Mariah Meali'i Namahoe Lucas (Richardson) Kalama (Jan 3, 1909 — Aug 22, 2004) was a Native Hawaiian quilter who was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship. She is known for popularizing Hawaiian quilting, and is well known in the Hawaiian quilting community.[1][2][3] Kalama was also an ordained lay pastor under Kahu Dr. Abraham Akaka of Kawaiahaʻo Church - Westminster Abbey of the Pacific.
Meali'i Kalama | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 3rd, 1909 Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Died | August 22nd, 2004 |
| Education | University of Hawaiʻi |
| Awards | National Heritage Fellowship |
Early life
editKalama was born on January 3, 1909, in Honolulu, Hawaii. During her youth, she often watched her grandmother and mother work on their latest quilting project.[4] It was during her childhood that her interest in quilting began to grow. In her teenage years, she expressed her interest in quilting and, following, she spent a year and a half completing her first quilt with a design based on the ulu or breadfruit tree.[2] Kalama pursued her education through attending the University of Hawaiʻi for two years.[4]
Career
editEducation
editIn 1943, Kalama began teaching in the public schools. At this time, she also taught quilting for the Department of Parks and Recreation.[4] In 1950, Kalama left her job to become the first director of a newly opened playground and recreation center.[2] It was said that "she could teach kids how to sew, quilt, [or] anything."[5] Until her retirement in 1975, she was the Park Director and also taught at "Papakōlea Playground" (known today as Papakōlea Community Center) and at other parks, and was a lay minister under Kahu Abraham Akaka at Kawaiahao Church.[2]
Quilting
editKalama was a quilter throughout her lifetime. She created many of her own designs, which were influenced by the style of traditional Hawaiian quilts. Kalama's quilts were also inspired by nature and said herself that "all designs must show that flowing gracefulness of nature".[2][4] Kalama was also known for using a creative color palette in her designs.[4] At one point in her life, Laurance S. Rockefeller, founder of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, commissioned Kalama to create 30 Hawaiian quilts. These quilts took Kalama and other women over 30,000 hours to stitch and were hung in the hotel's corridors.[5] Kalama also made a quilt for Queen Liliuokalani's bed, whose home eventually became the governor's mansion.[2]
Legacy and awards
editKalama is recognized for popularizing Hawaiian quilting, after what was considered to be a long period of disinterest.[2] Many of her quilts have been collected and exhibited by the Museum of International Folk Art[4] and she also has a quilt being held in the Smithsonian Institution.
In 1980, the YMCA recognized Kalama "for being responsible for the revival of Hawaiian quilting".[4] In 1985, Kalama became the first Hawaiian to receive a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.[6]
References
edit- ^ "Hawaiian Quilt Designer - Talking Story with John Serrao". Ka'iwakīloumoku - Pacific Indigenous Institute. Kamehameha Schools. May 2004. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Meali'i Kalama: Hawaiian Quilter - 1985 NEA National Heritage Fellow". National Heritage Fellowships. National Endowment for the Arts. Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Ng, Rachel (13 January 2023). "8 Hawai'i hotels to inspire your home decor". American Automobile Association. Archived from the original on 8 December 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
The quilt collection, by renowned native Hawaiian quilter Mealiʻi Kalama, is credited with saving Hawaiian quilting.
- ^ a b c d e f g Congdon, Kristin; Hallmark, Kara Kelley (2012). American Folk Art: A Regional Reference. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-0-313-34936-2. OCLC 721891434. Retrieved 11 July 2024 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b Hoover, Will (22 August 2004). "Homestead reunion reaches for buried roots". The Honolulu Advertiser. Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- ^ Diamond, Heather A. (2008). American Aloha: Cultural Tourism and the Negotiation of Tradition. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaiʻi Press. p. 182. ISBN 9780824831714. OCLC 436168447 – via Google Books.