Lānaʻi photos sought for oral history project
A project supported by the National Endowment for the Arts is planning to develop works of art from distinguished artists through a cultural collaboration with the Lānaʻi community.
The project is part of the “Small Town * Big Art“ initiative that created art pieces in the Maui County seat of Wailuku, including international artist Edwin Ushiro’s mural “Wailuku Ho’okele/Wailuku Wayfinders” at 33 Market Street, and the mural “Wailuku i ka malu he kuawa – Wailuku in the shelter of the valley” by artists Bailey Onaga and Courtney Chargin at the future site of The Parlay, a new retro-style tavern by the team behind Esters Fair Prospect in Wailuku.
The Wailuku project also created an animated film story of Wailuku based on interviews with town folks.
Organizers of the project on Lānaʻi are currently inviting residents and former residents to contribute Lānaʻi photographs that will help to “ignite” further brainstorming by the artists and community about oral stories told by several residents.
Lānaʻi story excerpts:
- Soon Yai Amaral, Elder kamaʻāina of Lānaʻi and Diane Preza, Kamaʻāina of Lānaʻi (Full Recording)
- Dean Del Rosario, Kamaʻāina of Lānaʻi and Shelly Preza, Executive Director, Lānaʻi Culture & Heritage Center (Full Recording)
- Anthony Pacheco and his father Henry Eskaran, Jr., Kamaʻāina of Lānaʻi (Full Recording)
The Lānaʻi Culture & Heritage Center is hosting the project.
Eventually, organizers will exhibit selected photographs through stills in an animation film about Lānaʻi’s people places and stories.
For more information including recorded excerpts of interviews, go to smalltownbig.org and click on talk story. For more information, send queries to [email protected].
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