LAHAINA

Currently, our work in Lahaina includes the following projects:

​Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahaina

​Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahaina is a collaborative program of Maui Public Art Corps, Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House/ Maui Historical Society, the County of Maui and Lahaina Restoration Foundation that cultivates stories celebrating the history, culture and sense of place of Lahaina. In June 2024, we welcomed our 4th annual Hui Mo‘olelo cohort to participate in a 3-part storytelling workshop and record a talk-story with kūpuna of Lahaina. The resulting stories will form the basis of an RFP (request for proposals) wherein professional artists select one or more to inspire a work of public art in a discipline of the artist's choosing (e.g. song, dance, animation, mural, theatrical performance, etc). Upon selection by a community panel, artists enter a period of project development to engage stakeholders in arts activities, infuse the design with community feedback, and tie the work to a unique proverb from Mary Kawena Pukui’s ‘Ōlelo No‘eau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings to help ground it in a sense of place. 

Hui Mo’olelo aims to connect residents & visitors more deeply with accurate accounts of Maui history and culture, and help to ensure that local narratives and cultural heritage are recorded and passed down to future generations, fostering a sense of identity and belonging.

Maui Strong: Art for Hope

Installed in June 2024, this special exhibition was developed for the County's Office of Recovery Satellite Office at the Lahaina Gateway. Featuring new artwork created by Hawaiʻi artists enrolled in the Local Public Artist Roster, the exhibition is directly inspired by the impactful 2023 “Maui Strong” artwork installation — a 1,000-foot barrier fence positioned along a perimeter of the Lahaina burn zone showcasing artistic messages of hope by 600 Maui students. Professional artists were asked to create work symbolizing strength and hope, and to draw from the students' artwork that embodies the community's collective spirit and commitment to rebuilding and recovery. The resulting collection of 11 super-sized artworks highlights the artistic achievements of both students and professionals, and provides a visual testament to the promise of a brighter future.

The County of Maui invites community members to experience this moving tribute to resilience, unity, and hope. ​

Maui Strong

In December 2023, we unveiled “Maui Strong,” a 1,000-foot mesh barrier fence installed along a perimeter of the Lahaina  burn zone, showcasing the artistic talents of 600 students who dedicated their creative efforts to convey resilience amid the August Maui wildfires.

Following the success of our Sticker Buffet activities with Lahaina Intermediate School, Baldwin High School, Pōmaikaʻi Elementary School, ʻĪao Intermediate School and Maui Waena Intermediate School - which generated hundreds of "Maui Strong"-inspired student artworks - we were granted an HCF Maui Strong grant to transform the student designs into temporary fencing and install it along a perimeter of the Lahaina  burn zone. We believe this artwork installation will serve as a symbol of resilience, unity, and the promise of a brighter future amidst challenging times while simultaneously safeguarding individuals from the elements and potential hazards of the cleanup site. Students are actively contributing to their community by creating meaningful artwork that is displayed prominently, fostering a sense of pride and ownership. Further, the barrier fence will become a reminder for visitors of the area to act with respect as our community grieves and heals, further enriching their experience on the island.​​

Arts & Resilience Event

In November 2023, we produced the Arts & Resilience event on the Great Lawn of the University of Hawaiʻi-Maui College Campus. Offering resource tables by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement’s Kākoʻo Maui Resource Hub, a pop-in artmaking activity with Hui No'eau Visual Arts Center, shared storytelling on stage and a hands-on mural exercise with UH faculty members Michael Takemoto and Marc Antosch, the event's headline feature was a collaborative performance by Adaptations Dance Theater and musician Stephen Henderson inspired by a Hui Mo‘olelo recording with Aunty Sally Ann Delos Reyes of Lahaina. More than 100 community members participated, many leaving with a complex emotion of refuge, sadness, and hope. (View 6-min documentary HERE). ​

Lahaina Recipe Project

Following the August 2023 wildfires, several groups and individuals reached out to request our Hui Mo‘olelo workshop and story recording process as a way to process the experience. We crafted a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) tutorial featuring links and excerpts from kumu Leilehua Yuen's 3-part workshop series for interested community members. Amongst those that chose to participate in this new way, we were delighted to meet Jennifer Freeland, who asked to interview her father Burt. Burt's grandfather built the Pioneer Inn in 1901 in the Lahaina Historic District. We are honored to share their story HERE. ​

During a brainstorm session with our Youth Task Force, we drew up a plan to collect Lahaina-based recipes as a potential catalyst for Lahaina-based Hui Mo‘olelo participants. As we envisioned the epitome of a family recipe -- handwritten on an index card with torn edges and a food stain or ten, our thoughts zipped to the stories that live therein. Where did you cultivate the ingredients? Who taught you to prepare it? On what occasion do you serve it? Whose favorite is it? In the process of creating a public domain resource of Lahaina recipes, we could very well find our next cohort and the kūpuna that need to be asked: what are the people, places and stories that make Lahaina Lahaina?