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Return to Member IndexGeorgia SartorisGOURDS |
Long neck Huewai
Spiral Huewai |
Artist Statement:
The "Ipu" (gourd) was very important in ancient Hawaiian culture. They were used as musical instruments and for carrying water, serving food and storing valuables. The Hawaiians took great care in growing them, and the special shapes were selected over many generations. Our gourds are grown from native Hawaiian seed. Several imported insects and diseases make them difficult to grow in modern times. The tradition of decorating the
gourds is also ancient. These gourds are decorated in the old way:
the pattern is carved into the skin and the gourd is dyed with
other plant materials. When the skin is removed, the pattern
remains in the shell of the gourd. The methods of this ancient art
were lost, but have been recreated by experiment and observation of
the few ancient gourds left to us in collections such as the Bishop
Museum.
Triangle Huewa
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