Our Mele Murals team executed a project with Ka Waihona o ka Na‘auao public charter school that was in the works for three years. In work with the City and County of Honolulu Parks and Recreation department, the wall chosen for the mural was Kalaniana‘ole Beach Park in Nānākuli. The 8th grade (pana 8) was the selected class, with 10 alakal‘i (junior leaders), to work with our team during January and February of 2019.

All visions on the mural came from the meditation sessions with the students. Since Nānākuli is known for the best sunsets on the west side of Oahu, it was natural for the sunset to be the background of the mural. The giant silhouette painted shows the outline of a i‘o (Hawaiian hawk). Nānākuli was also known for the golden i‘o that used to protect the area from natural predators. The golden i‘o were the protectors of the land.

In the silhouette of the i‘o, the mo‘olelo (stories) of the demigod, Maui, and his mother, Hina, are shown because they resided in Nānākuli. The umeke (bowl) was also painted to reinforce the message that Nānākuli is a gathering place for Hawaiian families, where we come together, eat, and share ohana time. The a‘ali‘i plant painted on the wall shows how it survived the natural disasters of fires and draught that have hit Nānākuliʻs land and community. The na‘u plant is also depicted, representing a large one that exists in Nānākuli. These plants represent how native Hawaiians will always survive.

A family was painted where a father is teaching his son how to net throw to catch fish. The left side shows hands carrying water to the mauna (mountain) side, and the right shows how Nānākuli will be taken care of. Hina is also represented as the mahina (moon), shining over the wahine paddler. The haumāna working on the project explained that the wa‘a (canoe) was painted always going forward because they are also always moving forward in their journey.

The constellation of Makali‘i (Pleiades) was also painted because Nānākuli was also an area of the island where navigators were trained. During Ho’oilo (the winter season from November to April), the stars of Makali‘i are visible for most of the night. Hawaiian navigators remember the seven akua sisters when they look for the seven stars of Makali‘i.

To continue the story of Maui lassoing the sun to slow it down, the peak of Heleakalā was painted on the far right. Heleakalā was the peak that Maui stood on to slow down the sun over the Hawaiian islands, so that Hina could have more time to dry her kapa (pounded mulch paper) in the sun.

A big warm mahalo to all the haumāna, teachers, and staff of Ka Waihona o ka Na‘auao, Maile Naki, Pumehana Henderson, Ikaika Vinta, Principal Alvin Parker, the City and County of Honolulu, Parks and Recreation department, our artists, Estria, Luke Pomai DeKneef, Danielle Zirk, Libra, Justin Vasconcellos, Zully Davila, Kahu Kamana‘o Agres, and the community of Nānākuli.

TITLE: “Nānākuli Ea”
Lyrics by Papa Ewalu Sy 1819
E ō Nānākuli
Stand tall as Plikea
We, the protectors of our land and people
Heleakalā
Strong and proud
United as one, one ‘ohana
Nā ‘Elele
We, the protectors, will always stand strong.
One Kaiāulu
Legacy of our people
lies within this land
E ō Nānākuli
Kū kahi kākou