Airport exhibits are amazing
Airport exhibits are amazing
I had the good fortune to see in person the window displays inside Lihue Airport and would like to encourage airline passengers to stop by for a few moments and take a look for themselves.
The displays are designed and executed by Carol Yotsuda of the Garden Island Arts Council, and everyone has spotlighted a different aspect of life here on Kauai.
Who could ever forget the Kauai book and their authors’ window? Or the humpback whale exhibit? One of the most recent displays by Sheri Majewski’s Eleele School class consisted of an entire replication of miniature historical buildings in Hanapepe using Kauai earth pigments, complete with tiny Japanese lanterns, hanging flower pots and palm trees.
Thank you Ms. Majewski for taking your students sketching and helping them to see how the history of “Our Town” is so important.
I’d like to commend the photography of Kathleen Ho, whose current display called “The Humble Plantation House” is so absolutely spectacular. Her attention to detail, the cat’s tail sticking out from under the garage door, the rusted totan, the worn enamel washing pots and peeling paint; so much character!
The little plantation house veranda built by Jose Orbe exudes nostalgia. An exhibit like this would not be out of place at Honolulu Academy of Art and here it is, right here at our local airport. Thank you, Kathleen.
Thanks to the County of Kauai Office of Economic Development for providing funding to keep these unique displays which share so much of the essence of our beautiful island. Most of all, thank you Carol Yotsuda for all you do here on Kauai for the arts.
If you have not already seen these amazing exhibitions, please try to pause for a few minutes on the way to or from your airport gate.
Jodi Ascuena, Lawai
what is this fascination and fond reminiscence of ‘plantation life’ on Kauai? Is it not akin to a time of slavery and a feudal system?
Slavery? Were people captured, brought here in chains and whipped when disobedient?
People came here to work and they did work hard. Plantation managers understood that it was best to respect the customs of the various ethnic groups and encourage their preservation.
The story of plantation life through how we live today is a story of human development.
It must be told honestly and remembered.
Yes it was a hard time and yes it was unfair to the native Hawaiians. But plantation life was the foundation of what Hawaiis culture is today hard work just to get by creates strong tight knit communities almost like family (even though we not related we still ohana) that life tought us to look after each other. I mean an entire language was created from plantation life (pidgin) like it or not with Hawaiian barely hanging on it’s become Hawaii first language. The bento (box lunch) was created when plantation workers had lunch together they would share what they made and took from each other’s lunches with rice being the main starch. Plantation life made us what we are today.. SOLID.
Eh! Mr. jones. It was our life. We were happy with not too many haoles around. And those that were here were respectful and fit in. We all worked for a living, at jobs provided by the plantations. At least we got paid. Not much, but enough for us to live happily . We all took care of each other. I grew up and lived in a plantation house for the first 18 years of my life with a wonderful loving family, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world.
The display of Kauai books and authors was just fantastic!