KAHOʻOLAWE
Animated Stories
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Michael K. Nāhoʻopiʻi has been involved with Kahoʻolawe from virtually every perspective in its recent history, from Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana member and former US Navy Officer-in-Charge of Kahoʻolawe during the conveyance of the island to the State of Hawaiʻi, to senior manager during the early Model Cleanup and - now - Executive Director of the Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC).
In June 2022, former KIRC staffer Kelly McHugh-White sat with Michael for an audio recorded talk-story rooted in a Kahoʻolawe sense of place. A segment of their conversation was interpreted by artist Taisiya Zaretskay as this animated short, which premiered at the historic ʻĪao Theater in December 2022 and was exhibited at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College Pā‘ina Market from January - March 2023. |
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On April 27, 2024, the Kahoʻolawe-inspired story of Kevin and Kukui Gavagan was unveiled as a short animated film during a free event at ProArts Playhouse in Kīhei.
As the family of Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission's Terri Gavagan, Kevin and Kukui have spent many years participating as kākoʻo (supporters) and volunteers both within the Reserve as well as from their Maui home. As Assistant Director of Engineering at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, Kevin Gavagan received the 2022 Mālama i ka ʻĀina Award by the Maui Invasive Species Committee, the Maui Association of Landscape Professionals, and the County of Maui, exhibiting a passion for horticulture, native plants, and Hawaiian culture as well as leadership in helping to restore Kahoʻolawe. As a Kanaeokana Aloha ‘Āina Leader Awardee, Kukui has been recognized for her growing commitment to aloha ‘āina; accepting the kuleana to work for the benefit of our community and affirming the importance of our cultural values in today’s society. |
Pop-Up Performances
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In May 2023, singer, songwriter, author and poet Tanama Colibri performed a public pop-up performance featuring original songs inspired by Kahoʻolawe. Following a 4-day trip to the island with Maui Public Art Corps, which is only accessible through volunteer work accesses with either the Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission or the Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana, Tanama worked closely with community members with special ties to this place to create music that celebrates its unique character and stories. The one-time-only/ pop-up performance was scheduled in Wailuku Town as part of the SMALL TOWN * BIG ART initiative, which additionally featured original music celebrating its distinctive sense of place, history and culture.
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In June 2023, Nā Hōkū Hanohano finalist Anthony Pfluke shared music composed through his Maui Public Art Corps Kahoʻolawe volunteer access during a pop-up performance in Wailuku Town, free and open to the public. Through his experiences on Kahoʻolawe, community consultations and other opportunities to engage with the artist, Anthony presented an original set that reflected the stories and history of these special Maui places.
"If I’m granted the opportunity to create a mele for Kahoʻolawe and Wailuku, I’m excited to discuss and receive mana‘o and ‘ike from nā kūpuna of these places, in order to properly weave together the mele. I intend to write most of the songs in ‘Ōlelo Hawai’i, if not all, but through the process of talking with kūpuna and all involved in the project, the identity of the songs will be found." |
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In November 2023, singer/songwriter, looper pedal artist and multi-instrumentalist Stephen Henderson collaborated with Adaptations Dance Theater to debut Ola i ka wai ‘o Maui. A pop-up performance of 5 movements inspired by an interview between Lopaka White of the Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission and Aunty Sally Ann Delos Reyes of Lahaina, Stephen composed each movement with distinct pani maoli (native instruments) and place-based melodic motifs pulled from mele wahi (a known song about that particular place) for dancers to develop original choreography from. One movement, Uwe ka lani ola ka honua, features voiceovers of Aunty Sally speaking about meeting in the ocean to save Kaho’olawe: “You can’t just bomb an island”; “You going put us in jail!? You going shoot us!?”; “If I going die today, then it’s a good cause”.
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Hui Mo‘olelo
Through our Hui Mo‘olelo program, participants complete an immersive storytelling workshop and record conversations with an intergenerational partner. Each year, we invite artist proposals to interpret the resulting stories as public artworks in collaboration with the community. A growing collection of stories about Kahoʻolawe or by its stewards can be found below:
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