Turning her head mauka with a fierce gaze, the wahine painted on the Keawe Street side of the SALT at Our Kaka‘ako parking garage captures the attention of many passersby. The plumeria lei draped across her bare shoulders, tattoos down her spine and seemingly salt-sprayed hair transport the observer beyond the urban neighborhood, reminding all of us that identity is rooted in one’s connection to culture, history and ʻāina.
The celebration and perpetuation of Hawaiian culture is illustrated not only in this mural by Sean Yoro a.k.a. Hula, titled Unnamed, but also in many others across the Honolulu neighborhood of Our Kaka‘ako.
Our Kaka‘ako is a vibrant, welcoming, and walkable modern kaiāulu. The commercial and residential makeup of this ‘āina has evolved many times throughout Hawai‘i’s history. Before it was a family-friendly gathering place, it was an industrial zone. A commercial center dotted with warehouses. An immigrant neighborhood. A region full of fish ponds and valuable salt flats. Former coral reef.
When Kamehameha Schools began the development of the Kaiāulu ‘o Kaka‘ako Master Plan (KKMP), art was always part of the vision. Rooted in authenticity, creativity and cultural responsibility, Our Kaka‘ako is a place for artists to enliven spaces with murals to honor Hawaiian culture and pay homage to the many people who valued, worked, lived and gathered on this land.
From modern to realistic, colorful to monochromatic, the murals energize Our Kaka‘ako, inspiring kama‘āina and visitors alike, who are drawn to these larger-than-life paintings for their stories, eye-catching appeal, imagination and Instagram-worthy backdrops. Taking an art walk through the murals in Our Kaka‘ako offers a glimpse into some of the mo’olelo that continue to inspire the spirit of this dynamic, urban community.
Keep reading to learn the mo‘olelo behind 4 iconic murals in Our Kaka‘ako.
Pauahi by Kahiau Beamer

In the piko of SALT, the retail and gathering hub of Our Kaka‘ako, lives Kahiau Beamer’s 2016 work Pauahi, depicting several portraits of Princess Bernice Pauahi Pākī Bishop, the last royal descendant of King Kamehameha I. Her generous endowment to the Lāhui created Kamehameha Schools and preserved thousands of acres of ‘āina for the future of Native Hawaiian keiki. Our Kaka‘ako’s 29 acres were part of this original endowment, and the mural honors the aliʻi whose gift directly benefits generations of Hawaiians, including the artist Beamer, an alumnus of Kamehameha Schools. Like many alumni, Beamer always held a deep admiration for Pauahi.
Beamer’s striking, realistic portraits of Pauahi are surrounded by modern, colorful depictions of Native Hawaiian plants and vibrant shapes and colors. This contrast illustrates a balance between the commercial growth of Our Kaka‘ako and the young, creatively-driven demographic that lives and works alongside it. Pauahi’s prominent setting in the center of the block, where paths converge and people meet, makes it feel like she is gazing upon and looking over the kaiāulu she cherished and hoped to preserve.
Unnamed by Sean Yoro a.k.a. Hula

Hula’s painting adorns the wall next to the entrance of the SALT parking structure. The striking portrait, modeled after a photograph of one of Hula’s friends, paints a bold image of strength and beauty.
Hula, a Hawaiʻi-born artist, enjoys traveling the world and merging the emotions of his paintings along with the environment they appear in. His work showcases his unique talent to create both street and fine art. This stunningly beautiful mural was painted as part of the POW! WOW! Hawai‘i 2016 event.
“My inspiration has always been nature and seeing what’s around me. Growing up in Hawaiʻi you just get that feel for being very connected with your surroundings and seeing things differently,” Hula said while working on Unnamed in 2016. “I love the fact that I can bring life into something so inanimate, whether it’s a wall or a canvas and bring my own balance into a scene. These murals feel like my kuleana, my responsibility to do, and it’s less about me as an artist and more about the message it sends.”
Mānowai by Kukui Mahoney with 808 Urban

The Barn at SALT at Our Kaka‘ako, the largest open-air gathering space in the neighborhood, is a place where residents and visitors alike gather to work, meet, learn and celebrate. It’s also the home of one of Our Kaka‘ako’s newest murals, Mānowai, completed in 2023.
Mānowai depicts the moʻolelo of the mānowai in traditional Native Hawaiian agricultural practices, the dam or source of water that is collected and redirected into one or more ‘auwai to bring life and nourishment to the lo‘i in their paths. The distribution of water is a vital process that ensures the continuation of growth, sustenance and new life.
The Mānowai Scholarship is a program of Kamehameha Schools’ philanthropic arm, Pauahi Foundation. The program grants post-secondary scholarships to approximately 300 haumāna every year. Just as the mānowai plays an essential role in supporting the growth of crops in the lo‘i, donors who support the Mānowai Scholarship uplift the next generation of learners and leaders.
Donors’ names are painted on kalo leaves on the mural and are updated annually. A QR code on the mural takes viewers to information about the Mānowai Scholarship on the Pauahi Foundation website.
When artist Kukui Mahoney chose to illustrate the water spreading through the lo‘i, she liked the symbolism of smaller parts contributing to a larger whole. She said in a 2024 interview with the Pauahi Foundation, “I’m part of something bigger and the people who contributed to and supported this project are celebrated for helping bring this mural to life.”
Naupaka by Kamea Hadar

Perhaps the most prominent mural in SALT is Naupaka by Kamea Hadar, muralist and Co-lead Director of POW! WOW! Worldwide. This two-part piece stands out in the skyline, with building-wide paintings on opposite sides of the main parking structure. Each side has a portrait that depicts part of the moʻolelo of Naupaka. The makai side shows Naupaka, sister of Pele, against an ocean-inspired blue ombre palette. On the opposite side of the building, the mauka side, a fisherman named Kaui is pictured, in front of a green, vertically-oriented gradient.
According to legend, these two were star-crossed lovers and Pele became jealous of their affection, seeking to kill the couple. To escape Pele’s rage, Kaui fled to the mountains while Naupaka fled to the sea. After their death, flowers began to grow near the seashore and in the mountains that were similar, yet distinctive (naupaka kahakai and naupaka). The love between Naupaka and Kaui is symbolized by the similarity of the blossoms, but sadly, the two are destined to live apart forever.
“Each bloom of flower is a half blossom. Each blossom represents lost lovers that when put together, create a whole,” said Hadar in a 2021 video interview about the murals. “There are different stories, of Pele being jealous of their love and chasing them and wanting to destroy them; other stories of Naupaka being a princess and him being a commoner, a fisherman, and them having forbidden love. Some versions of the story said that Kaui ran to the ocean because he was a fisherman, and Naupaka ran up to the mountains. So I tried to be as respectful as I could and do as much research as I could, and at the end of the day, I’m very happy with how it came out.”
Visit the Murals in this Blog!
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