Mālama pono - to take care
This piece is a piece of concept art for a game designed in collaboration with students from Nānākuli High and Intermediate School on the Waiʻanae coast of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi. Through a place-based afterschool program by PALS and Places Hawaiʻi, Jeffrey Vierra, Jack Hobbs, and I teach a game design class where we work with high school students to build a game of their own design. This game in particular voiced the studentsʻ resistance to the proposal of a new landfill being built in their neighborhood. In it, four factions must communicate and come to agreement in order to ensure the survival of their island home. This game is still in development.
This faction is called the "Kupu" and represents the natives of the island, the tree-people, who are guardians of the land and its resources, and depend on the health of the land in order to survive. Every Kupu begins life sprouting from a corm, grow into a tree, are eventually able to walk freely as stewards and protectors of the land, and when they die, their corm is replanted to begin a new generation. As the old Kupu ages, they again root and return to the earth, giving the last bit of life-force they have to the ensure the health and growth of the next generation.
This piece depicts the transfer of life from the old generation to the new, ensuring the survival of their people, and the survival of the land, itself, mau a mau (always and forever).
Total of 40 prints available for purchase.
*This piece is also an NFT available at alohanft.com!
- 100% Canvas, UV archival inks
- 5"(L) x 7"(H) x 0.7"(Depth)
- 8.11 Oz. Fade-resistant UV archival inks, long-lasting canvas print.
- Protective coating, resistant to scratches and spills.
- Lightweight material. Wooden frame inside, wrapped with canvas outside.
- Hanging hardware included.
- Non water-proof fabric.