Hui Mo‘olelo Mural Project at University of Hawaiʻi Maui College

In June 2025, Maui Public Art Corps will produce three large-scale murals in collaboration with the Maui Historical Society and the County of Maui at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College through our Hui Moʻolelo program. Each mural is grounded in stories collected from our community — stories that speak of healing through lāʻau lapaʻau, subsistence fishing, and modern queer identity.

These murals are not just for the public, they are by the public. Each work is being designed through a collaborative process that includes community consultations, storytelling sessions, study of ‘Ōlelo No‘eau, and public workshops to help refine the artists' initial concepts into communally imagined artworks.

What is Public Art?
Public art is planned or executed outside of a gallery or theater context and intended specifically for free public view. It is:
  1. commissioned through a public process;
  2. characterized by interaction and dialogue with the community; and
  3. site-specific, meaning it responds directly to the place where it lives.

Get Involved
To reflect the true spirit of these stories, we invite you to be part of the process. We're seeking community collaborators to:
  • Host a workshop on lāʻau lapaʻau, poetry or mele
  • Guide a hike or aloha ʻāina stewardship activity
  • Lead a discussion or art-based session around queer experiences in Hawaiʻi
  • Nominate a community consultant with close ties to Kahului or to one of the themes of the three mural projects, per each respective Hui Mo‘olelo recording: lāʻau lapaʻau, subsistence fishing, and modern queer identity
  • Propose your own idea to support these murals!

We are proud to offer honoraria to facilitators and welcome all ages and backgrounds. Let’s create something meaningful together.

Artists

Artist Solomon Enos has selected the mo‘olelo of Uncle “Gaby” Gouveia and Pualani Enos as inspiration for his work. Excerpt HERE

In response to the recording, Solomon shared, "There is a quintessential Maui flavor of sweetness, and both deep and broad cultural immersion. From fighting chickens with boxing gloves to Uncle Gaby being invited to play catcher by the Kepani Uncle, to the advocacy for Hawaiian language, all the bases covered, home run!"
Artist Eric Finley, also known as SEVEN, has selected the mo‘olelo of Louis Garcia III & Kaliko Storer of Lāhainā as inspiration for his work. Excerpt HERE

Early on in our Hui Mo‘olelo: Lāhainā program, we heard that Lāhainā-inspired public artworks in particular should not be limited to Lāhainā places, as so many of our community members have now been displaced. We honor this request through partnerships with a range of artwork hosts, and have presented Lāhainā-inspired artworks in Lāhainā as well as Kahului, Kīhei and Honolulu. 
Artist Jay Gilleard will work with two mo‘olelo: Anuhea Yagi, Student of Hawaiian Life Ways & Hōaka Delos Reyes, expert in the field of stone-on-stone carving (kālai pōhaku) [Excerpt HERE] as well as Nicolita Garces, Archivist and Librarian & Ashley Ancheta Galacgac, Engagement & Operations Manager, Hawaii Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations [Excerpt HERE].

"My idea is to create a carved stone head of a gender ambiguous Mahu or third gender person which would be integrated into a Maui landscape of significance."

Mural Locations

Picture
Solomon @ Ka’a Ike Building; Jay @ Kupaa Building; SEVEN @ Pilina Building

Project Timeline

  • 6/21/24: Launch Hui Mo‘olelo: Lāhainā; complete round 1 public art projects in Feb 2025 | Workshop #1 LINK (6/21/24) | Workshop #2 LINK (6/28/24) | Workshop #3 LINK (7/5/24) | Wellness with Aloha LINK (7/12/24)
  • 1/16/25: Launch Hui Mo‘olelo: Lei Pua ʻAla | Workshop #1 LINK (1/16/25) | Workshop #2 LINK (1/23/25) | Workshop #3 LINK (1/30/25)
  • 3/1/25: RFP is distributed with a 3/31/25 proposal deadline
  • 4/11/25: Public art project panel reviews & artist vetting complete
  • 4/14/25: Issue artist contracts
  • 4/22/25: Artist orientation & ‘Ōlelo No‘eau meetings (WATCH)
  • 4/30/25: Nicolita Garces, Ashley Ancheta Galacgac, Anu Yagi and Derek Snyder/UH community consultation (WATCH)
  • 5/2/25: Uncle Gaby Gouveia, Pualani Enos, Jocelyn Romero Demirbag and Michael Takemoto community consultation with Solomon Enos (WATCH)
  • 5/6/25: Community consultation with Lei Pua ʻAla Queer Histories of Hawaiʻi project of the Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities and Aloha Maui Pride (WATCH)
  • 5/6/25: Community consultation with Kaliko Storer, Louis Garcia III, Darice Garcia, Jocelyn Romero Demirbag & Derek Snyder (University of Hawai‘i Foundation) and Theo Morrison (Lāhainā Restoration Foundation) (WATCH)
  • 5/8/25: "Large-scale murals coming to UH Maui College through community-driven art project" (Maui Now)
  • 5/8/25: eNewsletter artist announcement + mural survey (READ)
  • 5/10/25: Free Community Songwriting Workshop @ ProArts Playhouse (Register) (SEVEN project development)
  • 5/13/25: Hoe wa‘a with Uncle Gaby at Nā Kai 'Ewalu Canoe Club, Kahului (Solomon Enos project development)
  • 5/12 - 15/25: Preliminary mural design review (chancellor DL 5/13; graduation primary focus after that)
  • 6/9/25: Final design review
  • 6/11/25: Artwork feedback/ revisions request deadline
  • 6/13/25: Earliest date to begin painting
  • 6/27/25: Mural blessing led by Uncle Bill Garcia & public unveiling event at UHMC
  • 6/30/25: Project end date/ deadline to apply top coat/ sealant