"He aliʻi ka ʻāina; he kauwā ke kāne - The land is chief; man is its servant."
- ʻŌlelo noʻeau #531
I was fortunate to have been able to spend a day at Hawaiian Force in Hilo with Aunty Luana and Uncle Craig Neff. I was there with Aunty Manulani Aluli Meyer and Pūlama Collier to launch a new board game we created together called Akamai, and we were blessed to have this venue offered to us for this launch. I looked around at Uncle Craig's art and was inspired by the raw, bold energy in his linework and hand-written graphics. I went home and felt like making a piece in this style.
My friend and one of my art heroes, John "Prime" Hina once shared with me the concept that the ʻahuʻula (father cloak) worn by aliʻi (royalty) represented an entire healthy, thriving ʻahupuaʻa (land division), and that the chief had the land and the people he served on his back whenever he wore it. If the land and people were not healthy, there would be no birds from which to harvest the feathers necessary for the ʻahuʻula.
For this piece, I visualized this concept in a graphic style, inspired by Uncle Craig Neffʻs bold lines and hand-written words.
Total of 40 prints available for purchase.
- 100% Canvas, UV archival inks
- 12"(L) x 12"(H) x 0.7"(Depth)
- 13.55 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.