WAILUA — Swastikas and batu pipes defacing Loop Road’s Keahua Bridge murals were scrubbed away last Saturday by a small group of volunteers.
The hate symbols represent the latest iteration of a long-standing graffiti problem at the site, which was decorated by Kapa‘a High School students in conjunction with the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources and a Hawaiian cultural practitioner in 2019.
“First, they blacked out the eyes, then they put crack pipes and then they’ve tagged, ‘Meth Island,’” Vanessa Herlitz, the art teacher behind the mural, said. “Recently, I’ve been seeing this racism, like the swastika. I’ve seen something about ‘The white man rules’ or something to that effect.”
The mural depicts hula dancers telling a story of the native flora and fauna found nearby. A still-incomplete representation of an ahupua‘a system can be seen on the reverse side of the wall.
Nikki Cristobal, executive director of the nonprofit Kamawaelualani Corp., helped remove the graffiti last week. Her organization, which includes the art program Mo‘oleo Murals, has offered to help Herlitz further repair the damage.
“A lot of the faces and stuff in some parts of it … the paint got completely scratched off in the process of cleaning it, unfortunately,” Cristobal said.
The Kaua‘i Police Department had no reports of vandalism from Loop Road, officially known as the Wailua Forest Management Road, in the last month.
Imagery like swastikas are included in KPD hate crime statistics if used as part of a hate crime, according to the department, which has recorded eight reported hate crimes since 2019. The statistics do not reflect unreported hate crimes or cases where a victim refused to make a complaint.
The DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement reported no new citations at Keahua Bridge.
DOCARE officers would have to catch the vandals in the act, a spokesperson said.
DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife personnel will apply a clear coat to the mural once restorations are complete.
Cristobal sees an opportunity for unity in the wake of the discovery.
“I think the strength of Kaua‘i is most people see that and most people want to help, in terms of not having it happen again, or cleaning up the mess,” she said.
Herlitz thanked community members for their assistance in preserving the mural, describing the graffiti as something a little bit like a cry for help.
“I have dreams of trying to work with these people who are tagging, and try to funnel their vandalism into something more functional or creative or positive,” Herlitz said.
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Scott Yunker, general assignment reporter, can be reached at 245-0437 or syunker@thegardenisland.com.
