Merrily Stepping into the Present

Hello! I’m Kea’aokahonua Davis. Being away from Hawaii at Stanford for the past four years has deepened my appreciation for moments I do get to connect with my culture even from far away. Watching livestreams of the Merrie Monarch Festival online is one of those moments, which is why I decided to portray it as a central product for this poster.

The Merrie Monarch Festival is an annual week of cultural festivities including one of the most prestigious hula competitions worldwide. Through this poster design I wanted to convey the value of presence. I wanted to reconcile the reality of practicing ancient traditions in modern times by representing a hula dancer stepping out of the shadows of the past.

You can learn more about the Merrie Monarch Festival at the official site here.