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By Ken Ige, Star-Bulletin
Ma'ema'e Elementary School students with "the Art
of Peace," their artwork made with student-donated
toy guns, an "Iron Giant" lent by artist Gary Loo,
and peace art by Babs Miyano-Young. Students are,
left to right, front: Matthew Bagwell, Gary Griffith,
Marlene Shimamura; back: Krystal Fernandez
and Tamiko Hobbs.

School artwork
turns toy guns into
symbols of peace, hope

Ma'ema'e Elementary's 'The
Art of Peace' gives students
'the message that peace
begins with them'

By Lori Tighe
Star-Bulletin

One second-grader brought in 20 guns.

They were toys, and the child donated his to make a piece of art. All told, 100 toy guns poured in to Ma'ema'e Elementary School in Nuuanu to make "The Art of Peace," completed last week.

Inspired by the anti-violence movie "The Iron Giant" and the shooting at the Xerox building on Nimitz Highway that killed seven men in November, the school decided to turn toys of war into toys of peace through art designed by a local artist.

The artwork, displayed in the school library, has an 8-foot giant transforming guns into doves and peace signs.

"I would like to think the children get the message that peace begins with them, and every little thing they can do in their lives can contribute to a more peaceful world," said counselor and originator of the idea, Matt Nakamura. "But that's coming from an adult."

A wishing-well pond was also created in the art display for people to toss in a coin and wish for peace. The money will be donated to Xerox victim John Sakamoto's widow, who teaches at Manoa Elementary School, a sister school to Ma'ema'e.

To inspire the children to donate their toy guns, they were given bags of donated favors, Nakamura said.

A professional artist and mother of second- and third-graders at Ma'ema'e, Babs Miyano-Young designed the artwork.

Other artists and children, including her own, helped her make it. She said some of the donated toy guns looked genuine.

"I wanted to make (the artwork) so kids could get it," she said.

Asked if she worries about her children and school violence, Miyano-Young said she doesn't.

"I don't think you can worry about things that might happen.

"You hope for the best, and hope that people learn from what has happened in the past."

"The Art of Peace" will be on display in the Ma'ema'e School library from Jan. 14 through Feb. 14.