Pāʻia
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This project brings to life the rich mo‘olelo and memories of the Kealoha ʻohana and the Pāʻia community through a vibrant, collaborative public artwork led by Maui Public Art Corps. Beginning in summer 2025, the work is unfolding through layered phases of storytelling, community input, and shared authorship, with each step helping shape the final vision. Artist Efren Rebugio joins this process to thoughtfully translate these collective stories into a visual experience rooted in place and people. The completed work will be unveiled in summer 2026 at the historic Pāʻia Sugar Mill as a joyful celebration of Pāʻia history, culture and sense of place.
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Centered on a Hui Moʻolelo recording featuring Hawaiian scholar Pūlama Collier and her son Kiaʻi Collier, this project invited choreographer Karli Jo List and community members into a process where place-based narrative and movement converge. Guided by deep listening, cultural consultation, and community activities, this commission embodies public art as a shared practice rooted in stories that shape our sense of place. The resulting pop-up dance performance was unveiled in April 2026. Visit the project page for additional details.
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In partnership with the Pāʻia Youth & Cultural Center (PYCC) and the County of Maui, we are spearheading a multi-year developmental process to commission integrated public art for the center’s rebuild. Rooted in our Hui Moʻolelo program, this initiative bridges intergenerational stories - such as Andrea & Sheldon Kealoha’s reflections on Pāʻia’s changing marine ecology and Pūlama & Kiaʻi Collier’s insights into reclaiming ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi and traditional fishpond restoration, with the lived experiences of today’s youth. By facilitating a rigorous vetting process that includes community consultations, artist commissions for formal proposals, and collaborative workshops, the project ensures that the final works are not merely decorative, but are deeply vetted, consensus-driven monuments to Pāʻia’s history, culture, and sense of place.
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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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