{"id":218084,"date":"2025-06-27T16:42:54","date_gmt":"2025-06-28T02:42:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=218084"},"modified":"2025-07-01T12:49:06","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T22:49:06","slug":"powerful-murals-at-uh-maui-college","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/27\/powerful-murals-at-uh-maui-college\/","title":{"rendered":"3 powerful murals unveiled at UH<\/abbr> Maui College"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Jay Gilleard\u02bbs (Cbloxx) mural.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Maui College campus was alive with art, as students, cultural practitioners and community members gathered on June 27, for the blessing and unveiling of three new large-scale murals created through the Hui Moʻolelo<\/span> Mural Project. The murals were designed to elevate the voices and moʻolelo<\/span> (stories) of Maui\u2019s people.<\/p>\n

“At UH<\/abbr> Maui College, we believe that education extends beyond the classroom,” said Chancellor Lui Hokoana. “That\u2019s what we want our students to do—to look, to listen, to learn—and then to find their own voices and express themselves. These murals bring learning into our shared spaces, offering moments of reflection, inspiration and connection for every member of our community.”<\/p>\n

Laughter and tears<\/h2>\n
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Eric Finley Jr. (the artist known as SEVEN) mural<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Each mural emerged from Hui Moʻolelo<\/span>\u2019s unique process: local storytellers recorded audio reflections rooted in memory and place, which were then interpreted by professional artists selected through a public call.<\/p>\n

At the Kaʻaʻike<\/span> Building<\/strong>, artist Solomon Enos created a vibrant piece inspired by the oral histories of Uncle “Gaby” Gouveia, gathered by Pualani Enos of the Matsunaga Institute for Peace. <\/p>\n

“The oral histories gave me a ‘kūlolo’ level of understanding of Maui—dense, rich and sweet,” Enos said. “I laughed out loud as often as I was brought to tears. With deep gratitude and aloha, I offer this work to the Maui community.”<\/p>\n

Outside the Pilina Building<\/strong>, muralist Eric Finley Jr. (the artist known as SEVEN) translated moʻolelo<\/span> shared by Louis Garcia III<\/abbr> and Kaliko Storer—including the tale of a 92-pound ulua—into a dynamic composition celebrating the ocean\u2019s lessons. The community\u2019s original song, “Pule, Catch Fish and Share,” written during a K\u012bhei workshop, played as guests arrived.<\/p>\n

At the Kūpaʻa<\/span> Building<\/strong>, Jay Gilleard (Cbloxx) explored ancestral knowledge, healing, and gender fluidity through a mural informed by conversations with Anuhea Yagi, H\u014daka Delos Reyes, Nicolita Garces and Ashley Ancheta Galacgac. A carved stone healer\u2019s face symbolizes permanence and generational wisdom.<\/p>\n

Brilyn Neizman, a 2025 UH<\/abbr> Maui College graduate, watched as the murals were painted and attended the blessing and unveiling. She said the painting outside the Pilina Building is her favorite.<\/p>\n

”I love that the Lahaina mountains are in the background. That gives a real sense of community,” Neizman said. “It\u2019s so amazing the way they tell stories throughout the process.”<\/p>\n

The presentation by the Maui Public Art Corps and the County of Maui marked the culmination of months of deep community engagement, cultural consultation and creative collaboration.—resulting in three murals at UH<\/abbr> Maui College that center the voices and moʻolelo<\/span> (stories) of Maui\u2019s people.<\/p>\n

More about each mural and the stories behind them can be found at mauipublicart.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Mural by Solomon Enos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

UH<\/abbr> Maui College walls transformed through dynamic stories rooted in Maui.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[105,60],"class_list":["post-218084","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-art","tag-maui-college","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t