27-05-2025
Don't miss this: Kauaʻi's most important exhibit of the summer opens May 30
HONOLULU (KHON2) — A groundbreaking exhibit documenting Hawaiʻi's queer past is making its way to Kauaʻi this summer to offer residents and visitors alike a powerful opportunity to learn, connect and reflect.
Kaulike No Nā Mea A Pau: Toward Queer Justice in Hawaiʻi will open on May 30 at the Performing Arts Center at Kauaʻi Community College and remain on display throughout the month of June. It's part of celebrating Pride Month by uplifting the lives and legacies of Hawaiʻi's LGBTQ+ communities.
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The traveling exhibit is part of Lei Pua ʻAla, a project co-founded by Joe Wilson and Dean Hamer. The project is focused on documenting and memorializing gender and sexual diversity throughout Hawaiʻi's complex and multicultural history.
'We are really excited to be working with folks on Kauaʻi who wanted to bring the beautiful exhibit that was mounted at the King Kamehameha the Fifth Judiciary History Center last year,' said Wilson. 'It's a beautiful exhibit that takes viewers on a journey across the different time periods in Hawaiʻi, as foreigners were arriving, as new religious influences and other types of ideas were mixing, creating a new legal landscape under which people across the spectrum of gender and sexual diversity had to figure out how to live their lives.'
The Hawaiʻi State Commission on LGBTQ+ Affairs member Philip Steinbacher was a key component in bringing this exhibition to Kauai.
'One of my objectives as Commissioner is to increase LGBTQ+ happenings and community involvement on Kauaʻi, and this just seemed like the perfect opportunity to do that' explained Commissioner Steinbacher. 'It is my hope that Kaua'i residents take advantage of the chance to learn more about LGBTQ+ history here. Kaua'i is known for its strong sense of community, where residents support each other, and in my mind this should be no less true because of sexual orientation, gender identification, or gender expression.'
His journey of discovery of his chosen home led Commissioner Steinbacher to see the depths of Hawaii's unique history and culture.
'While this journey mirrors similar narratives from other cultures and other places, it is Hawai'i's unique story that warrants hearing by many,' he added.
'I had the opportunity to view the Kaulike No Nā Mea A Pau exhibit in October 2024 when I visited Oʻahu for Honolulu Pride. I was deeply moved by the narrative that Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson created, and it sparked a hope that this story might be shared with a broader audience, explained Commissioner Steinbacher. 'I have lived on Kaua'i for more than twenty years but only had an inkling of the struggles and successes of the Māhū, LGBTQIA+/MVPFAFF+ community in Hawai'i.'
Though the exhibit debuted in Honolulu and remains partially on view at the Judiciary History Center in the Supreme Court building, its expansion to Kauaʻi marks a deeper effort to include voices and experiences from our neighbor islands.
'For us, it's been really exciting because, as you said, so many things are taking place in the urban core of Honolulu,' said Wilson. 'We've been working really hard to create links and conversations between and among people on neighbor islands. There's so much important work happening in community organizations in those places.'
The exhibit is free and designed to be accessible to all. And it's not just something to look at. It's an invitation to participate.'We're very open to hearing more stories, especially on the outer islands,' said Hamer. 'Our website, Queer Histories of Hawaiʻi, has an easy contact form. We do encourage people to tell us about stories. Some of the most interesting stories that we found have been on the outer islands— in Maui and Molokaʻi and Kauaʻi.'
'There are other couple stories on Kauaʻi that we're interested to work with folks to bring further forward,' added Wilson.
One example is the Atherton Garden, part of the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kauaʻi's south shore. Its layered past touches on intersections of Hawaiian culture, environmental history and queer identity. Another site, near the mouth of the Wailua River, is connected to moʻolelo that include gender fluidity and same-sex love.
'There are also, throughout the islands, many sites that are involved in ancient legends and lāʻau that involve same-sex relationships or gender fluidity,' said Hamer. 'We might think of those as woke ideas, but they're very, very long lasting and embedded in Hawaiian history.'
Can't make it to the exhibit in person? Much of the project's material lives online. Lei Pua ʻAla features a Hawaiʻi Queer Histories Map available on its website and through the Bloomberg Connects app. The map includes everything from ancient monuments honoring gender-fluid healers to the sites of legal battles over marriage equality.
Visitors can also view Kauaʻi Pride's short video which is co-hosted on the project's website. It features interviews with residents sharing personal stories about struggle, pride and community.
'They've allowed us to co-host that on our website, too,' said Wilson. 'So, people can watch that video and get ready for the upcoming Kauaʻi Pride by seeing that story.'
1. Respect the culture and context
This exhibit is rooted in Kanaka ʻŌiwi worldviews and reflects deep traditions of aloha, ʻohana and moʻokūʻauhau. These stories are not curiosities or tourist attractions. They are real histories from real lives.
Approach with humility and care. Speak thoughtfully, ask permission if you're taking photos in sensitive areas and be mindful of the cultural weight of what is being shared.
2. Use the map as a starting point, not an end
The Hawaiʻi Queer Histories Map offers a broad look at key sites across the islands. But don't treat it like a checklist. Each place deserves more than a quick photo.
Do some research, read the moʻolelo and understand why these sites matter before you arrive. And always remember that many places are sacred.
3. Avoid stereotyping or romanticizing māhū identities
Many of the stories shared in the exhibit reflect the lives of māhū, those who embody both kāne and wahine spirit. Māhū identity is complex and culturally significant.
It's not the same as transgender or nonbinary in Western frameworks. Don't reduce it to a concept or curiosity. Listen first, learn carefully and speak with respect.
4. This is not the mainland
Some behaviors that might be common in urban queer spaces elsewhere may not translate well here. Public displays of affection, performative allyship or uninvited activism can be seen as disrespectful, especially in more rural or conservative areas.
Engage locally. Support community-led events like Kauaʻi Pride. Learn who is doing the work and follow their lead.
5. Be part of the story
Lei Pua ʻAla isn't just collecting history. It's building it. If you have a story to share or know someone who does, reach out through the website.
'People live and live their lives and do their queer stuff every place in the islands,' said Hamer. 'And even a story that sounds the same can turn out to be very, very different when it's told by people on a different island.'
'There is a local saying — One island, many people, all Kauaians — and this exhibit seems to offer a great chance to stand by that and support all Kaua'i's people,' said Commissioner Steinbacher.
Kaulike No Nā Mea A Pau is more than an exhibit. It's a homecoming for stories long pushed aside. It's a space where history breathes and identities are honored.
And for Kauaʻi, it's a long-overdue recognition that queer lives have always been part of the fabric of Hawaiʻi.
You can click to learn more about the exhibit and Lei Pua 'Ala.
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'It's really helpful to have folks from those islands talking to us, because that's a history that is even less well known,' said Hamer. 'Especially here in Honolulu, where so many of the big structures are.'
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