Saturday, May 23, 2009

Surf Art Kids Tour 2009 Invitation - La'ie Elementary School


Hilton Alves to Honor Hawaiian Tradition With Murals at La’ie Elementary School

Beginning on May 29th and culminating on June 3rd, marine artist and waterman Hilton Alves will paint two murals at La’ie Elementary School, as part of his Surf Art Kids Hawai’i Tour 2009. The themes of this mural project are "Hukilau" and “Our La’ie Bay” and will include a poster contest for students to demonstrate understanding of marine life and protecting the environment. The artist will paint the first mural as homage to the community and the hukilau tradition and to further Surf Art Kids’ message of environmental protection. The second mural will be painted with the help of La’ie Elementary School’s 600 students. On June 3rd the murals will be completed and the student winners of the poster contest will be announced at a special assembly. Winners of the poster contest will receive prizes donated by Go Nuts Hawai’i, The Art of Hilton and Da Hui and BYU Hawai’i is donating scaffolding for the mural.

In La’ie, hukilau was performed weekly during the 1940’s thru the 1970’s and would include sharing of the fish harvest, lu’au, dance, arts and crafts and community celebration. "Huki" means pull and "Lau" are the wavering Ti leaves attached to the netting system used to catch fish in large quantities to feed the community. In ancient Hawai’i, hukilau was an example of sustainability and community based food production and harvest. In recent years, the diversion of a nearby stream has exposed reef and polluted the bay leaving less fish and decreasing the occurrence of hukilau to several times a year.

On May 25th, Alves participated in the annual hukilau at La’ie organized by the Hamana Beach Hukilau Crew to experience the practice first hand and gain inspiration. The artist plans to include fish commonly fished in hukilau in his murals and will teach students painting techniques in the process. The students have been preparing for the mural with painting demonstrations by the artist, talks and demonstrations by local historians and lessons on marine life. The community is invited to the event and to be a part of creating the mural.

For more information about “Hilton Alves to Honor Hawaiian Tradition With Murals at La’ie Elementary School” contact Jessica DelaCruz at 218-4123.









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