Gov. Lewis Honors Hawaiian Artists at Heard Museum

January 20, 2023

Kyle Knox

Managing Editor

Friday, Jan. 6, the Heard Museum held an opening reception for its new “He’e Nalu: The Art and Legacy of Hawaiian Surfing” exhibit.  Hawaiian dance, songs, and culture sharing filled the Crossroads Gallery of the museum, where the exhibit artists, curators, museum trustees, and sponsors were present. 

“I want to thank the Indigenous people of this land, because we are visitors to this land and for allowing us to come here and tell our story,” said He’e Nalu curator Carolyn Melaenani Kuali’i.  “For us, know we appreciate the blessing we’ve been given to be here and tell that story of traditional Hawaiian surfing.” 

The new exhibit features an array of traditional surfboards and cultural items that surfing incorporates.  A description of the exhibition reads: “While other Indigenous communities around the world may have ridden waves in boats on their way in from fishing, the Känaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) were the first and only Indigenous people to slide the surf in the pursuit of pleasure.”

All the guests in attendance were thrilled to have been hosted by the Heard Museum and were happy when Governor Stephen Roe Lewis attended to share more about the land on which the Heard Museum lay. 

At the reception, Gov. Lewis provided a land acknowledgment for the visiting guests that illustrated the rich ancestral history of the O’otham and Pee Posh lands on which Phoenix rests.  In return, Gov. Lewis, a current trustee of the Heard Museum, received a unique Hawaiian flower lay from the exhibition team as a token of appreciation for his support of the exhibit.

“I want to welcome our relatives from Hawaii, they truly are our brothers and sisters, so it’s an honor to be welcomed by them and their amazing artist that continue the ancient practices that continue to thrive in contemporary times,” said Gov. Lewis.

While being recognized, Gov. Lewis also took the time to present gifts to the exhibit’s elder artist Tom Pōhaku Stone and exhibit curator Carolyn Melenani Kuali’i. 

Kuali’i was gifted a unique necklace adorned with charms made from a saguaro cactus rib.  Then he also presented Stone and Kuali’i, each with a skateboard deck designed by GRIC’s own Seven Layer Army.

“We live in the desert and honor water, like everyone, but we don’t surf here, but we do have ‘sidewalk surfers’,” said Gov. Lewis, referring to skateboarding as sidewalk surfing.  Gov. Lewis presented Kuali’i with a deck adorned with hummingbirds, and Stone was given a deck with an eagle painted on it. 

The “He’e Nalu: The Art and Legacy of Hawaiian Surfing” exhibit is currently on view at the Heard Museum until July.  The Heard Museum is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed during major holidays.  All tribal members receive free admission with tribal ID or CIB. 

For more information on this exhibit and the museum, visit heard.org.