# The Unlikely Union of Graffiti and Ancient Hawaiian Culture
Mele Murals is an award-winning documentary on the transformative power of modern graffiti art by Tadashi Nakamura, an Emmy-award winning filmmaker and the Director of the Watase Media Arts Center, a production company of the Japanese American National Museum.
Set against the resurgence of Hawaiian language and culture over the past two decades, the film shows how public art powerfully fuses with Native Hawaiian traditions to impact the youth, the town of Waimea, and most of all the artists. At the center of this story are the artists Estria Miyashiro (aka Estria) and John Hina (aka Prime), and a group of Native Hawaiian youth from the rural community of Waimea, Hawaii. Together they create a mural that addresses the ill effects of environmental changes and encroaching modernization on their native culture.
Register to attend
Watch Mele Murals, a film by Tadashi Nakamura from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, at the Main Library. The screening will be followed by a group conversation led with Kady Yellow.
For more about the film, visit the director's website.
Our presenter, Kady Yellow is a native New Yorker with roots in the Bronx. A dedicated graffiti and street art expert, Yellow has over a decade of experience organizing, promoting, and advocating for the art form. After teaching an undergraduate course on the subject at the State University of New York, she moved to New Orleans in 2015, where she immersed herself more in the art world, learning the business of buying and selling art from a veteran gallerist on Royal Street. While working in the gallery, she pursued and earned an M.A. in Arts Administration from the University of New Orleans. Passionate about creative expression and urban art, Kady continues to champion street art and murals through a program she started called "The Outdoor Classroom", channeling her expertise into groundbreaking projects, including her latest endeavor—a book that captures the essence of graffiti culture.
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Every May is dedicated to recognizing the contributions and achievements of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. Over 20 million Asian and Pacific Islander Americans reside in the country, making this group the fastest-growing demographic.
Read our blog for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month book recommendations for kids, teens and adults.
Can't make it to the program? This film is also available to stream for FREE on Kanopy. Instantly stream the world's best films and award-winning documentaries! Each month, you receive 18 tickets, which are used to play videos on the app. You can watch on your computer, download the mobile app or stream directly to Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Airplay, Roku, Chromecast and Samsung TV.
