Celebrating Mother Earth

Four years ago today...

I celebrated Mother Earth with these thought-out prints.

 

 

I feel as if we just began the new year. Where did the time go? We’re already in the month of April and in just a few days, we’ll soon be into May!

 

 

   
 
To make a long story short, I’ve been wanting to do things with a little more intention, regarding my small business. While planning for new collections and releases coming up this year, I noticed that Earth Day was the next upcoming holiday. I could have easily hosted a flash sale with a “Earth Day” free shipping or discount code but that just didn’t seem challenging or meaningful enough to me. So then began the planning.
 
When I thought of Earth Day, I thought of ʻāina. When I thought of ʻāina, I thought of Papahānaumoku (Earth Mother) and Wākea (Sky Father).
 
                               

In my interpretation, Wākea can be symbolized by the mahina (moon) print. The moon and its different phases were important to the Hawaiians. It basically served as a calendar, as there was a time and place for everything such as farming, fishing, and other sorts of tasks.
 
Papa can be represented by the rest of these fabric prints. Divide the land and you can find opihi and i’a (fish) makai (ocean side), while finding puaʻa (boar) mauka (mountain side). The puaʻa print reminds me of Kamapua’a but that’s a story for another day 😊

 

                                 
 
Kalo is very important to the Hawaiians and the culture. In my interpretation for this Earth Day themed collection, the kalo represents Papa and just generally speaking, the land. Thinking of Kalo, I am also reminded of Hāloa, but again that’s another story for another day. Unless this can give you some inspiration to dive into some Hawaiian history.

       

 

Finally, the deer print. I had great ideas, thoughts, and intentions for creating this collection. Like I said, I wanted to do things with intention right?! To my sad discovery, I didn’t do enough research! I figured the mountains are part of the ʻaina (land); you hunt for food in the mountains; and there you’ll find pigs as well as deer! But the deer does not quite fit the path I was aiming for.

 

I was told that deer isn’t even native! Interestingly, it is invasive to Hawai’i, as the Axis deer comes from India. So, although the deer has no relation to the meaningful, cultural, Hawaiian and Earth Day theme I had going on, the deer print is included in this collection for the sake that these items are already sewn and it is very hard to come by nice boy-themed prints!

 

           
 
So here is my earth day collection! Although it is a small collection and is nothing fancy, it was very gratifying to put together, especially being my first collection ever. It also feels great knowing, that like the Hawaiians, I did something with a little meaning behind it all.