mele murals a multi-island arts and education project ...muralism conferences where the mural clubs...

The Estria Foundation

679-A Auahi St., Honolulu, HI 96813 808.638.4005 www.estria.org @estriaorg

Mele Murals A Multi-Island Arts and Education Project Linking Communities and Culture

Presented by The Estria Foundation Mele Murals is a series of murals across the Hawaiian Islands featuring traditional Hawaiian lyrics representing historic oral traditions and folklore. Local artists, teens, youth organizations, musicians and cultural advisors come together to share Kanaka Maoli stories and values through a visual medium. Project and Process Our goal is to create over 20 murals grounded in Hawaiian protocols, with local youth, art educators, and artists. All murals will include educational workshops on mele and mural painting. Artists and youth will work together on the concept for the mural and assist in its creation. Local cultural experts talk with the youth during the workshops about the stories in the mele. Community members will be invited to paint days and exciting unveiling celebrations. Education Community By guiding youth to form their own Mural Clubs, and providing them with leadership development, project coordination training, and mentorship, they will be better prepared to continue creating valuable cultural and creative work in their neighborhoods in the years ahead. We continue long-term investment and commitment to all these youth groups by organizing bi-annual muralism conferences where the mural clubs meet, learn, share the stories of their Mele Murals and build future projects together. Clubs participate in weekly drawing assignments on EdModo.com, a free website for teachers and students. We are working to build and sustain an art-in-public movement by freely sharing curriculum with art educators. This curriculum is grounded in culture, place-based learning, and pubic art; and meets Common Core Standards.



Goals of Mele Murals Our work honors the last commands of our King David Kalakaua, “Look to the keiki, teach them, groom them, show them wonder, and inspire them.” Mele Murals affords a platform to teach young people to become storytellers, painters, and community leaders. The program’s goals are to:

• Beautify the islands with public art that is artistically excellent, deeply connected to the history of Hawai‘i, and a source of pride

• Develop arts-interested local youth into visual storytellers by educating them on our history,

showing them how to connect to ancestors, and developing their artistic skills

• Provide opportunities for youth to explore Hawaiian oral storytelling tradition, to learn how to read kaona, and preserve our values

• Increase cross-generation and cross-island cultural engagement by creating new and exciting opportunities for all generations to learn and share mele and stories

• Enhance student creative and critical thinking skills through the mural arts process and support for arts educators and teaching artists

• Increase social connection among youth artists by developing and supporting a network of youth

Mural Clubs across the islands and connecting these clubs to area cultural workers

• Use a broad set of media tools to share the stories of the mele with a broad, global audience, highlighting important artistic, cultural, and historical themes.



Confirmed Partners • Papaku no Kameha‘ikana • 808 Urban • Pacific American Foundation • Kamehameha Schools • Kanu o ka ‘Aina • Hālau Kū Māna • Donkey Mill Art Center • Bobby Benson Center

Advisors We have a growing advisory board on culture, communities, and mele. This is a supportive group we call on for advice or networking, and includes Aunty Vicky Holt Takamine, Aunty Leina‘ala Heine, Raiatea Helm, Rep. Della Au Belatti, Sen. Will Espero, Councilwoman Carol Fukunaga, John Koga, Officer Anthony Kalahui, Eva Laird-Smith and others. Telling the Story ‘Oiwi TV will be filming every mural, and sharing these videos through their cable channel and website. Acclaimed documenter, Tad Nakamura, will produce a feature length film. We will promote and share the mural-making process and finished walls with people around the world through social media and special screenings. We are currently seeking partners to create children’s books and an adult coffee table book. How You Can Help We are seeking support in every form at this time. We need financial support, as well as introductions to art educators, high schools, cultural practitioners, and corporate sponsors on all the islands. Please go to www.melemurals.org for more information and to support our keiki!

Contact: Estria Miyashiro, Creative Director Mahea Akau, Mele Murals Coordinator 510-325-6021 cell 808-557-5700 cell [email protected] [email protected]



About The Estria Foundation The Estria Foundation is a nonprofit arts and community building organization based in Honolulu, Hawaii and Oakland, California. The Estria Foundation creates art in public spaces locally and globally with artists, youth, and community leaders in an effort to raise awareness and inspire action in movements to resolve human and environmental issues. Current programs include: Water Writes, a global project producing ten collaborative murals across the globe focused on documenting the local and international water crises. Youth, artists, organizers and environmentalists from each site collaborate to tell the story of crucial local water issues. TEF is currently on the tenth mural. Estria Battle Festival, now in its sixth year, this public art battle is the premier live painting competition in the USA. The weeklong festival highlights the most talented public artists while elevating the art form through public education and engagement. About Estria Miyashiro Native Hawaiian Estria is an internationally recognized mural artist and the Co-Founder and Creative Director of The Estria Foundation. Along with team members based in Hawaii and California, he creates innovative public art projects and education programs using public art as a catalyst for community engagement. He began painting in Hawaii in 1984 and has completed nearly 1,000 murals worldwide.

mele murals a multi-island arts and education project ...muralism conferences where the mural clubs...

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