“E Ala E” by Pualani Kanahele
(chanted before sunrise; in Hawaiian with English translation)E ala e
Ka la i kahikina
I ka moana
Ka moana hohonu
Pi’i ka lewa
Ka lewa nu’u
I kahikina
Aia ka la.
E ala e!
Awaken/Arise
The sun in the east
From the ocean
The ocean deep
Climbing (to) the heaven
The heaven highest
In the east
There is the sun
Awaken!

When my family made an early-morning visit to Maui’s Haleakala National Park, we heard a docent chanting this greeting to the sun. To my surprise, my son was singing along — as it turned out, he had learned the chant in school. Later, a tearful Park Ranger shared with us her appreciation for his participation, recounting her past when local children were scolded for speaking Hawaiian.

By using waterproof paper as this sculpture’s foundation, I reframe a staple supply of my past as a field biologist, showcasing the material as an archival art ground. The silverpoint shading references the plant’s common name and mimics the reflective leaf surfaces, an adaptation for moisture management in its arid alpine desert habitat.