THE ARTWORK

The mural depicts a wa‘a (voyaging canoe), being crewed by keiki (children). The first figure on the left is Hana Kakinami pulling up a fish off the back of the boat. Hana is the great-granddaughter of John Dominis Holt IV, a Native Hawaiian writer, poet and cultural historian.

Next to Hana is Kamea’s daughter Nova Hadar. Nova is holding the hoe uli (steering sweep)which is the big paddle that acts as a rudder for the wa‘a.

In the center is La‘iku Brown, the grandson of Bruce Blankenfeld, Pwo Navigator of the Hokule‘a and the Polynesian Voyaging Society.

Behind La‘iku is Steel Scott, from the famous slipper manufacturing family, Scott Slippers,as well as the Downing family, a famed surfing family. He is shown working the ropes in order to manage the sails of the wa‘a.

At the bow, we see Kawena Kamakawiwo‘ole the grand-niece of Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole. Also known as “Iz”, the legendary musician, famed for such songs like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”.

We, as parents/elders, do not yet know where our keiki will arrive or even the nature of the canoe they will be sailing. But we do know that, like in a wa‘a, the next generation are all in this voyage together. We hope that with the lives that have been lived, both in generations past as well as our current lives as parents, our keiki will have the tools to carry on our legacies and be positive stewards of our future earth.

ABOUT KAMEA HADAR

Kamea began studying drawing and painting from a young age and has studied at the Honolulu Art Academy, University of Hawai‘i, Sorbonne in Paris, University of St. Louisin Madrid and University of Tel Aviv, Israel. He is the Co-Lead Director of POW! WOW! Worldwide and his large-scale murals and installations can be found in cities around the world.