HAPPENINGS

A special exhibition centering on the resilience of hala.

The opening reception for “Hala” will be held on May 9, 2025, at 5pm at the WAILOA ART CENTER in Hilo, HI.

Hala, or Pandanus tectorius, is a significant plant in Native Hawaiian culture (and across Polynesia), yet native coastal forests of hala are now considered rare in Hawaiʻi. In addition to its gifts in providing food, medicine, natural fibers and oils, research on climate resilience indicates hala’s potential in protecting shorelines from storm-induced flooding and acting as a barrier from salt spray to crops growing near the coast. This exhibition is a culmination of community collaborations and co-created research supported by PICASC, with participation from scientists, researchers, natural resource managers, cultural practitioners, educators, students, and artists. The project will later conclude with a catalogue of knowledge systems, methods of hala stewardship, reforestation and preservation, sustainable use of hala products, as well as mapping of present and historical locations of hala, including threats and opportunities for reforestation.

The exhibition will be on view from May 10 – June 19.