Planting the Seeds: Where Art, ʻĀina, and Education Meet
Wind rustled the trees above as our circle of artists, ʻāina educators, and administrators gathered at the entrance of Kahaluʻu Kūāhewa. Soon we would enter into this ʻāina to hana (work), make art and explore the question: What does it mean to center arts and culture in our local educational environments? Hosted by the Donkey Mill and guided by artists Meleanna Meyer and Solomon Enos, alongside ʻāina educators and stewards of Kahaluʻu Kūāhewa, Jesse and Kim Kahoʻonei, we engaged in a rich four days of open-ended activities. We immersed ourselves in nature, exchanged cultural knowledge and moʻolelo of Hualālai, and reflected on the power of creation, collaboration, and shared ideas. During this time, the Donkey Mill Art Center’s programs team had the opportunity to meet poet and teaching artist Laurel Nakanishi and plant the seeds for future collaboration.
Two years later, Laurel Nakanishi founded Hawai‘i Open Arts (HŌʻĀ). At its core, this program nurtures community resilience by fostering collaboration, connection, and creation. Students, teachers, and artists connect to ʻāina and create art from this rooted place of belonging—deepening individual and collective well-being. The Mill hui was invited to engage with HŌʻĀ’s pilot program, offering a deeper dive into our ongoing relationship with Hōlualoa Elementary School, Kahaluʻu Kūāhewa, and our teaching artists.
Meaningful collaboration began with Hōlualoa’s third- and fourth-grade teachers working alongside Gerald Lucena—Mill Youth Program Coordinator—and Kim Kahoʻonei—ʻāina educator at Kahaluʻu Kūāhewa. Together the teaching team planned and taught five scaffolded sessions centered on the essential role of wai (water) in Hawaiʻi’s natural and cultural landscapes. At Kahaluʻu Kūāhewa, students practiced traditional protocol, helped prepare and plant kalo, harvested ʻōlena, and listened to moʻolelo that rooted their learning in ancestral knowledge and the values of mālama ʻāina and kuleana.
These experiences were deepened through artmaking. Students created leaf rubbings and contour drawings of canoe plants—engaging in kilokilo, the practice of deep observation, to connect with the textures, forms, and histories of these vital species. These pictures were transformed into handmade accordion books—each one a personal expression of student learning. The covers were shaped like the hue wai, the gourd traditionally used to carry water, symbolizing the cultural and life-giving significance of wai.
Growing Together: Impact in the Classroom and Beyond
The positive impact of the HŌʻĀ program was felt by both students and their teachers. Teaching Artist, Gerald Lucena writes:
“Having the opportunity to work closely with Kim and Jesse Kahoʻonei through this program has been transformative. My roles as a community arts educator, farmer, and artist become less compartmentalized and more about weaving together our interconnectedness. This work empowers us to become better stewards of ʻāina, foster a love of nature in our keiki, and uplift the creative process as a tool for well-being and future building.”
HŌʻĀ’s support extended beyond the classroom, offering professional development for teachers in Visual Thinking Strategies, classroom engagement games involving movement and creative writing, and mentorship opportunities. Two teaching artist apprentices—Aliza Gebin of Root and Rise Hawaii and Kellie Mizayu of East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center—were empowered through the program to bring collaborative, place-based art education to rural areas like Hōnaunau and Kaʻū.
Looking ahead, HŌʻĀ will continue its partnership with third grade teachers at Hōlualoa Elementary in the 2025–2026 school year to deepen curriculum development and explore new ways to integrate culture and the arts into the classroom.
Classroom teachers shared that the most meaningful aspects of this collaboration were the hands-on experiences at Kahaluʻu Kūāhewa, the chance to experience the beauty of the ʻāina, and the creation of art that allowed students to feel proud. The opportunity to present and share their learning with guests was a highlight for many.
Spaces of collaboration like these are kīpuka—fertile, resilient places that nurture growth and transformation.
Mahalo Nui Loa
Mahalo nui to all who have contributed to the success of HŌʻĀ:
- Laurel Nakanishi, HŌʻĀ Program Director, for her visionary leadership and deep commitment to arts-based education
- Jesse and Kim Kahoʻonei, for generously sharing their knowledge and guiding students at Kahaluʻu Kūāhewa. To learn more about Kahaluʻu Kūāhewa, visit their website
- Hōlualoa Elementary School Grade 3 and 4 teachers, for their dedication and partnership
- Donkey Mill Art Center, especially Gerald Lucena and Miho Morinoue, for nurturing creativity and community through art
- Shirley Lam, Museum Education at the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts for her help managing funding logistics
- Meleanna Meyer, artist, mentor, and professional development specialist
To learn more about HŌʻĀ, visit their website.