Breadfruit Fine Art Contest 2012

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Breadfruit Fine Art Contest

[go here for Youth Art Contest]

PROSPECTUS

Background

The beautiful ‘ulu tree once played a major role in the spiritual and cultural life of Hawaiians and it was a key staple food and a source of wood, craft materials and medicine. ‘Ulu is easily grown and Hawaiians had large field systems that integrated ‘ulu with other crops including kalo (taro), ‘uala (sweet potato), mai‘a (banana), kō (sugarcane) and other important crops. In a mauka region of Kona there was a band of ‘ulu trees ½ mile wide and 18 miles long called the kalū ‘ulu that produced as much as 36,000 tons of ‘ulu fruit per year. Other important ‘ulu groves were located in North Kohala, Hilo, and Puna. ‘Ulu is also nutritionally and culturally important throughout the Pacific (including for the thousands of non-Hawaiian Pacific islanders who make Hawai‘i their home). Modern nutritional analysis shows ‘ulu to be a highly nutritious food that can be prepared in a variety of ways compatible with both traditional and modern tastes.

IMG 0352-CElevitchFor hundreds of years before Western contact, traditional Hawaiian breadfruit groves were capable of providing the food value to sustain tens of thousand of people. Today, few of these trees remain. Today, Hawai'i imports about 90% of its food, making it one of the most food insecure states in the nation. Additionally, since the economic downturn of 2008, many families in Hawai‘i lack access to affordable and nutritious food. The Ho‘oulu ka ‘Ulu project believes that breadfruit is a key to solving Hawaii's food security problems.

Ho‘oulu ka ‘Ulu is a project to revitalize 'ulu (breadfruit) as an attractive, delicious, nutritious, abundant, affordable, and culturally appropriate food which addresses Hawai‘i’s food security issues.

Breadfruit Festival and Fine Art Contest

Hawaii Homegrown Food Network,the Breadfruit Institute of the National Tropical Botanical Garden and Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden, are presenting Breadfruit Festival Goes Bananas at the Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in South Kona on Saturday, September 29, 2012 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm.  In addition to celebrating the cultural and culinary aspects of breadfruit (‘ulu), this year’s festival will also highlight breadfruit’s forest companion—banana (mai‘a). 

The Fine Art Contest is a part of the educational outreach associated with the festival, celebrating the beauty of the tree and fruit as well as the rich cultural heritage and future role of ‘ulu in Hawai‘i.

The artwork of finalists will be displayed at Breadfruit Festival Goes Bananas on September 29. The first place winner will receive a gift certificate for two nights at The Fairmont Orchid.

Eligibility

Media

Subject

The main subject of the artwork must be ‘ulu (breadfruit) in Hawai‘i. This year, artwork may also integrate mai‘a (banana), but ‘ulu must be predominant. Some possible themes are:

Rights and Sales

Resources and Inspiration

Registration and Submittal

Click here to view the results of the 2011 Fine Art contest.

Contest Organizers

Hawai'i Homegrown Food Network
Donkey Mill Art Center
Breadfruit Institute of the National Tropical Botanical Garden
Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden

Contest Sponsors

Breadfruit-Festival-logos-2012

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