On Wednesday, we spotlighted an effort by the Kauai Jewish Center to send jewelry to Israeli refugees this holiday season. Now we hear a different perspective on the Israel-Hamas conflict through the eyes of a muralist from Tonga.
Vaimoana Niumeitolu is a former Hawaiʻi resident who lives in New York. She studied painting at Yale University and has murals in the U.S. and around the world.
Murals have historically functioned as artwork that reflects the lives and dreams of ordinary people, which is why the 13 murals she painted in the West Bank and Jordan are particularly relevant today.
Former HPR producer Stephanie Han talked to Niumeitolu about how she found belonging during her time among Palestinians. For clarification, references to Palestine in the interview are references to the West Bank.
This story aired on The Conversation on Dec. 21, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
On Friday, we'll hear from Maya Soetoro, the co-founder of Ceeds of Peace, The Peace Studio, and the Institute for Climate and Peace.
Editor’s note: HPR airs various perspectives from our statewide community. We recognize that these can include difficult, complex and potentially divisive issues. We do not take positions on viewpoints, we do strive to provide a variety of them, and we always welcome and appreciate your feedback.
