The Wailoa Center, Hawaii Island Art Alliance and the Grassroots Community Development Group present “Hana No Ke Au Hou: Hana No‘eau for Contemporary Times,” opening Friday at Wailoa Center in Hilo.
This exhibit features Hawaii crafts and contemporary artwork inspired by hana noeau.
Opening reception is from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, starting with a kipaepae ceremony from Kuku‘ena of Halau Unukupukupu and oli from Ahuimanu. There will be live music from Kamalani and refreshments provided by HIAA.
“Hana No Ke Au Hou” celebrates the traditions and craftsmanship of Hawaii arts or hana noeau. These practices live and breathe in Hawaii due to many of these practitioners and their teachers. This exhibit celebrates the traditions passed down, those reignited, and the weaving of their presence into our modern world. Works range from kapa of craftswomen Verna Takashima and Roen Hufford, to feather works from Gay Covington, to the kii akua hulu manu by the Hilo cohort of Na Akua Akea, to contemporary pieces by Bernice Takamine, Beau Jack Key, Kapuaokalani Ka‘aa‘u and Jamison Ke‘a Rosehill, to modern art with hana noeau inspiration from Keith Tallet and Carl F. K. Pao.
In the Fountain Gallery, there is a presentation, “O Ka Lele A Nei ‘Auna,” by the group Ahuimanu. Here they dimentionalize the oli “O Ka Lele A Nei ‘Auna,”s originally created to bring vitality to our native bird species. Come learn more about this chant and what can be done to help native birds.
During the exhibit, in addition to regular hours, Wailoa Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday. There will be a free pua hulu workshop from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday. To register, call Wailoa Center at (808) 933-0416.
There also will be free keiki activities on two Saturdays, Oct. 14 and 21. Drop in anytime. All workshops are in the downstairs education lanai. Call Wailoa Center for more information at (808) 933-0416.
Wailoa Center is a Division of State Parks, Department of Land and Natural Resources, located at 200 Piopio St. in Hilo. It is free and open to the public during the exhibit from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays, Oct. 7, 14 and 21.