HONOLULU (KHON2) – Last year, we brought you a story of a masterpiece mural from artist Kamea Hadar featuring Carissa Moore and legendary waterman Duke Kahanamoku.
This time, he’s at it again, but now here in Waikīkī. We are actually here at the Outrigger Reef Waikīkī Beach Resort and we are able to get a sneak peak.
This isn’t available to the public just yet.
So come follow me and lets go check out this mural.
Wow, you are face to face and I have to say, these keiki just pop off the wall.
This is beautiful.
To find out more, we are here with the artist Kamea Hadar.
Tell us a little about what the story is.
“So basically, Outrigger reached out to me and wanted a navigational themed mural,” says Hadar.
“They have a lot of history with Herb Kāne and many Herb Kāne pieces is the hotel chain. I wanted to give a more contemporary take on navigation and not try to even come close to Herb Kāne but kind of give a different take on it. So to me, this canoe that’s being sailed is very much like Hōkūleʻa but is more of a metaphorical Hōkūleʻa and its being crewed by keiki. So obviously it has to do with the next generation, the legacy that we’ve given them and where they are going to take that legacy in the future.”
I think this a great compliment because at least in this space, there is going to be a Hawaiian cultural center right across and this is all brand new.
But speaking of location, what about being in Waikīkī?
Your last mural and its location was in a perfect spot, nobody can miss that.
What is so special about this location here in Waikīkī?
“Well, obviously the Outrigger has such a rich history in navigation so that’s very good,” says Hadar.
“But also just the fact that Waikīkī is a special zone and we are not allowed to paint large exterior murals in Waikīkī. So anytime that I am able to paint in Waikīkī, I’m very happy to be here and to be able to expose my art to visitors and not only locals. So to share the culture with people that are here for a week and maybe give them a little bit of an insight into the history that we have here.”
We were talking before this and your keiki is actually one of the keiki in this mural.
That being said and this just talking about keiki and the future generation, as a father, what does this and the message it shares mean to you?
“While obviously it means the world to me,” says Hadar.
“When you’re a new father, you’re constantly thinking about your kids and what lessons you give them and what they are going to be when they grow up, quote unquote. So, obviously artists are inspired by what’s around them and right now, I’m a new father. You can see a lot of my work has to do with the next generation and children because that’s obviously what’s on my mind. So, if this piece can inspire the next generation and maybe give me a way to teach my daughter a little bit about traditions of navigation and also the ideas of community and how a canoe or wa’a is sailed only with a group of people working together, life lessons like that, I think will be amazing to pass on to my children.”
Again, this is just a sneak peak.
You will have the chance though for yourselves to come down here in the next couple weeks here at the Outrigger Reef Waikīkī Beach Resort to see this for yourself.
And also coming up, there will be video sharing the moʻolelo in more detail about this masterpiece.
Weird rescues, long-lost artifacts, check out Weird News here
For all the information and to stay tuned, click here.