Lele o Nā Manu: The Splendor and Loss of Hawaiʻi’s Birds

Friday, July 12, 2024
5-9 p.m.
Location: Great Lawn | Science Adventure Center

$10 pre-sale, $15 at the door for General Admission. Free for Bishop Museum Members.

Be among the first to see our new exhibit, Lele o Nā Manu: The Splendor and Loss of Hawaiʻi’s Birds, opening to the public during July’s Museum After Hours! The exhibit coincides with Makahiki o Nā Manu Nahele, the Year of the Forest Birds, a campaign to celebrate and raise awareness around Hawaiʻi’s native forest birds.

Explore the new exhibit, meet local organizations who work to protect our native birds, and enjoy activity booths. Take part in moderated panel discussions with the artists and researchers that brought Lele o Nā Manu to life. Panelists include master carver Haruo Uchiyama; mural artists Patrick Ching and Julian Hume; and the exhibit co-curators, Bishop Museum’s Molly Hagemann, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s Rob Fleischer, and Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s Helen James.

Lele o Nā Manu: The Splendor and Loss of Hawaiʻi’s Birds is an exploration of the remarkable avian fauna that evolved over millions of years in Hawaiʻi, the most isolated chain of islands in the world. The exhibit features 47 exquisite carvings depicting endemic Hawaiian forest birds (manu nahele) by master craftsman, Haruo Uchiyama, who spent several weeks examining specimens in the Museum’s collections to ensure the carvings were as accurate as possible. Mr. Uchiyama’s complete set of historically-known Hawaiian honeycreepers will be displayed atop an original mural painted by local artist Patrick Ching. The exhibit will also include a mural depicting prehistoric Kīpahulu Valley (Maui) painted by Dr. Julian Hume, fossils of extinct bird species, and an interactive game that challenges visitors’ knowledge of native and nonnative animals.

Mahalo nui to our partners and sponsors the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool, administered by The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center.

Program Timeline

5 – 9 p.m.
Lele o Nā Manu: The Splendor and Loss of Hawaiʻi’s Birds on view (Science Adventure Center)
Educational Activities and Information Booths (Great Lawn)

• Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Wildlife
• Birds, Not Mosquitoes
• Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project
• Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project
• Plant Extinction Prevention Program
• Hawaiʻi Audubon Society

 
5:30 p.m. (Great Lawn Stage)
Nuʻa Manu—Full of Birds: An Interdisciplinary Talk Story
Lyz Soto, Poet, Director of Literary and Conversation Programs at the Hawai’i Council for the Humanities
Noah Gomes, Ethnographer, State Historic Preservation Division
Helen James, Research Zoologist and Curator of Birds, National Museum of Natural History
Halena Kapuni-Reynolds, Moderator, Associate Curator of Native Hawaiian History and Culture, National Museum of the American Indian

6:30 p.m. (Great Lawn Stage)
Artist Panel:
Haruo Uchiyama, Master Woodcarver
Patrick Ching, Artist and Conservationist
Julian Hume, Artist and Palaeontologist
Taylour Chang, Moderator, Director of Public Programs and Community Engagement

7:30 p.m. (Great Lawn Stage)
Curator & Conservation Panel:
Robert Fleischer, Senior scientist and head of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute’s Center for Conservation Genomics
Helen James, Curator of Birds at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
Justin Hite, DLNR/DOFAW Mosquito Project Planner and Former Field Crew Leader with Kaua‘i Forest Bird Recovery Project
Sam Case, Postdoctoral researcher, University of Washington
Molly Hagemann, Moderator, Bishop Museum’s Vertebrate Zoology Collection Manager

Ongoing Offerings

All Night – Food and Beverage on the Lawns

Lauhala Weaving w/ Keoua Nelsen
5:30 pm – 6:30 m – Gallery Lawms
Weave the dried leaves of the Pūhala (Pandanus) into a stunning bracelet (one per attendee). Courtesy of Helumoa, Royal Hawaiian Center

Lei Making w/ Maxeen Shea
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm – Gallery Lawns
Use the kui (sewing) style to string an assortment of blossoms into a beautiful lei (one per attendee). Courtesy of Helumoa, Royal Hawaiian Center

ʻUkulele Lesson w/ Puʻuhonua Jumawan
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm – Gallery Lawns
Learn basic chords and sing a song as you strum Hawaiʻi’s best-known string instrument, introduced to the islands in the 1870s from Portugal. ʻUkulele provided. Courtesy of Helumoa, Royal Hawaiian Center

Keiki Activity w/ Helumoa, Royal Hawaiian Center
5 – 7:30 p.m. – Gallery Lawns
Beat the summer heat with a fan-making activity. For ages 5-10. A parent/guardian must be present.

He Wehi Hulu Kupuna, a featherwork-focused tour of Hawaiian Hall
6 p.m. and 7 p.m. – Hawaiian Hall
Immerse yourself in the beauty and history of Hawaiian Hall on a special tour, highlighting the presence and power of Hawaiian featherwork. Meet at the staircase in Hawaiian Hall’s front entry tower.

Planetarium Shows – The Hawaiian Sky Tonight
6 pm, 6:45 pm, 7:30 pm, 8:15 pm – J. Watumull Planetarium
Each show is 25 minutes. Tickets required; reserve at Shop Pacifica upon check in. Free for members and children under 4, $3 per person general admission. Limited seating. Learn what stars, constellations, planets, and more can be seen in the skies above Hawaiʻi the night of the show.