hāhā

(2024)

Celebrating the efforts that kept Cyanea superba subsp. superba (hāhā) from disappearing forever. Though extinct in the wild, the hard work of many people collecting seeds, propagating seedlings, and reintroducing plants into the mountains allowed for the perpetuation of the species in Oʻahu’s forests.

This print comments on how rare species conservation is held up by a broader commitment to ecosystem-scale restoration. It highlights different rare and common (but significant) native species in a Hawaiian mesic forest — palapalai, kāhuli, loulu, koa, ʻōhiʻa, as well as the people contributing their labor and love to preserve these special plants and animals. There is also an ʻiʻiwi present— these birds are likely extirpated from the Oʻahu, which could have been the fate of Cyanea superba subsp. superba if not for the actions of dedicated conservationists.

Holistic rare species conservation focuses on not just the part but the whole. It includes considering the entire system and how the balance between the parts promotes the well-being of all (as Robin Wall Kimmerer writes, “All flourishing is mutual.”)

Designed for the Oʻahu Army Natural Resources Program, one of the main institutions responsible for keeping this species from extinction.