He Po Uhe‘e i Ka Wawa: Darkness Slips into Light

This design project has pushed him to extend his illustration skills and further his knowledge of vector based art. “He Po Uhe‘e i Ka Wawa: Darkness Slips into Light” was designed with the concept of “creation” found in the Hawaiian genealogy chant The Kumulipo. The two thousand verse ‘oli or chant suggests that Hawaiian life did not originate from the earth rather everything originated from the sea. From the darkness of the sea floor sprouted life. With the first coral polyp created, life was born. The ‘oli depicts a chronological story of life. Images in the koinobori include the he‘e or the octopus commonly described as the protector of the spiritual world protecting the ancestral species found in the ocean as well as one of the most prominent aumakua or guardian spirit the mako or shark. The chant reflects Jared’s belief that humans, are not the settlers of Hawaii. Humans are ultimately descendants of the land and the sea. The chant and koinobori tries to convey a love and respect for the land and sea as if they were our grandparents to be taken care of. Malama ka Aina, take care of the land so that the land can take care of you.