During the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC) in Honolulu, Hui Kālai Ki‘i O Kūpā‘aike‘e hosted 70 Moananuiākea carvers, uniting to create 14-foot Hoe Uli (steering paddles) as symbols of collective self-determination.
“As Pacific peoples, we’re all voyagers, we’re all canoe people, and so Hoe Uli became the carving theme for FestPAC as a common cultural piece. The Hoe Uli represents our collective self-determination as Pacific peoples navigating our collective futures,” said Andre Perez, program lead for Kālai (carving) for the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture and project director of Hui Kālai Ki’i o Kūpā’aike’e.
The exhibition features Hoe Uli crafted by Pacific delegations, including Hawai‘i, Aotearoa, American Samoa, Western Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, French Polynesia, Guam, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Rapa Nui, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
Co-curated by Andre Perez and Kaili Chun.