Wahi Pana: Storied Places is a temporary public art project of the City and County of Honolulu Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts (MOCA) and is a winner of the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Public Art Challenge grant.
Beginning February 2025, the project will feature art installations across the island of O‘ahu that connect each site with their indigenous, Native Hawaiian mo‘olelo (stories).
Wahi Pana: Storied Places is a temporary public art project of the City and County of Honolulu Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts (MOCA) and is a winner of the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Public Art Challenge grant.
Beginning February 2025, the project will feature art installations across the island of O‘ahu that connect each site with their indigenous, Native Hawaiian mo‘olelo (stories).
Phase 1 Art Installations Now Open
Wahi Pana engages and educates Hawai‘i's residents and visitors through art that explores the layered and profound mo‘olelo (stories) of our ‘āina (land).
By presenting these cultural narratives, we aim to inspire respect and appreciation for our island's rich heritage, prompt meaningful conversations, and strengthen connections within our community. Through the creative expressions from talented local artists, Wahi Pana seeks to deepen the understanding and appreciation of our history and culture, fostering a shared sense of place among all who experience these powerful stories.
✨ 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿-𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝘆 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟳. ✨
Come in your shorts and slippers, enjoy a special evening celebration at Hanauma Bay featuring the presentation of "𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮: 𝗛𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝗵𝗶 𝗟𝗼𝗹𝗶 𝗠𝗮𝘂", an experimental video by 𝗸𝗲𝗸𝗮𝗵𝗶 𝘄𝗮𝗵𝗶, storytelling, artist talks, and light refreshments under the stars.
This rare after-hours event invites the community to reconnect with this cherished wahi pana. 𝗸𝗲𝗸𝗮𝗵𝗶 𝘄𝗮𝗵𝗶 (𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝘆) and 𝗨𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗶 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝘀 (𝗞𝗼𝗸𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻) will be present to mark the collective significance of their new installations.
📍 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝘆 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲
📅 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟳
⏰ 𝟲:𝟯𝟬 𝗣𝗠 - 𝟴:𝟯𝟬 𝗣𝗠
🔵 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 + 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰
Let’s come together to celebrate his legacy and the enduring presence of our people, both within and upon the land. Help us spread the word!
#WahiPana #StoriedPlaces
📢 𝗣𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝟮 𝗪𝗮𝗵𝗶 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗞𝗮𝗽𝗶‘𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗶 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗪𝗮𝗵𝗶 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗞𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗮𝗼 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻𝘆.🎨📝
Grounded in mo‘olelo and guided by place, "Kū‘ena‘ena" invites reflection on the layered history of this beloved gathering space.
📍 𝗞𝗮𝗽𝗶‘𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗶 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸 (𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲)
📅 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱
⏰ 𝟰:𝟬𝟬 𝗣𝗠 - 𝟲:𝟬𝟬 𝗣𝗠
🔵 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 + 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰
Spread the word and be part of our huaka‘i!
#WahiPana #StoriedPlaces
📢 𝗣𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝟮 𝗪𝗮𝗵𝗶 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗨𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗪𝗮𝗵𝗶 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗨𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗶 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝘀.🌿
We will celebrate Ualani Davis’ photographic installation with a morning blessing and intimate unveiling. "𝗞𝘂‘𝘂 𝗣𝘂𝗮 𝗶 𝗞𝗼𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗽𝗲" uses cyanotype imagery to honor the mo‘olelo of this storied landscape.
𝗗𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟳 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝘆, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗨𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗶 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸.
𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲: There will be a short hike to reach the installation site. We recommend wearing comfortable shoes and bringing a hat, water, and sun protection.
📍 𝗞𝗼𝗸𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻
📅 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟰
⏰ 𝟵:𝟬𝟬 𝗔𝗠 - 𝟭𝟬:𝟬𝟬 𝗔𝗠
🔵 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 + 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 (𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴)
Spread the word and be part of our huaka‘i!
#WahiPana #StoriedPlaces
📖 Bringing Poetry to Place: Brandy Nālani McDougall’s Lē‘ahi 🌺
Mahalo to all who joined us for the latest Wahi Pana activation in collaboration with #HawaiiTriennial2025 (#HT25), featuring the poetry of Brandy Nālani McDougall, Hawai‘i’s Poet Laureate.
Her piece, Lē‘ahi, challenges us to consider how perceptions of this iconic landscape have evolved—through the eyes of Kānaka ‘Ōiwi, Western explorers, the U.S. military, and tourism. A section of her larger work, Aloha Ka‘apuni, this poetry reminds us that aloha ‘āina is not static; it moves, shifts, and endures.
Mahalo to Brandy for sharing her mo‘olelo through this profound work, and to everyone who gathered to witness the power of Native Hawaiian poetry in public spaces.
🎥 Swipe to watch the event recap!
🎶 Music: Kaimana Hila written by Charles E. King (1916). Performed by Fran Guidry and Ledward Ka‘apana.
📷 Photos: @mikeitophoto
📲 Read more on #BloombergConnects
📷 Tag us in your photos and share your reflections!
#WahiPana #StoriedPlaces
🙏 A Legacy Honored: Na Lehua Helele‘i 🌺
This past week, in collaboration with #HawaiiTriennial2025 (#HT25), we gathered at Fort DeRussy Park to honor the late Rocky Ka‘iouliokahihikolo‘Ehu Jensen and the restoration of his iconic ki‘i installation, Nā Lehua Helele‘i.
Originally installed 25 years ago, these five towering images of Kū stand as a memorial to fallen Kanaka Maoli warriors—but also as a statement of presence, resilience, and strength. Through the support of the Royal Order of Kamehameha and Wahi Pana, this powerful work has been restored, ensuring Rocky’s legacy endures.
Mahalo to everyone who joined us, including Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Rocky’s daughter, Natalie Jensen, who shared heartfelt reflections on his contributions to Hawaiian art and culture.
🎥 Swipe to watch the event recap!
🎶 Music: Kaulana Nā Pua written by Eleanor Kekoaohiwaikalani Wright Prendergast (1893). Performed by George Kahumoku Jr.
📷 Photos: @mikeitophoto
📲 Learn more on #BloombergConnects
📷 Did you attend? Share your photos with us!
#WahiPana #StoriedPlaces
🌊 Mahalo for joining us at the first Wahi Pana activation! 🎨✨
Last week, in collaboration with #HawaiiTriennial2025 (#HT25), Wahi Pana unveiled Carl F.K. Pao’s stunning tile mural, Ke Kānāwai Māmalahoe (The Law of the Splintered Paddle), and Imaikalani Kalahele’s powerful poetry installation at Fort Street Mall.
Carl’s mural transforms ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i into a visual language, reminding us of our kuleana to care for one another, just as Kamehameha I declared in 1797. Imaikalani’s poetry, displayed on banners throughout Fort Street, speaks to the layers of history and resilience woven into this space.
Mahalo to all who came out to celebrate this milestone in Wahi Pana: Storied Places! If you missed it, be sure to stop by Fort Street Mall to experience these works firsthand.
🎥 Swipe to watch the event recap!
🎶 Music: Nā Ali‘i written by Samuel Kuahiwi (1928). Performed by Mano.
📷 Photos: @mikeitophoto
📲 Explore more on #BloombergConnects
📷 Tag us in your photos!
#WahiPana #StoriedPlaces
📖 Wahi Pana Activation: Brandy Nālani McDougall’s Lē‘ahi – Friday, Feb 21 📖
Join us Friday, February 21 at 9:30 AM at Operation Red Wings Medal of Honor Park for the next Wahi Pana x #HawaiiTriennial2025 (#HT25) activation, featuring the poetic work of Brandy Nālani McDougall, Hawai‘i’s Poet Laureate.
Her piece, Lē‘ahi, is a powerful exploration of how perceptions of this storied place have evolved—from its significance to Kānaka ‘Ōiwi to the shifts brought by Western explorers, the U.S. military, and tourism. Part of her larger work, Aloha Ka‘apuni, this poetry reminds us that aloha ‘āina circulates, adapts, and continues to shape our connection to land.
Come experience this thought-provoking installation and hear from the artist as we continue our journey through Wahi Pana: Storied Places.
📍 Operation Red Wings Medal of Honor Park (Fort Ruger/Triangle Park)
📅 Friday, Feb 21
⏰ 9:30 AM
Help us share this moment—spread the word and engage with Wahi Pana on social media!
#WahiPana #StoriedPlaces
✨ Honoring Rocky Ka‘iouliokahihikolo‘Ehu Jensen at Fort DeRussy – Thursday, Feb 20 ✨
Join us as we activate Nā Lehua Helele‘i, the iconic ki‘i sculptures by the late Rocky Ka‘iouliokahihikolo‘Ehu Jensen, in a special event at Fort DeRussy Park on Thursday, February 20 at 11 AM.
Originally installed 25 years ago and recently restored through Wahi Pana and #HawaiiTriennial2025 (#HT25), these towering figures represent the benevolent aspects of Kū—steadfastness, forgiveness, and generosity—serving as a powerful memorial to Kanaka Maoli warriors and a testament to Rocky’s lifelong dedication to Native Hawaiian art and culture.
This activation will include reflections from Jensen’s family and the Royal Order of Kamehameha, whose volunteer efforts helped bring this restoration to life. Join us as we honor an artist, a visionary, and a protector of Hawaiian traditions.
📍 Fort DeRussy Park (fronting the Hawai‘i Army Museum)
📅 Thursday, Feb 20
⏰ 11:00 AM
Let’s come together to celebrate his legacy and the enduring presence of our people, both within and upon the land. Help us spread the word!
#WahiPana #StoriedPlaces
📢 First Wahi Pana Site Activation: Carl F.K. Pao & Imaikalani Kalahele at Fort Street Mall! 🎨📝
Join us Wednesday, February 19 at 11 AM for the first site activation of Wahi Pana: Storied Places in collaboration with #HawaiiTriennial2025 (#HT25)! We are proud to unveil two incredible installations at Fort Street Mall, celebrating the voices and artistry of Carl F.K. Pao and Imaikalani Kalahele.
🌊 Carl Pao’s tile mural, Ke Kānāwai Māmalahoe (The Law of the Splintered Paddle), transforms ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i into a visual language, sharing a powerful mo‘olelo of justice, protection, and kuleana. Rooted in the law established by King Kamehameha I in 1797, this mural invites us to reflect on our shared responsibility to land and community.
📝 Imaikalani Kalahele’s poetry will also be celebrated with six featured poems displayed on banners throughout Fort Street Mall. A Kanaka Maoli poet, artist, and musician, Kalahele’s work speaks to the deep ties between place, history, and identity—especially meaningful here, where he grew up in the 1950s.
Come celebrate this momentous occasion with us, hear from the artist, and experience the first of three site activations in Phase I of Wahi Pana.
📍 Fort Street Mall (at Pauahi Street)
📅 Wednesday, Feb 19
⏰ 11:00 AM
Spread the word and be part of our huaka‘i!
#WahiPana #StoriedPlaces
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