Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 12, 1 December 2011 — Fishy, fishy on the lawn [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Fishy, fishy on the lawn

By Sarah Paeheeo An unusual creature has invaded Kapolei High School. It has a long, muscular body that ends in a large fan-like tail. It has a bulbous nose, wide eyes and a pair of chubby cheeks. Some lay flat against the grass, while others seem to be dragging themselves along thanks to a set of strong pectoral fins. And if you look really close, a few seem to be sticking out their tongues! Nearly a dozen 'o'opu hi'u kole have made

their way onto the West O'ahu school campus thanks to their creator, Kazu Fukuda Kauinana, who produced the sculptures as part of the Artists in Residence project established by the Hawai'i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts in collaboration with the Department of Education. At first glance, these strange-looking fish may seem out of plaee on the Kapolei campus. But Kauinana was inspired more by the 'o'opu's character traits than its physical characteristics. "This fish is tenacious, it's adaptable, it's

"I hope that at some point (the students) evolve into successful adults, just as the o opu have evolved to live in their environment." — Kazu Fukuda Kauinana, Sculptor evolved and, to me, it's beautiful," he says. "It wasn't sculpting the fish, it wasn't anything really physical . . . it was the character, the kinds of traits I'd like our kids to have, and the fish fit the bill." Kauinana's fascination for this endemic species began several years ago. He researched the fish and leamed how even though it lives in freshwater tide pools at the very tops of the mountains, the 'o'opu begins life in saltwater ponds near the sea. Shortly after hatching from their eggs, the little fry are swept away by waterfalls and carried down to the oeean. The fish live there until they are big enough to make their way back up the mountain pools, an arduous feat that requires both determination and adaptability on behalf of the five-inch-long creature, qualities Kauinana wanted to instill in the young minds of the high schoolers. "It's a metaphor for the character traits students will need to succeed in their education," he says. "The parallel between the fish and the students sort of stuck in my mind, and I hope the students ean hang in there and finish their education." In total, Kauinana created 12 concrete sculptures for the project, nine for the high school and three for the future Mālama Learning Center. Beginning in late 2010, the individual 8-foot-long, one-ton 'o'opu were placed in various spots around the campus, eaeh embarking on a journey to a single end point, the library. "The library was a focal point because it is a symbol of knowledge," Kauinana explains, "and we hope that at some point (the students) will heeome truly educated with knowledge of all kinds." To further drive this point home, a bronze sculpture depicting a male and female 'o'opu together at the top of a mountain sits at the entrance to the library as a reminder of the many opportunities knowledge and education provide. Says Kauinana: "I hope that at some point (the students) evolve into successful adults, just as the 'o'opu have evolved to live in their environment." ■ Sarah Paeheeo, a former writer and Assistant Regional Editorfor MidWeek, is a freelance writer on O 'ahu.

www.oha.org/kwo | kwo@OHA.org NATIVE HAWAIIAN » NEWS | FEATURES | EVENTS

GULTURE

AB0VE: Kazu Fukuda Kauinana with one of his 'o'opu hi'u kole sculptures. BEL0W: A bronze 'o'opu gets some sun on the Kapolei High campus. - Photos: Courtesy ofKozu Fukuda Kauinana