Hui Mo‘olelo Mural Project Blessing & Public Unveiling at University of Hawaiʻi Maui College, presented by Maui Public Art Corps and the County of Maui

June 27, 2025 (10 am - 12 pm) | Free |  310 W Kaahumanu Ave, Kahului, HI 96732

Join us in celebrating the completion of three new large-scale murals rooted in local stories and created in deep collaboration with community & artists:

• Solomon Enos at Ka‘a‘ike Building (storytellers Uncle “Gaby” Gouveia & Pualani Enos)
• Eric Finley (SEVEN) at Pilina Building (storytellers Louis Garcia III & Kaliko Storer)
• Jay Gilleard (Cbloxx) at Kupa'a Building (storytellers Anuhea Yagi, Hōaka Delos Reyes, Nicolita Garces & Ashley Ancheta Galacgac)

Google event map: HERE

Event Agenda

9:45 am
Guest arrival & opening music
📍 Pilina Building (see map)

10:00 am
Opening Pule led by Uncle Bill Garcia
Unveiling of Eric Finley (SEVEN) Mural with partner & storyteller remarks
Inspired by moʻolelo of Louis Garcia III & Kaliko Storer
📍 Pilina Building

10:55 am
Guest arrival at Kupa'a Building
Unveiling of Jay Gilleard (Cbloxx) Mural with partner & storyteller remarks
Inspired by moʻolelo of Anuhea Yagi, Hōaka Delos Reyes, Nicolita Garces & Ashley Ancheta Galacgac
📍 Kupa'a Building (see map)

11:25 am
Guest arrival at Ka'a Ike Building
Unveiling of Solomon Enos' Mural with partner & storyteller remarks
Inspired by moʻolelo of Uncle “Gaby” Gouveia & Pualani Enos
Closing Remarks
📍 Ka'a Ike Building (see map)

11:45 am
Guest arrival at Pāʻina Building
Music by Uncle Gaby & ohana during lunch gifted by UH
📍 Pāʻina Building (see map)

Please RSVP

Media Release

On Friday, June 27, 2025, the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College will host the blessing and public unveiling of the Hui Mo‘olelo Mural Project, presented by Maui Public Art Corps and the County of Maui. This free, community celebration marks the completion of three powerful murals rooted in the stories and spirit of Hawai’i; each the result of months of deep collaboration, cultural consultation, and hands-on community engagement. The event will be led by Uncle Bill Garcia, a member of the Royal Order of Kamehameha and Kākalaleo for Nā Hanona Kūlike O Piʻilani, and emceed by Maui Public Art Corps Cultural Consultant Sissy Lake-Farm, who brings decades of leadership in cultural preservation and education through her work as kumu hula of Hālau Makana Aloha O Ka Lauaʻe and former Executive Director of Hale Hō‘ike‘ike at the Bailey House/ Maui Historical Society. The event begins promptly at 10 am and finishes at 12 pm. 

The three Hui Mo‘olelo murals across the UHMC campus are the culmination of past Hui Mo‘olelo cohorts, in which community storytellers captured place-based audio recordings rooted in memory, later interpreted as public artworks by professional artists through a public call and selection process. The result is a trio of striking, deeply resonant murals that celebrate the interconnectedness of people, place, and story.

At the Kaʻa‘ike Building, Solomon Enos has completed a breathtaking mural drawn from the words of Uncle “Gaby” Gouveia, as collected by Pualani Enos of the UH Mānoa Matsunaga Institute for Peace. “The oral histories gave me a ‘kūlolo’ level of understanding of Maui—dense, rich, and sweet,” shares Enos. “I laughed out loud as often as I was brought to tears. With deep gratitude and aloha, I offer this work to the Maui community.” The project was enriched through a series of community engagement activities led by Maui Public Art Corps, including paddling with Nā Kai ‘Ewalu Canoe Club in Kahului—where Uncle Gaby once coached—and an emotional gathering at the Kahului YMCA, where stories, music, and hula brought participants together in healing and celebration. As one participant reflected, “That experience may change our papa and individual’s lives. The lessons on life and ʻohana and the hug touched me deeply and many others, for sure.”

Outside the Pilina Building, artist Eric Finley (SEVEN) designed a dynamic mural inspired by  moʻolelo shared by Louis Garcia III and Kaliko Storer, centered on the story of a 92-pound ulua catch and the lifelong lessons that come from the ocean. “This opportunity to make connections and form new relationships through creative collaboration is very rewarding in many ways beyond just the art,” shares Finley. Through a Hui Mo‘olelo songwriting workshop in Kīhei, community members explored the moʻolelo of Garcia and contributed to the mural’s creative direction through original lyrics and storytelling. The song “Pule, Catch Fish and Share” emerged from the gathering—a living echo of the moʻolelo that inspired the mural. It will be shared as guests arrive at the July 27 event. 

At the Kupa’a Building, Jay Gilleard (Cbloxx) presents an evocative mural shaped by conversations with Anuhea Yagi and Hōaka Delos Reyes as well as Nicolita Garces and Ashley Ancheta Galacgac. “The exploration of trans existence through history is a reoccurring theme in my portfolio,” Gilleard explains, “especially in relation to ancient cultures and the deities that embody gender fluidity.” The mural features a carved stone head of a gender-ambiguous healer integrated into a significant Kahului stone —an image born of community stories. Gilleard’s engagement with the community included a plant medicine workshop at Maui Nui Botanical Gardens led by Namea Hoshino and Nicolita Garces, where participants explored traditional Hawaiian and Philippine healing practices. “Stone as both a literal material and a metaphor is incredibly fitting for exploring the concept of permanence, memory, and history—like a vessel for holding stories across time,” they note.

Through Hui Mo‘olelo (“a gathering of stories”) community storytellers and professional artists are paired each year through a process that includes free workshops, audio recordings, and a community-based call for public art proposals. Upon selection, artists engage in months of consultation with community members and cultural practitioners to shape artwork that is site-specific, collaborative, and truly reflective of the people it honors. It is this model of deep engagement that makes the murals meaningful, not just as artworks, but as embodiments of shared experience. These stories are not told to the community, but with and through them. It is the community who will steward these murals, share their stories, and uphold their mana for generations.

"At its core, our public art program is about connection—to place, to people, and to story," says Kelly White, manager of the County of Maui's public art program and Chair of Maui Public Art Corps. "What we’re seeing here is more than murals; it’s a blueprint for how we can uplift cultural knowledge, amplify community voice, and reimagine public space through creativity, care, and deep collaboration.”

Maui Public Art Corps emphasizes that the success of public art relies on more than paint on walls—it lives in the gatherings, workshops, and relationships that form around it. By centering community in the process, the resulting artworks become points of pride, reflection, and kuleana. This is not art placed in public; it is public art in its truest form.

“At UHMC, we believe that education extends beyond the classroom,” shares University of Hawaiʻi Maui College Chancellor Liu Hokoana, “These murals bring learning into our shared spaces, offering moments of reflection, inspiration, and connection for every member of our community.”

Parking is available near each mural site, and guests can access directions and the full event schedule at mauipublicart.org/events. Those with limited mobility or tight schedules are encouraged to use the site map and specific event agenda to plan their visit. There will be 10 seats at each of the three mural sites reserved for kupuna. It is suggested that attendees bring their own beach chair or quilt for additional seating, as well as sun protection. 

To explore each mural in depth—including process notes, community consultations, artist reflections, and audio recordings—visit mauipublicart.org/gaby, mauipublicart.org/louis, and mauipublicart.org/healers.

Mahalo to the County of Maui, Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, HCF Maui Strong, the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation, the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College, and Hui Mo‘olelo storytellers and partners for making this ambitious initiative possible.

Learn more: mauipublicart.org/uhmc