HOWDY HAWAIIAN
"Howdy Hawaiian" represents what it is like for the indigenous Hawaiian people to live in a colonized society, specifically artists who create cultural work. Research results provided that many of the art and designs that we see today as "Hawaiian" are also very much influenced by other western art styles. This is not to say that the work is any less Hawaiian than it was before, however it shows how Hawaiian culture and traditional art has evolved since being introduced to western styles. Below is an analysis of a design created by each artist that participated in the research, and how each design represents both traditional and non-traditional art styles.
Hula Tease - "Noelani"
"I have always found comfort in rain. It's scent. It's gentle touch. They are soft whispers from Heaven. Translating to mean 'Heavenly Mist,' Noelani is a rain-inspired collection to honor my mother, Natalie Noelani, on this, her 30th anniversary since being crowned Miss Aloha Hula 1990." - Chaz Kamauu, designer of Hula Tease
ModernismIn Hawaiian culture, traditions are often passed down through family legacies. Through Hula Tease, Chaz creates his designs with the purpose of portraying his own family legacies through a combination of traditional and non-traditional approaches.
For Noelani, Chaz's traditional approach begins with his mother, Natalie Noelani. Following the foundation of Hula Tease which is to honor his family legacies, the intention of Noelani was to honor his mother and her legacy. The design incorporates patterns that represent Natalie's grandmother, daughter, and grand-daughter, each named after specific rains in Hawaiʻi as well. Although Noelani represents a Native Hawaiian legacy, Chaz takes a more modern approach when it comes to executing his design on clothing. Modern art originated in Europe during the 19th century. During the years of colonization in Hawaiʻi, many modernist painters travelled to document the nature and people of the islands. Modern art can be identified as design elements that represent structure and refinement. When compared to traditional Hawaiian art styles, such as Kapa, these design elements are more organic and natural. |
BREAKING DOWN THE LAYERS
Layer 1: Kauhiwailani
The first layer was created to represent Natalie's grand-daughter, Kauhiwailani. The composition of triangles were made to represent the way that mist falls through an ombré effect of light to dark from top to bottom.
Layer 2: Kiele (Gardenia)
This layer represents the gardenia flower, an indigenous flower to Hawaiʻi. In traditional Hawaiian art, many designs were inspired by the native flowers such as the gardenia. Chaz took this traditional approach to make the gardenia the primary subject of the design followed by his modern approach of strategically placing the flower bunches on certain parts of the design.
Layer 3: Kiowao
The third layer represent Natalie's daughter, Kiowao. Being that Kiowao is Kauhiwailani's mother, this layer has the same design and approach as layer one but in a lighter color.
Final: Noelani
All the layers together represent the legacy of Natalie Noelani. The order of layers signifies progression in legacy and the process of passing on responsibility to the next generation.
Layer 1: Kauhiwailani
The first layer was created to represent Natalie's grand-daughter, Kauhiwailani. The composition of triangles were made to represent the way that mist falls through an ombré effect of light to dark from top to bottom.
Layer 2: Kiele (Gardenia)
This layer represents the gardenia flower, an indigenous flower to Hawaiʻi. In traditional Hawaiian art, many designs were inspired by the native flowers such as the gardenia. Chaz took this traditional approach to make the gardenia the primary subject of the design followed by his modern approach of strategically placing the flower bunches on certain parts of the design.
Layer 3: Kiowao
The third layer represent Natalie's daughter, Kiowao. Being that Kiowao is Kauhiwailani's mother, this layer has the same design and approach as layer one but in a lighter color.
Final: Noelani
All the layers together represent the legacy of Natalie Noelani. The order of layers signifies progression in legacy and the process of passing on responsibility to the next generation.
Kealopiko - "Hinahānaiakamalama"
"There are many mana (versions) of the story of Hinahānaiakamalama and how she left earth to take refuge in the mahina (moon). In one mana, she leaps from Puʻu Māʻeliʻeli in Heʻeia, in attempt to escape her cruel and abusive husband. It was on the night of Lono, and as she jumped, he grabbed her leg and pulled it off, leaving it muku (amputated), hence the name Lonomuku. From her leg grew the ʻuala (sweet potato), a kinolau of Lono. Other accounts explain that in the moon, Hina found a variety of ʻuala called hualani (fruit of heaven) that was her nourishment there, from which comes the name Hinahānaiakamalama, or Hina nourished by the moon. Safe in her silvery home, Hina pounds her kapa and sets the rhythms for planting, fishing, and many other aspects of Hawaiian life. Each mahina (night of the moon) has a name and these are usually consistent across our various ʻāina. The malama (months), however, differ between islands and even districts, as each locality has its own unique aspect, weather patterns, geography, and assemblage of plants and animals. Our kūpuna were in constant conversation with the mahina, developing specialized local knowledge through observation and practice over time."
- Kealopiko
- Kealopiko
Kapa Pattern (Credit: The Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum) Kealopiko Screen Printing Process (Credit: Kealopiko.com) |
Screen PrintingKealopiko takes a traditional approach to create the design Hinahānaiakamalama. This print signifies the ancient stories of Hawaiʻi, specifically the story of Hina, Hawaiian goddess of the moon. An important part of Hina's story is that she was also a kapa-maker, which also resonates in the design. The patterns that were printed onto traditional Kapa were a repetition of different shapes that signified different parts of the Hawaiian culture. These patterns were organic and each different from the next. This same approach to pattern is seen in Hinahānaiakamalama through the repetition of shapes that represent Hina as the different phases of the moon. When breaking down the elements that make up the design, lines and shapes can be described as organic in a sense where these elements tend to be irregular. For example, the lines that frame each phase of the moon are asymmetrical and slightly curved.
To execute this design on clothing, Kealopiko takes a non-traditional approach by using screen printing. Screen printing is a method of printmaking that has been around for centuries, but became popular during the 19th century in Western Europe. Although this is a non-traditional technique, it serves as a useful resource that can create large quantities of product to keep up with a high demand. The combination of both approaches supports Kealopikoʻs intention of perpetuating the traditional Hawaiian culture with the world. |
Kris Hawaii - "Native Nectar"
"It's ‘Ōhi‘a Lehua Day and when I think of this beautiful native flower it reminds me of home— high up in the mountains of Kaua‘i."
- Kris Pūnua, designer of Kris Hawaii (via Instagram)
- Kris Pūnua, designer of Kris Hawaii (via Instagram)
NaturalismThe illustrations of Kris Hawaii represent the nature and people of Hawaiʻi using bold lines and a colorful palette. Similar to Hula Tease and Kealopiko, Kris Hawaii creates content that represents traditional Hawaiian culture through a non-traditional art style.
Kris uses the indigenous ʻIʻiwi bird and ʻŌhiʻa Lehua flower as the main subject in this artwork titled "Native Nectar". The content of this design is influenced by her home on the island of Kauaʻi, where you can find indigenous plants and bird high on the mountains. The non-traditional approach used to execute this design can be represented as Naturalism. Naturalism has been used since the 17th century, but became a movement in France as a part of Realism in the early 19th century. Naturalism can be described as an art style that depicts realistic objects in its truest form. Subjects include all forms of live such as people, landscapes, and animals. This art style takes a more scientific approach to art with the use of bold lines and vibrant colors. When looking at Kris' design, the original design was edited into a black and white color palette to emphasize the importance of the naturalistic approach. Without the bold outlines and color, it is more difficult to identify what the subject matter is. Therefore, the combination of indigenous content and western art styles is what brings the work of Kris Hawaii to life. |
Credit: "Native Nectar" by Kris Hawaii John James Audubon, Carolina Piegeons (Mourning Dove), 1827-1838, hand-colored engraving. from Birds of America |
John James Audubon: NaturalistJohn James Audubon (1785-1851) was an American ornithologist, naturalist, and artist. Audubon spent years documenting birds in their natural setting through the use of naturalistic art. He is well known for creating Birds of America, a collection of 435 life-size prints. This collection represents years of observations made by Audubon through a naturalistic art style that depicts each subject in its truest form. Audubon was also an advocate for wilderness conservation and wanted to create a collection that showed the importance of taking care of natural life and habitats.
Similar to Audubon's purpose, Kris chooses to use subjects in her work that are indigenous to Hawaiʻi. Her naturalistic approach delivers an illustration that depicts the beauty of the ʻIʻiwi bird and ʻŌhiʻa Lehua in its natural setting. |