Eco-Art Competition 2022

The story of Haloa, the connection between people and the land. A story shared and whispered among the Hawaiian people. It is the story of how us Hawaiian people became, from the kalo(taro) plant, from nature. The words ‘keiki o ka ‘aina’ (children of the land), have been whispered and told to me multiple times, not quite understanding. As I am older I know exactly what it means, through this artwork I wanted to show my understanding of that statement. It is time to connect with the land and become one with the land again, as many have been disconnected. A lot has been happening in Hawai’i; with land being taken away, our sacred mountain being torn apart, and waters being polluted. Us Hawaiian people have been trying to protect the land, as it is vital to protect and conserve what is left of our beautiful home. This not only applies to Hawai’i, across the globe we should be taking action to connect to the earth and hear her cries. Any small impact for the earth is big. I have used all of my drawings in black and white, with the kalo(taro) being the only thing in color, to portray that connection and make it stand out. I wish for the viewers to connect with this painting and to connect with the earth, laying your roots for future generations.