the dire situation of KIRC, and the pressing need for ongoing financial support in its effort to rehabilitate the island. People cannot see the damage that was inflicted on the island from our vantage point on Maui, so they do need to be reminded that there is an incredible amount of work remaining to be done.

KIRC staff and IHM student Kui Gapero

Why is it important to gather community in recognition of this cause? How can music play a part in that process?
Music played a huge role in the Hawaiian Renaissance, documenting what was going on and being a voice for social and political change. It still does, and I try to instill in my students the importance of using their talents to support their community and to contribute to social causes such as this.

Anything else you would like to share with our readers?
Regarding the Institute of Hawaiian Music, people should know that we are always looking for new students. We have students from late teens to their sixites, some who have recorded CDs and others that know just a few chords and songs. Hawaiian or not, long-time residents, or malihini. Whether they speak Hawaiian or not now, they will learn. We invest a lot of effort into our students and simply ask that they invest as much in them selves, their studies, rehearsals and performances. The next semester is less than two months away, so anyone interested can contact me. Feel free to share my email and phone number 808-769-8133.

Ocean talk at Mahina'ai night

Keola is a prolific haku mele (composer of Hawaiian poetry), whose compositions have been recorded by Keali‘i Reichel, Kenneth Makuakāne, Kainani Kahaunaele, Amy Hānaiali‘i, The Pandanus Club, The De Lima ‘Ohana, O’Brian Eselu, Patrick Landeza, and Steven Espaniola. He has received numerous nominations for the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards as a composer, producer, and liner note annotator. Keola is the Faculty Coordinator of the Institute of Hawaiian Music, coordinates music studies at UH-MC, and teaches Hawaiian and world music, music theory and applied music. He holds a B.A. in Hawaiian Studies and M.A. in Hawaiian Language and Literature from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, a Graduate Certificate in Telecommunications and Information Resource Managmement (TIRM) from UH-Mānoa, and a Ph.D. in Music (ethnomusicology focus) from the University of Otago in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Additionally, he is a  voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (“Grammy Awards”) a former member of the Board of Governors of the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts (“Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards”), an active member of The Recording Academy, Society of Ethnomusicology, International Council of Traditional Music, the British Forum for Ethnomusicology - and - currently serves on the Board of Governors of PBS Hawai‘i.

Part of a series of full moon events geared to raise awareness of and access to Kaho‘olawe, Mahina‘ai nights offer a guided tour of the KIRC's new walking trail on its 8-acre Kihei, Maui property, live Hawaiian music, food vendors, an opportunity to talk story with experts in Kaho‘olawe history, restoration and culture and more. Through this program, we have met hundreds of individuals that may not be able to commit to the physical, time or financial commitments incurred by an on-island volunteer work trip, but are eager to be involved with Kaho'olawe. We see this as an important step in ensuring that the people of Hawai'i have access to Kaho'olawe, and in involving the broader community in developing the forthcoming Kaho'olawe Education and Operations Center.

Join us!
Thursday, November 19, 2015
5:30 - 7:30 PM | FREE
RSVP's Requested here or at 808.243.5020 

NOTES: Park at the Kihei Boat Ramp and follow signs for the Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) - just a short walk to the boat house site (2780 South Kihei Road). Flash lights and closed-toe footwear are strongly recommended as you will be walking on a mulch-lined path amongst kiawe. Because there are no ATM's on site, please bring cash or checks if you plan to purchase food, beverages or to make a contribution to the Kaho'olawe Rehabilitation Trust Fund.

Kaho‘olawe

This program is made possible by a grant through the Maui County Product Enrichment Program (CPEP). Visit http://kahoolawe.hawaii.gov/home.php for more.