Saturday June 1 starting at 2pm artists started to gather on the steps of the Linekona or former Lincoln Elementary School, now the home of the Honolulu Musuem of Art School. The opening reception of the Wahi Pana: A Sense of Place exhibition began with over 200 guests gathered inside the foyer were called to gather with the blowing of the conch shell to listen to Kumu Glen Kila and chanter Christophor Oliviera of Marae Ha’a Koa open up the celebration with an oli calling all together as we all came at some point as malihini or newcomers to Hawai’i and while some may recount more generations than others who were born and raised in Hawai’i, we all through the practice of aloha are one family.
Kumu ‘Uncle Joe’ Recca spoke about wahi pana and then he and Kumu Shirley Kanemura Recca performed a wahi pana hula from Waikiki.
Speeches by HoMA Head Curator Healoha Johnson followed by Gallery Manager Marlene Siu congratulating Association of Hawaii Artists on delivering this complex exhibition to the community was followed by speeches by AHA President Kimberly Howsley and the presentation of awards for the Spirit of Wahi Pana to Jimmy Tablante for The Beautiful Day with a $250 certificate from sponsor Chromaco and AHA President’s Award to Barbara Sumida for Kū’īlioloa Heiau, with a year’s membership and show fees waived as well as a $250 certificate from Chromaco.
