Creative Arts Journal
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SPRING 2017 LĒʻAHI CREATIVE ARTS JOURNAL KAPIʻOLANI COMMUNITY COLLEGE Board of Student Publications SPRING 2017 LĒʻAHI CREATIVE ARTS JOURNAL 4303 Diamond Head Road Honolulu, Hawaii 96816 Le‘ahi publishes the writing and art of students from Kapi‘olani Community College. FACULTY WRITING ADVISOR: Beau Ewan WRITING REVIEW COMMITTEE Juli Burden, Beau Ewan, Gail Harada STUDENT WRITING EDITOR Juli Burden FACULTY ART ADVISOR Elizabeth Nakoa ART REVIEW COMMITTEE Brandon Cabreros, Nhi Nguyen, Carol Sakihara ART LAYOUT TEAM Kasey Kawaguchi, Nhi Nguyen, Sambath Yann PUBLISHER Board of Student Publications The views/claims that are presented in Le‘ahi are those of the respective author’s and artists and are not meant to refl ect the views or opinions of the UH System, B.O.R., the College, it’s administrators, faculty, staff and subsidiaries. The University of Hawai‘i is an equal opportunity/affi rmative action institution and is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, disabil- ity, marital status, arrest and court record, sexual orientation, or status as a covered veteran. © Kapi‘olani Community College. Students retain publication rights to their work. ABOUT LĒʻAHI Nani Lē‘ahi, he maka no Kahiki. Beautiful Lē‘ahi, object of the eyes from Kahiki. (Diamond Head, always observed with interest by visitors from foreign lands.) Mary Kawena Pukui, ‘Ōlelo Noe‘au 2277. Le’ahi is the name of the highest peak on the volcanic crater overlooking Waikiki beach. Kapi’olani Community College sits on her mauka slope, in the ‘ili of Kapahulu. The crater was called Diamond Head by visitors who thought crystals found in the crater were diamonds. The original name is Lae‘ahi: Lae, a headland or promontory and also a forehead, suggesting wisdom; ‘ahi is the yellow-fi n tuna. Hi‘iaka (Pele’s sister) is said to have compared the profi le of the headland to the brow of an ‘ahi. The name also suggests that off shore was an ‘ahi fi shing ground. Le‘ahi appears in “The Fire Chant for King Kalakaua” by David Malo II, composed to honor the newly-elected King upon his return to Honolulu from his fi rst royal tour of the islands, in March—April, 1874. Ho‘oluehu i luna ke ahi o Lē‘ahi. Lē‘ahi’s fi res scatters to the stars. The chant alludes to a bonfi re set on Le’ahi to welcome Kalakaua back to O‘ahu. (The Echo of Our Song: Chants and Poems of the Hawaiians, 134-144). TABLE OF CONTENTS Artwork Writing 8 A NIGHT OWL’S JAZZ HEAVEN 27 SALAMANDER by Julie Stanley by Sanako Saito 28 MY BROTHER 9 KOA by Mark Felizar by Camilia M. Epa 9 AWAKEN by Zack Money 29 “18” 10 LLEUAD’S GARDEN by Don (Kona) Baker by Ka‘ai Fernandez 30 MY FATHER 13 KCC CACTUS GARDEN by Elena Paishon by Harumi Fujimoto 31 A GIRL WITH AN OWL 14 UNCLE, WHERE YOU LIVE? by Miku Atsuya by Cathy Ferreira 32 SKULL FACE 15 LUCY IN THE SKY by Erin Hoe by Mahsa Crum 33 THE CRASH 16 GIVE LOVE A CHANCE by Lianna McCurdy by Eric Ordorica 35 BONE HEAD 17 ALL I WANT IS ALL YOU’VE GOT by Amber Black by Nicholas Sweet 36 ROSE CARNATION 21 LINESETS by Melody Shane Rapusas by Minyong Choi 36 SUPERHERO “MALAMA” 21 TRANSPARENCY by Lesley Casady by Mark Felizar 37 MANANANGGAL 21 ILLUSTRATION FOR by Czar Gerome de Guzman THE BLACK CAT 38 ATLAS by Stephan Bradley by Zachery Renshaw 22 GROWING PAINS 39 HOW WILL I? by Caleb La‘a by Kennell Cole 23 MOONLIT 40 WHAT WAS OUT THERE? by Megu Ishihara by Ka‘ai Fernandez 41 SNAKE 53 BETTER LATE THAN NEVER by Allyson Villanueva by Elena Paishon 42 CHAPEL 56 54449 by Ellen Ercegovich by Elizabeth Conlon 42 WHEN HIPPO BABY 57 THE LOST DIMENSION MEETS HIS MOM ( ALIENS AND MONSTERS) by Ka Man Chan by Chelsie Yvette Swann 43 WHERE HOME IS 58 UMBRELLAS by Elena Paishon by Allyson Villanueva 44 WISHING WELL 59 DOWN THE RED DIRT ROAD by Desiree Manayan by Gavin Arucan 45 GANESHA 61 CRYSTALS IN SPACE by Everly Love by Allyson Villanueva 46 MR. GROTESQUE 62 HOT, WET, & NAKED by Mark Felizar by Mariah Saurin 47 THE ART WE CARRY 63 PLASTER PROJECT by Camilia M. Epa by Francine Nera 48 ENLIGHTENMENT 63 FEMININITY by Kimberly Leong by Ai Tomoi 49 UNBOTTLED 64 COLOR PROJECT by Kimi Lung by Sanako Saito 50 GRANDMA O’ 65 TROPICAL RIFT by Linsey Dower by Colin Harrington 51 NAPUA 67 ROOTS by Cruz Ochoa by Kimi Lung 51 AIKA 68 BEND & BALANCEO by Naomi Napua Wang by Koreena Nagai 52 FIGURE/GROUND REVERSAL by Sanako Saito A Night Owl’s Jazz Haven B y J u l i e S t a n l e y ENG 273N Creative Writing and Literature: Creative Nonfiction step out of my taxi into a nondescript Kapiʻolani The band tonight is playing soul music and they parking lot. Nestled between a brightly lit sex begin to play familiar melodies as I look around shop and a strip club with a seedy reputation sits trying to find an open seat to claim. Settling on an Ithe jazz club I call home. It’s already dark outside as oversized cushioned chair next to the small dance I approach the front door, but even so, my eyes take floor and close to the stage, I’m now perfectly a second to adjust to the soft lighting inside. The situated in the corner where I can easily slip into the door man gives his nod of approval as I pass without shadows. It’s the ideal place to avoid small talk from paying the cover charge. Employees never pay. the overexcited men that wander in from the club next-door, but also easy to make yourself visible to The AC on the ceiling is struggling to cool the entire familiar faces. This is my comfort zone where I ride venue by itself, and it splashes a drop of water on out the rest of the night. me as I make my way to the bar. It’s been dripping intermittently for years and will probably continue The night passes all too quickly, and by closing to do so until this place closes. The carpet does a time I’m several glasses of wine in and making good job of soaking up the liquid when no one is my way back to the bar before Mamasan starts there to be dripped on, which can lead to a faint kicking everyone out. Those of us who get to stay mildew smell, but it’s nothing that can’t be covered after closing are perched on our chosen bar stools, up with some plug in air fresheners and a daily dose occasionally helping shoo away the undesirables. of Febreze. My decision to stay after-hours is usually due to Mamasan is on stage giving a familiar speech, the promise of food, and tonight is no different. “thank-a yuuuu errybody who come here tonight “Julieeaaaa! You too skinny. Eat pancake!” Mama support jazzu mindsu, an thank-a yuuu JESUS! grabs my frame to insinuate that I could put on a Jesus lava yuuu!” she screeches into the microphone few pounds. Her taste in food is just as unique as her before urging the band back on stage and scolding style, and tonight she brings out an array of kimchee them for taking too long of a break. Mamasan found pancake, tofu soup, celery sticks, and french fries. Jesus a decade or so ago and sold her multiple host Those of us who remain all but demolish the food bars to lead an honest life by opening a jazz club. As in front of us. With bellies full we can continue to she says, “Jazz is life, Jazz is freedom of expression, imbibe, and we heartily do so until mama and her Jazz is truth.” husband start loudly bickering in Korean. This is my sign to leave. Her outfit mirrors her eclectic choice of decoration. Tonight she is wearing a giant afro wig paired with a My feet begrudgingly drag me to the door and I red polka dot shirt, or perhaps her jean newsboy cap wonder why I once again allowed myself to stay so with flamboyant bifocals and a vest; either way, her late. Mama lights me a cigarette before she opens the ensemble doesn’t match, much like the decor of the front door, nudging me back into the real world. The venue. Some of the walls are brick and others are sun isn’t visible but has already begun to brighten drywall, but they’re all covered with clutter. Lamps the sky, and my eyes squint as they’re once again and light fixtures are scattered throughout the room forced to adjust to the new lighting. I conclude my which faintly illuminate the goodwill paintings, night with the familiar lullaby of the waking world ceramic figurines, and a plethora of books on all humming around me, and comfortably doze off in different topics. my taxi on my way home. 8 Koa Awaken Mark Felizar Zach Money ART 113 Introduction to Drawing ART 113 Introduction to Drawing 9 Lleuad’s Garden By Ka’ai Fernandez ENG 273C Creative Writing and Literature: Fiction and Poetry housands of years ago, humans lived freely so than any other human alive, but no human could in the world, able to soar the sky’s blue reach such heights.