Ola I Ka Wai ʻO Maui
Aunty Sally Ann Delos Reyes
|
On Nov 5, 2023, this intergenerational talk-story recording between water-woman Aunty Sally Ann Delos Reyes and Hui Mo‘olelo participant Lopaka White was presented as a work of public art on the Great Lawn of the University of Hawaiʻi-Maui College Campus for the Arts & Resilience Event: Excerpt HERE (4 m 12 s) | Full Recording HERE (1 h 45 m 29 s)
Bringing the audio recording above to life, which includes stories of the "deep, deep blue," using a rope to navigate to the surface after a deep sea dive, fishing with Aunty Sally Ann's father in Lahaina, crossing the ʻAuʻau channel and more, Maui's Adaptations Dance Theater (ADT) and Hāna-grown musician Stephen Henderson collaboratively performed live work inspired and composed by the talk-story. Following workshops with the Kahului community, ADT and Henderson premiered this work for a live audience as an expression of public art connecting people, place and story through a participatory process. |
The 2023 Arts & Resilience Event additionally included:
- An opening performance by Aunty Sally Ann & friends
- Emcee Sissy Lake-Farm, Kumu of Hālau Makana Aloha O Ka Lauaʻe and Executive Director of Hale Hō‘ike‘ike at the Bailey House/ Maui Historical Society
- Opening pule by Uncle Bill Garcia
- "1,000 Words" - a reading by Jocelyn Romero Demirbag
- Drop-in art making activities with 1) Michael Takemoto & Marc Antosch; 2) Hui No'eau Visual Arts Center
- Wildfire Resource Tables staffed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers & FEMA, both part of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement’s Kākoʻo Maui Resource Hub
- Information Tables staffed by Lahaina Restoration Foundation and University of Hawaiʻi-Maui College
- Performance of Kū Kīaʻi Kanaloa by Anthony Pfluke & Ethan Villanueva
Adaptations Dance Theater | @adaptationsdancetheater
|
Incorporated in 2013, Adaptations Dance Theater (ADT) is Maui's contemporary dance company that creates groundbreaking work to spark new energy in the local dance community. By producing original works and creating professional performance opportunities on an annual basis, ADT addresses a specific need to create and sustain a home for professional contemporary dancers on Maui so that they may create, collaborate, and grow in their artistry without having to leave their island home to do so. Simultaneously, ADT fosters a space where the general public can regularly experience this performing art, presented by artists trained locally and abroad.
ADT’s performance programs seek to relay universal human experiences expressed through dance’s visceral form. ADT is proud to be a part of the vibrant arts community on Maui and strives to contribute to the creativity, education, and inspiration of future dancers and art advocates. |
Stephen Henderson | @stephenhmusic
|
Stephen Henderson is an independent producer, singer/songwriter, looper pedal artist and multi-instrumentalist whose roots stem from the small town of Hāna, Maui, Hawaii. Raised in a musical family, Stephen had his first taste of the music industry touring with The Jets at a young age, while his father managed them in the 90's. His passion for music was fueled when his family moved from Los Angeles to Hāna, Maui where Stephen was inspired by country legend Kris Kristofferson to begin writing his own music at the age of 12. Since then he has written over 200 songs and holds a Bachelors and Masters degree in Music, Science & Technology, emphasizing in Music Cognition and Audio Engineering from Stanford University. He traveled and lived in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Boulder, New Zealand, and Salt Lake City. He currently resides in Hilo, HI.
|
Project Summary
Each movement features spoken word rooted directly to ‘Ōlelo No‘eau, samples of Aunty Sally’s voice, environmental recordings of an elemental water source in a wahi, a single pani maoli (native instrument), a place-based melodic motif pulled from mele wahi (a known song about that particular place) mixed with vocal melodic motifs and background instrumentation.
|
DANCE: Inspired by the recorded talk-story between Aunty Sally Ann Delos Reyes of Lahaina and Lopaka White of Wailuku, ADT interpreted key themes and places from Aunty Sally's life to bring the audio recording to life. Stories from Kahului harbor and the "deep, deep blue," Pu'u Kukui and climbing Machu Picchu, fighting for Kaho'olawe, and more were used as inspirational source material for 5 vignettes filled with movement, emotion, and memory. Enriched by a recent talk story and improvisational dance exchange with kūpuna of Alu Like, ADT aspired to capture the Hawaiian knowledge and experiences of kūpuna in our Maui community to spread their messages through dance to broader audiences.
‘Ōlelo No‘eau for the movement: He lawaiʻa no ke kai pāpaʻu, he pōkole nō ke aho. He lawaiʻa no ke kai hohonu, he loa ke aho, a fisherman of the shallow sea uses only a short line; a fisherman of the deep has a long line. [A person whose knowledge is shallow does not have much. But he whose knowledge is great, has much]. MUSIC: Accompanying the choreography are five movements of live looped musical narratives inspired by Aunty Sally Ann’s connections with water and to wahi pana in central and west Maui. Entitled ‘Ola i ka wai ‘o Maui’ the theme reflects the cycle and journey of water from ocean back to ocean, giving voice to it’s various forms and environments inspired by the resilience and adaptability of Aunty Sally Ann; just as as she molded herself to each environment through different phases of her life. In doing so, she has become a symbol of inspiration for many generations to come.
Our water, like our people, is the lifeblood and legacy of our land. While the music is rooted in the life experiences of Aunty Sally Ann and inspired by the water cycle, it also incorporates elements (e.g. environmental recordings, mele wahi pana, and excerpts of Aunty Sally telling her own story) that bind the composition to Lahaina and Kahului - two of the great gathering places of our island Maui. |
Listen
Movement 1 - Au I Ke Kai Loa
Movement 2 - Ola i ka wai a ka opua
Movement 3 - Uwe ka lani ola ka honua
Movement 4 - Na Wai Eha
Movement 5 - Holo iʻa ka papa kau ʻia e ka manu
Movement 2 - Ola i ka wai a ka opua
Movement 3 - Uwe ka lani ola ka honua
Movement 4 - Na Wai Eha
Movement 5 - Holo iʻa ka papa kau ʻia e ka manu
PROJECT TIMELINE
Brainstorming session with Jocelyn Romero Demirbag, Director of Development, Maui Nui, The University of Hawaii Foundation
Stephen Henderson talks story with Lopaka White
|
MAHALO Aunty Sally Ann Delos Reyes & Lopaka White Maui County Office of Economic Development Hawai‘i Tourism Authority’s Kūkulu Ola Program The Atherton Family Foundation Alu Like CNHA's Kākoʻo Maui Resource Hub Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House / Maui Historical Society Jocelyn Romero Demirbag Leilehua Yuen Lokahi Pacific University of Hawaiʻi-Maui College Michael & Rae Takemoto and Marc Antosch Hui Noʻeau Visual Arts Center Lahaina Restoration Foundation Uncle Bill Garcia Anthony Pfluke & Ethan Villanueva 
|
