Small Town * Big Art Presents Latest Public Artwork by Jaclynn Sabado-Eitel

Small Town * Big Art presents Wailuku’s latest work of public art, Makai to Mauka by local artist Jaclynn Sabado-Eitel.

Inspired by ʻōlelo noʻeau #1372: Ka i’a mili i ka poho o ka lima (the fish fondled by the palm of the hand), which refers to a time during the season of Hinana (‘o’opu spawn) during which these freshwater goby were so numerous that they could be scooped up in the pam of the hand, Jaclynn’s public art proposal was drawn from a moment in the middle of the pandemic where she was able to experience “a thriving amount of oʻopu in ʻĪao valley as well as the community advocating for mauka to makai access for the circle of the both endemic and indigenous fish.”

The team was invited by Uncle Skippy Hau of the Department of Aquatic Resources to survey ʻĪao for ʻoʻopu (Hawaiian freshwater goby), hinana (juvenile ‘o’opu) and hīhīwai (freshwater snails endemic to Hawaiʻi) during an April 20 outing – joined by St. Anthony Church Cub Scouts (Pack 40) and Girl Scouts (Troop 162) – for a hands-on Earth Day workshop with the artist. Each of these experiences helped to exemplify how we can continue to mālama (take care of, tend, attend, care for, preserve, protect) our treasured Wailuku.

The piece was created using “Put-In-Cups,” an environmentally-friendly reusable and recyclable plastic material that is sturdy yet pliable and snaps directly into chain link fence. Measuring at 100 feet long by 8 feet tall, with 50 percent of the space reserved for visibility between the parking lot and the park, the installation is located at the new temporary parking lot at Wells Park.

Learn more about this project here.