When I visit certain places in Hawaii it is almost as if I can “feel” the place through the energy of the land, the power of the ocean, and the vastness of the sky. It is not something I can see and it is not awe when presented with the beauty of nature – it is something more.
I believe that what I am feeling is mana, a sacred spiritual force that native Hawaiians believe is present in all people, places and even inanimate things.
Offerings of gratitude, aloha and respect, known in Hawaiian, as hoʻokupu can be found among the rocks of this rugged volcanic landscape that is nestled along Oahu's eastern coastline at the base of the Koolau mountains. The land bears witness to the impact of the wind and sea over thousands of years and draws me back again and again.
Makapuʻu has become a reverent place of quiet contemplation for me an it is in honor of the strong sense of mana that I feel there and in the spirit of hoʻokupu that I share these images.
In 2023 I created a limited edition zine from this body of work.
Locally printed spreads were manually stitched together with a custom cover and a hand stenciled title was added to a deckled belly band to completed the zine.
Specifications:
5 1/2 inches square
Monochrome
24 pages, hand bound with a belly band closure
15 images
Limited Edition of 10
Price $15
This production of this zine employs an experimental hybrid approach that I continue to refine so that my publications remains affordable for buyers while maintaining the highest possible quality of image reproduction.
