{"id":18669,"date":"2026-02-23T11:20:27","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T21:20:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/?p=18669"},"modified":"2026-03-09T15:55:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T01:55:06","slug":"mural-mo%ca%bbolelo-lahaina-intermediate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/zh\/mural-mo%ca%bbolelo-lahaina-intermediate\/","title":{"rendered":"Mural Mo\u02bbolelo: Lahaina Intermediate"},"content":{"rendered":"

When alumna Roxy Ortiz was asked to create a mural for Lahaina Intermediate for Spectra Fest Lahaina 2025, a celebration of art, culture and community, she heeded the call. As a co-founder of Wooden Wave with her husband Matthew, Honu Honua<\/em>\u2014or \u201cEarth Turtle\u201d\u2014was the provocative art collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt felt really special to come back to my hometown and paint a mural for the school where I have so many memories attached to that time in my life,\u201d Ortiz said. \u201cEspecially after the Lahaina fires and the challenges the students and teachers have gone through, bringing joy and a way to heal was important to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, along Lahainaluna Road, students, staff and the community are greeted by a peaceful, floating turtle whose island shell breaks the ocean\u2019s surface. The mural features a unique above-surface and underwater perspective showcasing the distinct flora, fauna and animals of Maui. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mural was inspired by the Polynesian Voyaging Society\u02bbs M\u0101lama Honua Worldwide Voyage, which expresses PVS president and pwo navigator Nainoa Thompson\u2019s philosophy that Earth is an island floating alone in the vast sea of space and is the only vessel we have. The concept emphasizes the need for us to live sustainably in balance\u2014pono\u2014with the planet and to m\u0101lama (care for) the environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI ka n\u0101n\u0101 no a \u02bbike\u201d is an \u02bb\u014dlelo no\u02bbeau that means \u201cby observing, one learns.\u201d Ortiz creates her school murals to be classroom whiteboards, teaching students about the environment, sustainability and our relationship with the earth. Honu Honua<\/em> is a microcosm of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) education: the closer you look, the more you discover. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ortiz incorporated Thompson\u2019s philosophy into the mural by depicting canoe plants\u2014kalo, \u2018ulu and niu\u2014as the core vegetation, elevating their significance as indigenous food sources. The ridges of the honu reflect the unique topography of the West Maui mountains. She also took the concept of the \u201cliving reef\u201d to heart, incorporating it as part of a sea turtle fin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Touches such as \u02bbulua flashing silvery glints in the honu\u2019s cavernous eye and manu-o-K\u016b (white tern) and koa\u02bbe kea (white-tailed tropicbird) offer a look into the biodiversity of Maui\u2019s sea and sky. You can almost feel the wind currents they are gliding on.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a native of Lahaina, Ortiz embedded nods to beloved landmarks such as the 30-foot \u201cL\u201d that sits on Pu\u2018u Pa\u2018upa\u2018u or Mount Ball that signals Lahinaluna High School pride, the Mo\u02bbolele wa\u2019a that was lost in the fires, and the iconic banyan tree that resiliently survived the disaster.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe students were just thrilled to see how the campus was beautified when they returned. The smiles and sense of pride have illuminated the students throughout this school year,\u201d Lahaina Intermediate Principal Stacy Bookland said. \u201cWhen Roxy visited and we spoke at the opening ceremony, it felt like family had come home, and more importantly, she left a piece of her with us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n