Honolulu (December 2, 2021) – A Hawaiian Telcom fiber distribution hub near Kailua District Park on South Kainalu Street is now a stunning work of art, thanks to local student artists and Estria Foundation’s Mele Murals program.
Estria, a local nonprofit organization that provides art education and beautifies public spaces, partnered with Hawaiian Telcom to tell a story through a mural, working with local student artists using the company’s fiber distribution hub as a canvas.
“Students participating in the Mele Murals program strengthen their sense of belonging by connecting to Hawai‘i and the ‘aina, learn about the rich culture of the islands, and uncover the beauty of Hawai‘i by learning mele (song) written mostly in ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i (native tongue), rooted in wahi pana (sacred places),” said Todd “Estria” Johnson, co-founder and executive director of the Estria Foundation.
As a first step, the Estria Foundation’s team of educators and cultural practitioners took the students on a journey of Nā Pohaku o Hauwahine. They learned about Mākālei, a story about the great power of earth and fertility goddess Haumea, and the history and geography of Kailua, known for its abundance of fresh water and fish. The students sketched out what inspired them from the stories and the idea of “Imagining the Infinite Possibilities.”
The result: a mural of Haumea and her daughter Pele, the volcano goddess, along with the pahu (drum) represents the mana (power) of feminine energy that creates, destroys, gives life, grants wisdom, protects, and provides nourishment.
“We deeply appreciate the Estria Foundation’s thoughtful process as they guided students in transforming our fiber hub into an enduring, culturally relevant masterpiece,” said Jamie Kawamoto, Executive Director – Marketing Communications. “This partnership is one of many ways that Hawaiian Telcom will continue to support local innovation and creativity.”
Student artists are Nyzah Ahuna, Gabriella Ali, Kaylee Ash Ikeda, Kehaulani Jones and Arianna Valmoja from Kailua Intermediate School, and Jocelyn Hightower and Kyra Pukai from Kaimukī High School.
# # #
About Hawaiian Telcom
Hawaiian Telcom, established and headquartered in Honolulu since 1883, offers a full range of services to business and residential customers including Internet, video, voice, data network solutions and security, colocation, and managed and cloud services - all supported by the reach and reliability of its next generation fiber network and 24/7 state-of-the-art network operations center. With employees statewide sharing a commitment to innovation and a passion for delivering superior service, Hawaiian Telcom is proud to be Hawaiʻi’s Technology Leader. For more information, visit hawaiiantel.com.
Contact
Ann Nishida Fry
(808) 285-9289
Ann.nishida@hawaiiantel.com