Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 4, Number 6, 1 June 1987 — Makaku [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Makaku

By Rocky Ka'iouliokahihikolo 'Ehu Jensen

He Iwi Ho'okahi Makou, loosely translated as "We Are of One People," marks the 12th annual fine arts exhibit presented by Hale Naua III, Society of Hawaiian Arts. Makou is used instead of kakou because the emphasis is on the artistic community — a society within a society. This exhibit represents the native artist's mohai aloha for The Year of the Hawaiian. It also perpetuates more than a decade of artistic excellence in native art — a precedence yet to be equalled. This particular endeavor is also a commemorative to King David Kalakaua who set the example of acknowledging the value of the precious works created by his ancestral artists by sending private collections abroad to be exhibited in renown expositions throughout the world. In many ways we have successfully perpetuated his ideas and dreams, skillfully creating arenas where the native artists ean display their works. Our latest endeavor is to augment the body of fine works executed by our living artists with those created by our ancestors over 100years ago. From the fine etchings by Kepohonohi and Kepea'au, the delicate peneil sketch of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, a print of a Joseph Nawahi painting, samples of the creative inventions of Kalakaua himself — to the more contemporary works of Myer Cummings and Helene Ka'enaokalani Amoy Cailliet — their expressions are a credit to the transitional talents and efforts of our artistic people. The museum is filled with art works created by our po'e no'eau. Unfortunately, save a few, all are without the identity of those who created them. We have attempted to single out a few of those who perpetuated their inate native talent with the use of Western society's tools. Their genetic expertise allowed them to flow easily into another man's arena, yet sadly never receiving credit for the adaption. So we have decided to kaulana our own talented people. Even though these few representations do not encompass the whole, they do, however, exhibit a glow of the flame that was our nation at one time. The living testament continues before you in all of its glory. There is nothing we cannot do. And while doing the impossible, we create a resurgenee in the native arts, one that must be acknowledged by all. This 12th annual exhibit is a combination of many exciting things. Allow me to emphasize the concept of Iwi.

Too often our understanding of Iwi takes us no further than its literal translation — bone. We must, in order to rebuild our ancient philosophy, eome to realize that Iwi communicates a mueh deeper and essential meaning — that of T ribe. Unfortunately, with the loss of many families during the Hawaiian wars and later through introduced diseases, coupled with the feverish desire of our missionary settlers to homogenize our people, our sense and knowledge of T ribe was destroyed. Primarily we were of one Tribe. Over thousands of years, that Tribe reorganized itself into different clans, traveling these oceans and settling her islands long before Western or Oriental man attempted to set foot into our waters. Ka Iwi O Ke Kanaka Maoli! All born to the blood of Kane, Ku, Kanaloa, Lono descend from that magnificent beginning. It was another of Kalakaua's dreams to unify the Pacific and create a confederation that would again cement the solidarity of that first awesome Iwi. The intervention of foreign powers, however, prevented this from happening. The art, of course, is important. But more important are the artists who are the total embodiment of the Tribe. I kahea their names. . .Telford Kahu Waihe'eCazimero, Moana Espinda, Erik Kalani Flores (Kaua'i), Leialoha Kanahele-Iversen, Erenora Hetet (Aotearoa), Rangi Hetet (Aotearoa), Maiki Honda, Kimo Hugho, Frank Keli'ialohaoka'iouli Jensen, Natalie Kamahinaokalani'Ehuokapuaoka'iouli Jensen, Robin Keli'i Jensen (Hawaii), Ethelreda and Ka'oi Kahalewai, Robyn Kahukiwa (Aotearoa), A.C. Kahekiliuila Lagunero (Maui), Toni Maiava (Samoa), John McLaughlin, Terry Keiaholoekekai Murata (Maui), Selwyn Muru (Aotearoa), Darcy Nicholas (Aotearoa), Buck Nin (Aotearoa), Kathryn Puanani Jensen Nishida, Rene Olmieeia (Tahiti), Rupert P. Kaimoku Pine, Mary Pritchard (Samoa), Etua T. Tahauri (Tahiti), Hank Taufa'asau, Malia Solomon. The exhibit continues at the Amfac Exhibition Plaza through June 5 and will then go to Ramsay's Chinatown Gallery , 1 128 Smith St., until July 3. If anyone is interested in knowing more about Hale Naua and our exhibit, send all inquiries to this newspaper. Mai ka po mai 'oia'i'o. Truth is before time immemonal.