Maoli Arts Month, or MAMo, is the time for native Hawaiian visual artists to shine, with various exhibitions throughout the state created to spotlight their endeavors. Yet, Meleanna Meyer says, MAMo isn't simply about creating a space for Maoli artists; it's also about how it's done.

“;We're able to do things in a way that's culturally sensitive ... that includes children and allows for collaboration,”; Meyer says. “;The community is supported and lifted up.”;

Meyer is one of a list of established Hawaiian artists included in “;E Ku Ana ka Paia (The Walls Shall Stand Firm),”; which opens at the ARTS at Marks Garage on Tuesday. The show also features emerging artists.

The exhibit title refers to a “;prophetic voice of a seer many hundreds of years ago,”; she says. “;Everything high will be low, then built up again. This refers to the revival of the Hawaiian culture and the support of cultural practices.”;

Meyer, educated at Stanford and an arts educator herself, has shown her work across the country. As a longtime fine artist, she understands how the art world often operates. She says MAMo isn't about that rarefied world.

“;It's inclusive and of the culture,”; she says. “;We can support each other in the community. It's so important for the young ones to see that and get inspired.

“;I'm Hawaiian-Chinese-German-English. The Chinese part of myself is doing fine. So is the German part. So is the English. It's the Hawaiian aspect of me that needs the help. So this understanding inspires a lot of us to be helpful.”;

In the end, she says, supporting artists in their craft is supporting their quest to understand themselves.

“;They're figuring out what it means to be Hawaiian. They're evolving. Art is about conversation, a personal and collective expression. It gives voice to vision. And that's what we're trying to do with MAMo: give voice to others.”;