Maui on my Mind, Part 17
More Arts and Crafts from the Maui County Fair. Note that the items are all covered in plastic. If I were a contributor, I would appreciate it so that my item did not get dirty while on display. As a photographer, I am less happy about the reflections. But such is life. I hope you can enjoy them even with reflections.
This is a beautiful Batik tote bag. Not being familiar with "Batik", I had to look it up. According to Merriam-Webster, it is "a fabric printed by an Indonesian method of hand-printing textiles by coating with wax the parts not to be dyed". I don't know if the artist dyed the cloth or purchased it as is but the result is fantastic. The judges obviously agreed since they gave it a "Best in Show" ribbon as well as "First Place" in its category.
This Japanese Jimbei for a child is so very cute.
A jimbei is a type of traditional Japanese clothing worn by both sexes and all ages, typically around the house. What caught my eye was the pattern of the fabric used to make it — so very perfect.
I looked but did not see a traditional Hawaiian quilt, however this one was beautiful. Perhaps, this is the start of a new tradition.
I love this diorama — looks like a mermaid sitting on the beach under a palm tree while sea creatures frolic in the ocean. Well done!
Another updated traditional item, a kahili, which was used to represent Hawaiian royalty much like a scepter in Europe and beyond. The traditional kahili was constructed of the long bones of an enemy king and the feathers of a bird of prey. I like this creative updating of the traditional form while maintaining the respect for the original.
Next up were displays of cut flowers — here is a spray of Heliconia of which there are almost 200 varieties. That means that any stroll through a garden in Hawai‘i will put you in proximity to one or more species in this genus. Regardless of the taxonomy, I think they are absolutely gorgeous.
Another variety of Heliconia just as beautiful as the previous one. I guess we'll all have to move to Hawai‘i so we can see them every day, perhaps in our back yards.
Another tropical flower commonly found in Hawai‘i is the Jungle King Red Ginger. This type of ginger is not edible but one website I found said, "Ginger Contains Gingerol, a Substance With Powerful Medicinal Properties ... Ginger has a very long history of use in various forms of traditional/alternative medicine. It has been used to help digestion, reduce nausea and help fight the flu and common cold, to name a few."
I would guess that one of the most recognized tropical flowers is the Anthurium. To me, the heart shaped flower head makes this the flower for lovers — and, in fact, is often given to one's sweetheart much in the way that roses are exchanged.
The flower is so stiff that when someone sees an Anthurium for the first time, they may think it to be artificial, perhaps made of plastic. However, I assure you that they are real flowers.
This flower looks like it a wax impression of an exotic flower melting in the hot tropical sun. In fact, this is an Indonesian Wax Ginger Flower. According to Kalani Tropicals, "Here in Hawaii, Indonesian Wax Ginger’s foliage can grow to 8 feet in height. It consists of thick, jointed bamboo-like stems that grow directly from numerous rhizomes. The 3 – 4 foot flower stems sprout directly from the base of the plant. It prefers the moist, humid, full shade of the rain forest. This most beautiful and exotic plant is native to Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea, and Australia."
