LIHU‘E — Chris De Anda, the original sculptor of the wooden county seal at the Mo‘ikeha Building, has returned to Kaua‘i to do some restoration work on the rotunda’s centerpiece. In 1995, using a chunk of wood blown down by
LIHU‘E — Chris De Anda, the original sculptor of the wooden county seal at the Mo‘ikeha Building, has returned to Kaua‘i to do some restoration work on the rotunda’s centerpiece.
In 1995, using a chunk of wood blown down by the passage of Hurricane Iniki, De Anda created the wooden seal and presented it to then-Mayor Maryanne Kusaka and the people of Kaua‘i.
But recently an unknown person has allegedly been going around spraypainting items around the Lihu‘e Civic Center, claiming to help the county since they couldn’t take care of things, according to a spectator at the Mo‘ikeha Building courtyard who was watching De Anda work Friday.
One of the victims of that escapade was the wooden seal.
“You can still see traces of where the paint was,” said Gary Diamond, also of the Big Island, who was helping De Anda with the restoration project.
During a conversation with Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., Friday, De Anda said when the refurbishing of the seal is complete, it will sport a new roof to help protect it from the weather.
Over the years, portions of the seal have become rotted, and a portion was cut away because water had gotten between the layers and separated it from the original wood.
“We’ll clean it up and that piece will be put back and secured,” Diamond said.
“I didn’t really know what they were planning to do,” said George Costa, director of the county’s Office of Economic Development. “I knew they were going to restore it, but when I came to work one day, there was a hale there.”
Diamond said the hale, or hut made of clear plastic sheeting, helps protect them from the hot sun and also creates a soft light that helps them in the restoration project.
De Anda, who now makes canoes on the Big Island, said the project should be completed by Tuesday.
