Mo‘olelo Mural artists repair artwork vandalized at Salt Pond

HANAPEPE — A motorist in the Salt Pond Beach Park parking lot Tuesday stopped specifically to walk up to the Mo‘olelo Murals artists and, without a word, started to applaud the efforts of the trio of artists, including Holly Ka‘iakapu, Bethany Coma and Brie Blake.

“When I saw the vandalism on social media I went off,” the motorist said, approving of the work being done by the Mo‘olelo Murals and Kamawaelualani Corp. to restore the mural that graces the roadside end of the main pavilion at the park.

The mural was damaged late last week following the closure of the final Shelter-In-Place houseless encampment, and discovered by a lifeguard reporting to work.

In response, Nikki Cristobal and Dr. Addison Bulosan of Kamawaelualani Corp. responded with cleaners. Despite the response, damage was evident on two sections of the mural, and the artists responded Tuesday to add a page to the mo‘olelo of Hi‘iaka at the salt pan.

“It’s a makeover,” Cristobal said. “Hi‘iaka must be happy.”

Armed with paint purchased by Bulosan and Cristobal, the repair work came at no cost to the county, as the artists donated their time to cover up the final traces of vandalism, the day-long task drawing the attention of passers-by at the beach bathed by the warm Westside sun, some offering suggestions on preventing future incidents, and others remembering their experiences with the salt pans.

Two of the artists — Ka‘iakapu and Coma — were part of the original team of six artists who put the mural together. Blake said she wasn’t even painting when the mural was done as part of the Rise to Work project.

“Legend was so excited on the day we painted the keiki,” Coma said. “It was his birthday, and his excitement wouldn’t leave us alone. He kept coming over and I had icing all over. He was so happy.”

Tuesday, there was no excited little boy to watch the make-over of the vandalized section and the re-emergence of the youngster through the haze of abrasive cleaners.

“It’s easy with the left-over paint from doing the mural,” Coma said. “But without all those people, it’s a weird feeling.”

The vision of Mo‘olelo Murals, a program through Kamawaelualani Corp., is to educate residents and visitors about the mo‘olelo (stories) of Kaua‘i through public art so people’s ancestral mo‘olelo lives on for generations to come.