Star-Bulletin
"Maui the Usurper," by Joseph Feher.
Hawaiian story of creation
By Nadine Kam
unfolds in vibrant exhibitionAssistant Features Editor
Star-BulletinIt's been nine years since Joseph Feher's sketched interpretations of the Kumulipo were first exhibited at the Queen Emma Gallery. It's been nine years since Feher passed away, never fully realizing in paint on canvas his version of the ancient Hawaiian story of creation. But the sketches remain -- evocative, dynamic, rich in color and symbolism -- awaiting discovery by a new generation.
"Kumulipo: Hawaiian Hymn of Creation" is being reprised at the Queen Emma Gallery in celebration of the gallery's 20th anniversary year.
The series, first exhibited in 1988, shortly before Feher's death at age 79, depicts 22 images from the Hawaiian story of creation and genealogy of the Hawaiian people.
"The Kumulipo deals with universal themes that mean a lot to Hawaiians," said Rubellite Johnson, emeritus professor of Hawaiian language at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. "What did they put into it that they did not want their descendants to forget?"
Far from fanciful, the Kumulipo reflects sophisticated theories about the origins of the cosmos and life on this planet. Creators of the Kumulipo correctly noted the evolution of species from simple to complex organism. Ancient belief departs from modern science only in the assumption that species development was linear, rather than branching out like a tree.
Through 16 wa, or eras, the Hawaiians trace the beginning of the universe from po, the night genesis, to ao, the period of daylight, followed by the emergence of man.
The first age reflects the appearance of marine invertebrates and marine flora. The third age marks the appearance of winged creatures. Man is born to the daylight, representing the birth of intelligence. And it is after man's appearance that the gods are created.
"It shows that somebody was thinking," Johnson said. "It wasn't just eat, sleep, never mind what was happening.
By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
Masa Taira, director of the Queen Emma Gallery, hangs
a wood carving by Joseph Feher, one of the non-Kumulipo
works on display.
"Did you know rainbows rise opposite the sun? I've observed that for many years now, but only because I asked the question and someone told me the answer."The Kumulipo is different," Johnson said. "Somebody was alive and thinking, 'How did those clouds get here? How did I get here?' How many people bother thinking about these things?"
The genealogy ends between the 16th and 17th centuries, Johnson said, adding that although nothing has been formally added to the Kumulipo, most Hawaiian families still trace their lineage to the chant. The information is passed down through the generations.
That Feher, who grew up in Budapest, Hungary, was not Hawaiian, is not an issue in adopting the Kumulipo as a theme in his art-making, Johnson said.
"Each man is a philosopher who thinks about his own life and what it means. That goes beyond ethnicity, time and place. He wanted to really give a lot to the Kumulipo. His work is unfinished, really."
Feher's widow, Alice Lowrey, said the artist spent 10 years formulating the ideas for the Kumulipo. "He had entered a very spiritual time in his life and the work was very important to him."
Queen Emma Gallery director Masa Taira, for whom Feher was a mentor, said the artist took great interest in Hawaiian culture, all cultures.
Feher, a former senior curator of the Honolulu Academy of Arts, also compiled "Hawaii: A Pictorial History," an encyclopedic volume published by the Bishop Museum Press, tracing the history of the islands and the Hawaiian people.
Said Taira, "A lot of people, you know from their collection of books what they're interested in, like cooking or gardening. But Mr. Feher had volumes on every conceivable subject.
"He was interested in everything I could think of. He would practice calligraphy, he was knowledgeable about hidden meanings of Japanese words. I'm Japanese and I was learning from him!
"He had a great respect for different cultures and traditions. You don't find too many people like that these days. I wish I had a mind like that, which could absorb information, process it and utilize it in art work. To me, he was very astute, yet very humble. He gave his art work away."
On exhibit
On display: 'Kumulipo: Hawaiian Hymn of Creation' and selected works by Joseph Feher
