Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 40, Number 11, 1 November 2023 — Kapaemahu Monument Gets New Signage [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Kapaemahu Monument Gets New Signage

(L-R) Kumu Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu and filmmakers ūeun Humer and Joe Wilson celebrute the Honolulu City & County's dedication on October 24 of o new bronze pluque instolled in front of the Kapaemahu Monument in Woikīkī. The three eollohoroted, ulong with ortist ūuniel Sousu, on the 2021 Academy Award-nominated onimuted short film, Kupoemuhu, thot tells the mo'olelo of the stones. It is the story of four trovelers from Tohiti who brought heoling arts to Howoi'i. The four were mōhū, individuols with duol mole ond femole spirits. When they deported Howoi'i, they tronsferred their nomes ond heoling powers into the stones. The story of the heolers ond their identity os mōhū wos neorly lost, not just through ontiquity, but through deliberote erosure ond prejudice. About 10 yeors ogo, o movement begon to restore the truth of the stones ond honor to mōhū os respected members of society. Previous signoge did not mention thot the heolers were mōhū or thot their duolity wos intrinsic to their heoling obilities, so the instollotion of the new ploque is o hord won victory. - Photo: Puanani Fernandez-Akamine