Arts & Culture

Master tattoo artists from around the world gather in Honolulu this weekend for an intensive workshop on traditional Hawaiian kakau, learning both techniques and cultural protocols from respected Hawaiian masters. The three-day event at Hawaiian Mission Houses focuses on preserving and respectfully sharing this ancient Polynesian art form.

The Bishop Museum’s new exhibition “Navigating by Stars” explores how ancient Polynesian navigators used sophisticated wayfinding techniques to traverse the Pacific. The immersive display features a full-scale canoe replica and interactive demonstrations of celestial navigation methods.

Kauaʻi filmmaker Leilani Santos premieres her documentary “Voices of the ʻĀina” at HIFF this weekend, exploring Hawaiian sovereignty through intimate portraits of Native Hawaiian activists and cultural practitioners. The three-year project screens Saturday at Hawaiʻi Theatre Center and Sunday at Ward Village.

The University of Hawaii at Manoa has launched the nation’s first Master of Arts in Pacific Island Arts program, welcoming 12 inaugural students this fall. The interdisciplinary program combines traditional Pacific Islander practices with contemporary scholarship and requires study abroad experience in other Pacific nations.

The Honolulu Museum of Art acquired 23 rare 19th-century Hawaiian quilts from the Margaret Chen estate, including an 1863 piece made for Queen Emma. The collection showcases how Native Hawaiian women transformed Western quilting into a uniquely Hawaiian art form during the kingdom period.

Kumu Kahua Theatre premieres “Fields of Gold,” a new play exploring relationships between Native Hawaiian, Portuguese, and Filipino families on a 1920s Oahu sugar plantation. The production runs through March 15 in downtown Honolulu.

A new public art installation along Ala Moana Boulevard honors Polynesian voyaging traditions with seven bronze sails featuring traditional navigation symbols. The $340,000 project includes LED constellation lighting and native plants, serving as both art and outdoor education space.