HONOLULU — “Lele o Nā Manu: The Splendor and Loss of Hawaii’s Birds” will premiere at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum’s Richard T. Mamiya Science Adventure Center during its monthly Museum After Hours event on Friday, July 12.

What You Need To Know

  • The colorful exhibit coincides with Makahiki o Nā Manu Nahele, the Year of the Forest Birds, that celebrates and raises awareness of Hawaii’s native forest birds

  • People will see a complete set of historically known Hawaiian honeycreepers created by Uchiyama alongside an original mural painted by local artist Patrick Ching

  • At the July 12 Museum After Hours event, visitors can explore the new exhibit, meet local organizations working to protect our native birds, take part in activity booths and join moderated panel discussions with the artists and researchers that brought “Lele o Nā Manu” to life

The colorful exhibit coincides with Makahiki o Nā Manu Nahele, the Year of the Forest Birds, that celebrates and raises awareness of Hawaii’s native forest birds.

“’Lele o Nā Manu: The Splendor and Loss of Hawaii’s Birds’ is an exploration of the remarkable avian fauna that evolved over millions of years in Hawaii, the most isolated chain of islands in the world,” said Molly Hagemann, Bishop Museum Vertebrate Zoology collection manager, in a news release.

“The exhibit features 47 exquisite carvings depicting endemic Hawaiian manu nahele (forest birds) by master craftsman Haruo Uchiyama, who spent several weeks examining specimens in Bishop Museum’s collections to ensure the carvings were as accurate as possible,” Hagemann said.

People will see a complete set of historically known Hawaiian honeycreepers created by Uchiyama alongside an original mural painted by local artist Patrick Ching. A mural depicting prehistoric Kipahulu Valley on Maui painted by Dr. Julian Hume, fossils of extinct bird species and an interactive game that challenges one’s knowledge of native and nonnative animals will also be part of the exhibit.

Artist Patrick Ching alongside his mural, "Hidden Valley 2024," that portrays the ideal setting for Hawaiian birds. (Photo courtesy of Amy Matsunaga)

“Mr. Uchiyama contacted me in 2020 and told me about his passion for Hawaii’s birds, and his dream of carving an exhibit of birds for Bishop Museum,” Ching said. “He asked if I would paint the background for the exhibit when it happens.”

Ching said the mural he painted as a backdrop for Uchiyama’s hand-carved honeycreepers represents the ideal setting for a wide variety of Hawaiian birds.

“’Hidden Valley 2024’ portrays a classic Hawaiian forest with waterfalls, valley walls, a stream and several plants that are used for food and habitat by native birds,” Ching said.

At the July 12 Museum After Hours event, visitors can explore the new exhibit, meet local organizations working to protect our native birds, take part in activity booths and join moderated panel discussions with the artists and researchers that brought “Lele o Nā Manu” to life.

Panelists will include master carver Haruo Uchiyama; mural artists Patrick Ching and Dr. Julian Hume; and exhibit co-curators Molly Hagemann, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Rob Fleischer and Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s Helen James.

Visit Bishop Museum’s website for tickets and a detailed offering of events on July 12. $10 online presale, $15 at the door.

Uchiyama spent several weeks at Bishop Museum examining specimens for accuracy. (Photo courtesy of Bishop Museum)

Sarah Yamanaka covers news and events for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.