Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahaina — Listening Across Oceans
Memorial Think Space - NYU
Slated for September 2026, Maui Public Art Corps & the County of Maui will bring its Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahaina Film Fest to New York City. Through a partnership with the Hawai‘i Club at New York University, with support from Asian/Pacific/American Institute at NYU and the Center for Collaborative Indigenous Research with Communities and Lands (Center CIRCL), this activation is part of a larger, ongoing effort to listen deeply; to share Maui stories while also gathering reflections from Hawai‘i students and diaspora whose perspectives are shaping the future of remembrance. Through film, dialogue, and cultural connection, we are extending Hui Mo‘olelo beyond Maui to engage new audiences in conversations about resilience, joy, and cultural continuity following the August 8, 2023 wildfires.
Timed for the early fall semester when student engagement is highest, and aligned with NYU’s upcoming “Oceans” core curriculum theme, this gathering creates space for collective reflection at a moment that also coincides with the 25th anniversary of September 11. Together, these layers invite a powerful exchange across place and experience, helping inform how stories, memory, and community voice continue to guide the evolving Lahaina Memorial Project.
Slated for September 2026, Maui Public Art Corps & the County of Maui will bring its Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahaina Film Fest to New York City. Through a partnership with the Hawai‘i Club at New York University, with support from Asian/Pacific/American Institute at NYU and the Center for Collaborative Indigenous Research with Communities and Lands (Center CIRCL), this activation is part of a larger, ongoing effort to listen deeply; to share Maui stories while also gathering reflections from Hawai‘i students and diaspora whose perspectives are shaping the future of remembrance. Through film, dialogue, and cultural connection, we are extending Hui Mo‘olelo beyond Maui to engage new audiences in conversations about resilience, joy, and cultural continuity following the August 8, 2023 wildfires.
Timed for the early fall semester when student engagement is highest, and aligned with NYU’s upcoming “Oceans” core curriculum theme, this gathering creates space for collective reflection at a moment that also coincides with the 25th anniversary of September 11. Together, these layers invite a powerful exchange across place and experience, helping inform how stories, memory, and community voice continue to guide the evolving Lahaina Memorial Project.
Hui Mo'olelo: Lahaina Film Festival
The Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahaina Film Festival is a traveling film and storytelling experience rooted in intergenerational “talk-story” recordings with Lahaina residents and their loved ones. These audio stories are transformed into original animated short films by artists from Hawai‘i and beyond, honoring place-based memory, humor, spirituality, and hope.
Following successful premieres on Maui and O‘ahu, this New York presentation marks an important bridge between home, students and diaspora, sharing Lahaina stories with those who feel geographically distant yet deeply connected.
Following successful premieres on Maui and O‘ahu, this New York presentation marks an important bridge between home, students and diaspora, sharing Lahaina stories with those who feel geographically distant yet deeply connected.
Why NYU?
This activation is centered on students - especially those from Hawai‘i, who carry lived experience, grief, pride, and perspective across oceans. Our goals for this gathering are to:
- Engage Hawai‘i students and diaspora in meaningful dialogue about community resilience, joy, and cultural preservation;
- Share Lahaina stories with those who may feel distanced from home yet deeply impacted by its loss;
- Offer an uplifting and interactive experience that celebrates the creativity and spirit of the Maui community;
- Hear reflections from new audiences whose perspectives can help shape how stories and art continue to inform the developing Lahaina Memorial Project;
- Gather insights that ensure the memorial reflects a broad and heartfelt spectrum of experiences from across Hawai‘i and beyond.
What to Expect
The Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahaina Film Festival at NYU will be a free, approximately two-hour campus gathering featuring:
- Screening of animated short films and brief documentaries
- Cultural facilitation and storytelling by Hui Mo‘olelo leaders
- Community dialogue and audience Q&A
- Opportunities for Hawai‘i students to share reflections and lived experience
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This event will be emceed by Naomi “Sissy” Kahakuhaupiokamakani Lake-Farm, a respected Hawaiian cultural practitioner, educator, and community leader. She is the daughter of the late John Keola Lake, a renowned Hawaiian historian, kumu hula, and champion of Hawaiian language revitalization, and she carries forward his legacy of cultural stewardship with deep humility and aloha. Sissy is Kumu Hula and founder of Hālau Makana Aloha O Ka Lauaʻe, dedicated to perpetuating traditional chant, dance, and storytelling as vibrant expressions of Hawaiian identity. She previously served for more than a decade as Executive Director of Maui Historical Society at Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House, where she expanded the museum’s role as a dynamic center for community engagement and cultural education. She also serves as a Hawaiian culture and language teacher at St. Anthony School, nurturing the next generation through ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi and hula, and currently acts as Cultural Consultant for Maui Public Art Corps, guiding community-centered storytelling and public art initiatives across Maui County.
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Time |
Action |
Note |
5:30 pm |
Arrival (Cantor Film Center TBD) |
Programs, lei, MPAC literature (will need tables, chairs, microphone, screen, projector, film technician and ushers) |
6:15 pm |
Doors open |
May start earlier, if hosts would like to offer light refreshments or a pre-event meet & greet. Tech to display "Welcome" image on the screen. |
6:30 pm EVENT START TIME |
Host welcome (Hawai‘i Club + NYU Asian/Pacific/American Institute) followed by Sissy opening remarks |
Save County of Maui remarks for the end |
6:45 pm |
"Name" film (3.5 min) TBD + Sissy remarks |
. |
6:52 pm |
"About Hui Mo'olelo Lahaina" film (7 min), followed by Sissy remarks |
. |
7:04 pm |
"Bench" film (3 min) + Sissy remarks |
. |
7:10 pm |
"Nanifay animation" (3 min) immediately followed by "Nanifay mural" (5.5 min) + Sissy remarks |
. |
7:25 pm |
Pop-up performance TBD (20 mins max) + remarks |
. |
7:50 pm |
"Hikari no Michi" (3m50s) + Sissy remarks |
. |
7:56 pm |
"Ola Na Iwi" (14 min) |
Opportunity for Richard O'Connor to introduce this film (3 min) |
8:10 pm |
Audience feedback |
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8:30 pm EVENT PAU |
County to share, followed by any special invitees, then general audience? |
We may need flexibility on end time |
NOTES:
- Events beyond 2 hours generally require an intermission, which we like to avoid in order to retain audience members and temper any disruptions.
- This agenda omits 2 Lahaina films (Sleeping Town and Memories of Puukolii by Sasha Hercik, however she is represented by The Koa Bench. This allows for an introductory film about Sissy as well as strong examples of our work through the Nanifay films. Discuss with the team/ we can curate this in a way that feels best for exhibiting our work and motivating engagement).