The piece, Makaula, was produced for the ongoing solo exhibit that I created described below. Mahalo.

As we enter the new millennium, there has been no other time in human history when man's collective technologies have raised them above all species of creatures on earth, to incredible heights of intelligence, well-being and the power to do good. Yet man, or rather the few wielding power, status and wealth, continue to ignore the common good. Instead, a new dark age begins and our world grows battered, polluted, and dying. In the Pacific, among islands littered from wars, insensitive greed and most recently nuclear tests, Island nations seek to empower themselves to at least protest in whatever non-violent means possible, in the face of the desecration by nuclear states of our ocean domain and global peace.

Nuclear technology is modern day "fire-making." It is power and it is mass destruction. A few are trying to control it and piece it out. Makaula is on loan from the exhibit “E Huaka'i Pele!” which is both a traditional and contemporary Hawaiian story about the art of making fire. It illustrates the Polynesian world view of creation and seeks to parallel the modern day fire makers with Polynesian fire gods and ancient conflicts for power and domination.

As a whole, "E Huaka'i Pele!" continues the saga of Hawai'i's paramount "fire-maker," Pele. She is the red-eyed seer, the prophet in the fire and she is power, status and wealth on a spiritual order. She sees man's attempt to learn the art of making fire as global destruction. The modern woman of the volcano believes that it is up to man to find a way to stop this madness, but Pele will travel and be a messenger, a prophet warning of danger.

Hiko’ula Hanapi