Reflection

As I stood out in the water holding the limu, wet and slippery from all of the work braiding it with husk into a lei, I truly understood just how important it is. Limu is a critical species in ocean ecosystems, serving as a food source and also a culturally important resource in Hawaiian culture. For this project, I took my inspiration from limu, especially from the times that I’ve worked with it in the field with groups like Waimanalo Limu Hui, who are dedicated towards restoring limu to its former abundance. Limu is an important aspect to me and to many more people, who use it as a food source, garnish, and also for cultural practices. As a Native Hawaiian, I also believe that preserving culture and the significance of limu is important, as it brings to light traditions that aren’t widely known. To convey my message, I chose visual art block printing in the style of traditional Hawaiian carving prints. Similar to wood or rubber pressing, the style of carving and painting on that mold, then pressing on paper to form an image has been in my family for a while. I recall weekends where my mother would spend hours at the table, carving out a new design on rubber blocks where she’d outline the figure first. The smell of paint and sounds of rollers would fill the air. This particular style of art stuck with me and I wanted to showcase it with the joining of the environment and culture through a style that conveys my message simply yet purely. “Rooted by Nature” is a block-printed image of a pair of hands (modeled after my own hands) wrapping around limu, as if it’s embracing it or sheltering it. It symbolizes the connection that humans have with nature, and in this case, my connection with limu in the ocean in reverence to my ancestors and family.