Public unveiling for new UHMC murals takes place Friday
Hui Moʻolelo Mural Project at UH Maui College. (Courtesy: Maui Public Art Corps)- Hui Moʻolelo Mural Project at UH Maui College. (Courtesy: Maui Public Art Corps)
- Hui Moʻolelo Mural Project at UH Maui College. (Courtesy: Maui Public Art Corps)
- Hui Moʻolelo Mural Project at UH Maui College. (Courtesy: Maui Public Art Corps)
- Artist Eric Finley (aka “Seven”) visits Maui Nui Botanical Gardens. (Courtesy: Maui Public Art Corps)
- A songwriting workshop in Kīhei contributed to the “living echo” of the moʻolelo that inspired one of the new murals at UH Maui College. The song will be shared during the unveiling. (Courtesy: Maui Public Art Corps)
- Hui Moʻolelo Mural Project at UH Maui College. (Courtesy: Maui Public Art Corps)
A blessing and public unveiling will be held on Friday, June 27, for three new murals installed across the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College campus. The works were created through the Hui Moʻolelo Mural Project, a collaboration between Maui Public Art Corps and the County of Maui.
The free event will run from 10 a.m. to noon and marks the culmination of months of cultural consultation, storytelling workshops and community art-making rooted in Maui’s people and places. It will be led by Uncle Bill Garcia, a member of the Royal Order of Kamehameha and Kākalaleo for Nā Hanona Kūlike O Piʻilani, with emcee duties by Sissy Lake-Farm, cultural consultant for Maui Public Art Corps and kumu hula of Hālau Makana Aloha O Ka Lauaʻe.
The three Hui Mo‘olelo murals across the UHMC campus are the culmination of past Hui Mo‘olelo cohorts, in which community storytellers captured place-based audio recordings rooted in memory, later interpreted as public artworks by professional artists through a public call and selection process. The result is a trio of striking, deeply resonant murals that celebrate the interconnectedness of people, place and story.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD“At its core, our public art program is about connection—to place, to people and to story,” said Kelly White, manager of the County of Maui’s public art program and Chair of Maui Public Art Corps. “What we’re seeing here is more than murals; it’s a blueprint for how we can uplift cultural knowledge, amplify community voice, and reimagine public space through creativity, care, and deep collaboration.”
Schedule of events
Site No. 1 (Pilina Building) — 9:45 a.m.
- Guests arrive at site
- Welcome music
- Welcome by Sissy Lake-Farm, followed by pule led by Uncle Bill Garcia
- Welcome by UHMC Chancellor Lui Hokoana
- Remarks by Lake-Farm, artist Eric Finley (aka “Seven”) and Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahaina storytellers Kaliko Storer & Louis Garcia III
Outside the Pilina Building, artist Eric Finley (“Seven”) painted a mural based on stories by Louis Garcia III and Kaliko Storer. Their moʻolelo centered on a 92-pound ulua catch and lessons learned from the ocean. Finley worked with community members at a Hui Mo‘olelo songwriting workshop in Kīhei, where they created the song “Pule, Catch Fish and Share,” which will be played at the unveiling.
Mural No. 2 (Kupaʻa Building) — 10:55 a.m.
- Guests arrive at site
- Remarks by Lake-Farm, artist Jay Gilleard and Hui Mo‘olelo storytellers Hōaka Delos Reyes & Anuhea Yagi
- Offering by Hui Mo‘olelo: Lei Pua ‘Ala storytellers Nicolita Garces & Ashley Ancheta Galacgac
At the Kupaʻa Building, artist Jay Gilleard (“Cbloxx”) created a mural influenced by conversations with Anuhea Yagi, Hōaka Delos Reyes, Nicolita Garces and Ashley Ancheta Galacgac. “The exploration of trans existence through history is a reoccurring theme in my portfolio,” Gilleard said, “especially in relation to ancient cultures and the deities that embody gender fluidity.” The mural features a carved stone head of a gender-ambiguous healer integrated into a significant Kahului stone. Gilleard’s process included a community plant medicine workshop at Maui Nui Botanical Gardens, where participants explored traditional Hawaiian and Philippine healing practices.
Mural No. 3 (Kaʻaʻike Building) — 11:25 a.m.
- Guests arrive at site
- Remarks by Lake-Farm, artist Solomon Enos and Hui Mo‘olelo storytellers Gaby Gouveia & Pualani Enos
At the Kaʻaʻike Building, artist Solomon Enos drew inspiration from an oral history recorded by Pualani Enos featuring Uncle “Gaby” Gouveia. “The oral histories gave me a ‘kūlolo’ level of understanding of Maui—dense, rich and sweet,” Enos said. The mural was enriched by community events including a canoe paddle with Nā Kai ʻEwalu and a gathering at the Kahului YMCA.
Mural No. 4 (Pā’ina Building) — 11:45 a.m.
- Guests arrive at site
- Musical offering by Uncle Gaby & ‘ohana during lunch, gifted by UH Maui College
The event is free and open to the public. Parking is available near each mural site. Attendees are encouraged to bring sun protection and seating, as space is limited. Ten seats will be reserved for kūpuna at each mural site.
Those with limited mobility or tight schedules are encouraged to use the site map and specific event agenda to plan their visit.
To explore each mural’s creation story, visit:
The project was supported by the County of Maui, Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund, the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation, UH Maui College and Hui Moʻolelo partners and storytellers.
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