Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 36, Number 8, 1 August 2019 — Using the past to paint the future [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Using the past to paint the future

MO'OMEHEU v CULTURE f

By KaWai o!aStaff Tucked away in the heart of Kāne'ohe lies Pū'ōhala elementary School, a unique learning community where 'Ōlelo Hawai'i and English programs thrive together. Recently the elementary school had a vibrant makeover as the students worked with Native Hawaiian Artist Hailey Kailiehu and their community to create a mural. Kailiehu's unique style of mural-making starts with a storytelling day, where kūpuna from the eommunity told mo'olelo of the ahupua'a of Kāne'ohe. The students then drew pictures of some of the most memorable stories shared, including drawings

of mango trees and kalo patches. Kailiehu then wove eaeh of the images into a complete pieee and worked with the students to paint their images into the mural that now stretches over two large buildings on the campus. "I think when they see their 'āina around them, through art that is highlighting things that are from our kūpuna and things that are very old and has always been there, they respect and they appreciate where they're from more," said Kailiehu. The students of Pū'ōhala unveiled the finished mural during a cultural day, at the end of the school year.B

Artist Haley Kailiehu, Pū'hala staff, and community contributors for the mural project recieve lei and ho'okupu as a mahalo from the students. - Photo: Kawena Lei Carvalho-Mattos

PO'ohala elementary students work together to paint color onto the mural walls. - Photo: Joson Lees

\ -f I \ / A'A H -V\ i ■'JfwJm 1 AT ^yjj^ l^^rf t-- ■ / ' >1'j 1 ^\f/ Jtt I M VVli m vjp IrjB U W- * J fjErfWF Vi Mo'olelo from kupuna helped to bring the images to life. - Photo: Kawena Lei Carvalho-Mattos