In celebration of Lei Day (and beyond), the Lyman Museum invites you to experience an artistic tradition unique to Hawai‘i as it presents a very special exhibition and demonstrations of featherwork by Lei Hulu o Hilo, from April 29 through May 10.
Lei Hulu o Hilo was founded by the late, beloved Aunty Doreen Henderson, a Hilo native who dedicated her life to the preservation and perpetuation of Hawaiian featherwork, and who practiced and taught the art for several decades prior to her passing in 2022. She studied under Master Kumu Mary Kahihilani Kovitch, a student of Aunty Mary Lou Kekuewa who is considered one of the foremost featherwork teachers in Hawai‘i. Aunty Doreen’s rigorous teaching standards and love of the art form produced a number of teachers in their own right, two of whom who are bringing this new exhibit to the Hilo community after an absence of several years—and by popular demand! For two weeks, Lei Hulu o Hilo students and teachers will dazzle visitors to the Museum with an extraordinary, colorful array of finished pieces. Visitors can also watch new creations being made by Lei Hulu o Hilo artists, and may learn how to make a feather flower to keep.
The nationally accredited and Smithsonian-affiliated Lyman Museum showcases the natural and cultural history of Hawai‘i to tell the story of its islands and people. Located in historic downtown Hilo at 276 Haili Street, the Museum is open Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For additional information on this special exhibit and Museum admission, call (808) 935-5021 or visit www.lymanmuseum.org. E komo mai!
