Pewa Radio

Pewa Radio is an audio cast made by UH Mānoa ART students in response to Hawai‘i Triennial 2025—the state’s largest, thematic exhibition of contemporary art from Hawai‘i, the Pacific, and beyond. The episodes of Pewa Radio are inspired by the theme of this year’s exhibition, ALOHA NŌ, meaning to love deeply, and the mau pewa, an iconic symbol used as the kahako over the o in ALOHA NŌ’s visual identity. The pewa is a fishtail shaped patch used to repair and strengthen wooden objects. In the context of ALOHA NŌ, it reminds us of one of the most important functions for art is to heal wounds of the land, water, culture, heart, and mind. Healing is an ongoing process that makes us stronger, not a Band-Aid. As Hawai’i Contemporary puts it, ”To create a pewa is to truth tell. To create a pewa is to seek connection in vulnerable histories and difficult jagged places. To create a pewa is to reinforce the fabric of community.” Taking the mau pewa to heart, the students centered their audio episodes on an individual artwork presented in HT25, asking how it addresses the fissures, cracks, or rifts in the social fabric. Pewa Radio amplifies both artist and audience voices. Some of the episodes feature student conversations with select HT25 artists. Others simply feature the artist talking about their work in relation to healing. Others feature short three-to-five-minute conversations amongst a few students about a single art work. And still others are one-to-three-minute solo meditations.