Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 6, Number 10, 1 October 1989 — Makaku [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Makaku

By Rocky Ka'iouliokahihikolo 'Ehu Jensen ©

An artist in search of a craft

At first glance, one would think that our Native crafts are alive and doing well in Hawai'i Nei. Wrong. My wife, Lueia, and I have had the privilege of being affiliated with such entities as Magnum P.I., Jake and the Fat Man. Joe vs. the

Volcanoes for Steven Spielberg and most recently, lsland Son starring Richard Chamberlain. As technical advisors in "things" Hawaiian, one of our responsibilities is to procure objets d'art. I soon discovered that it was difficult to obtain one thing or another in whieh case I created the pieee myself, adding to my already large eollection. We were to find out that this was only the tip of the iceberg! We are now in collaboration with the very talented duo, Elaine Zinn and Richard Tibbetts, who wrote and produced the award-win-ning documentary on Hawaiian quilts of two years ago. Representing the Hawai'i Craftsmen organization, they are in the process of deve!oping what is to be the quintessential expression of Hawaiian Arts and Crafts . . . a film that will feature some of the finest Hawaiian craftspeople displaying arts and crafts of a pre-Cook design. We are also involved in the same capacity with Moana Productions, under Grace Niska and Paul Atkins, who have previousiy produced sensitive documentaries concerning the environment and its occupants. The problem that slowly revealed itself to us was that the native artisans are few and what they produce is usually one-of-a-kind and not

available to the public. My attempt at obtaining a simple small puniu, for instance, serves to explain the dilemma quite well. An afternoon of calling exposed the fact that the puniu, whieh today is essentially a hula instrument, cannot be found in any of our commercial hula supply shops. I was told, in a rather annoyed voice . . . "dey maik de own," (they make their own), meaning that the kumu hula and their alaka'i traditionally create their own drums as part of their initiation in a halau. Further, getting in touch with several other halau, I was confronted with awkward excuses. They were obviously reluctant to part with the precious object. I decided that it would be more profitable for me, due to the time speht in tracking down this elusive drum, to "make my own." Although Zinn and Tibbetts have contracted the cream of the crop to demonstrate the Hawaiian genius the problem unearthed was that, outside of feather lei and modern form of lauhala plaiting, those precious artifacts of the wa po design are few and usually the sole property of the artist. The reason being: time in the making of said object and no visible market. Usually outside of esoteric concerns, no one has eome forth and shown an interest in the perpetuation of the Hawaiian Native Craft . . . island wide . . . for all talented Kanaka Maoli. The list of rarities is endless . . . feather capes, kapa, adzes, ornately carved drums, lei niho palaoa, hand carved bowls with images, fine lauhala mats with delicately colored pawehe design, woven baskets made from 'ie'ie, helmets, Hawaiian paddles, Hawaiian koa canoes (double and single,) and correctly carved Ancestral Imagery with symbolisms intact. The demand for authentic arts and crafts obviously outweighs the objects in stock. And, we have realized that the old are dying and the young are not interested in pursuing an occupation that required diligence, stamina and perseverance. Not to mention that the young have long been witness to their kin creating for generations without proper remuneration. Ah ha! Could we have stumbled onto the real problem behind our flagging Native industry! Yes, the artisans are few, the objects rare, mainly because our culture has never been catered to. Our arts are rarely respected and cared for. The

individual Hawaiian artisan has to virtually maintain his traditional famiiy vocation on his own . . . often out of pure aloha. Where are our art centers? Where are our cultural headquarters? Where is our Arts Council . . . one that would address the needs of the Native artist . . ,the host culture? Where are our heiau, those functioning, gathering places where the paramount arts and crafts were created and entwined for the glory of our Ancestors? Where are our supplies? Where are our forests? Where is our Makaloa sedge . . . how about our feathers? Where are our kahuna . . . our teachers? Where are our kauhale? Where are our leaders? Where are our speakers to speak the truth that has existed before time? There are other issues other than 'aina issues at stake here. Most importantly, now that we are no longer in control of our native way of life where are the consciously aware agencies in whose hands the artisan has been entrusted? Until we regain some of these, until the guest culture realizes that the essence of Hawai'i, expressed through its arts, must be cultivated tenderly, constantly, through the island ehain, not as pseudo-generosity of tokenism . . . but demonstrated as a sincere desire to aid because of understanding and admiration, then and only then will our few artisans and the precious burden that they have chosen to make their life's calling, escape the bonds of extinction. Again, it bears repeating: Mai ka po mai 'o'ia'i'o. Although knowing the truth is a balm to the soul the thought of our art passing from the planes of this earth is painful.