Hawaiian Telcom beautification project
Hawaiian Telcom partners with Kaua‘i artist to beautify outdoor utility boxes across the Garden Island
As a way to celebrate Kaua‘i becoming the third island to be fully fiber enabled this past June, Hawaiian Telcom commissioned local artist Kayti Lathrop to work with several middle and high school students to beautify utility boxes across Kaua‘i.
Click HERE to watch the video and HERE to view additional images of the project.
Lathrop and students including Malia Bergeron, Chloe Hannsz, Rain Hannsz, Tawehi Oana-Makanani, Peshants Watson Spang, and Zillary Watts from Kapa‘a Middle School, Kapa‘a High School, and (HTA) Hawai‘i Technology Academy spent approximately six months brainstorming ideas, creating and finalizing designs, and bringing those designs to life on five Hawaiian Telcom utility boxes. The colorful designs each feature fiber optic lines to reinforce the importance of being connected to the ‘āina, culture, and each other, while showcasing the rich cultural resources and natural environment of Kaua‘i. The utility boxes can be found at the following locations:
The Anahola box, across from Whalers General Store, honors the Hawaiian cultural practice of hula. It features silhouettes of dancers and traditional accompanying musical instruments such as ‘uli‘uli (gourd filled with shells and decorated with feathers), pu‘ili (bamboo sticks), ipu (single and double gourd drums), and pahu (sharkskin drum made from a coconut trunk). This is displayed over a background of colorful symbolic geometric designs and patterns used to decorate kapa cloth, which was made from the bark of the paper mulberry tree for clothing, bedding, and traditional ceremonies.
The Kapa‘a box, located by the bus stop in front of Pono Kai Resort, focuses on symbiotic relationships with sea creatures, plants, and reef life. The focal point is the beloved (monk seal) with the baby hinalea ‘akilolo (Hawaiian yellow tail coris).
The Līhu‘e box, which sits in front of Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School, brings attention to the native Hawaiian voyaging, sailing, and navigation practices, utilizing traditional wa‘a (voyaging canoes) and handmade wooden paddles. This wayfinder way involved deep observation, knowledge of directional awareness and seasonal changes, the constellations such as Makali‘i (Pleiades), and bird migration.
Photo: The Līhu‘e box, which sits in front of Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School, Credit: Hawaiian Telcom.
The Po‘ipū box incorporates manō (shark), honu (green sea turtle), hālālua (manta ray) with remora fish, koholā (humpback whale) and barnacles, as well as, mā‘ī‘ī (Hawaiian bobtail squid) and the newly discovered and named Hawaiian deep sea angler species and a bioluminescent bacteria (Vibrio fischeri) in their mantle and lure, respectively.
The Hanapēpē box, in front of the public library, features symbiotic relationships between birds and plants, including the Nene (Hawaiian goose) and ohelo berries; i’iwi (scarlet honey creeper) and ‘ohi‘a lehua/‘ōpelu flowers; and the ‘alalā (Hawaiian crow, now extinct) and the hō‘awa plant with its walnut-shaped fruit.
Lathrop is an art educator and visual artist who has worked for the past 25 years in a variety of settings. She participated as one of the local artists chosen for the first annual Nirmanafest mural festival on Kaua‘i and has led several interactive murals for many community events.
“This collaborative project provided a much needed and appreciated healthy activity for local aspiring art students,” said Lathrop. “It’s a true pleasure to witness their personal growth, as they gained confidence in their designing/painting abilities, critical thinking/problem solving skills, made new connections and relationships that will extend past this project, and practiced the Hawaiian value of lōkahi (unity, harmony, working together towards one goal) as they gifted back to our community their visual inspirations, educational content, and aloha spirit!”
Hawaiian Telcom announced in June that Kaua‘i is now fully fiber enabled, the third island in the state to reach this major milestone. Hawaiian Telcom’s goal is to complete its $1.7 billion investment for all of the islands by the end of 2026 and be the first state in the nation to be fully fiber enabled. In addition to its fiber investment, the company is focused on continuing to strengthen relationships throughout the Garden Island.
Hawaiian Telcom has several community partnerships on Kaua‘i, and the company’s charitable foundation recently awarded grants to Kaua‘i-based Friends of Kaua‘i Wildlife Refuges and PAL (Permanent Affordable Living) Hawai’i.
“We were thrilled to partner with Kayti and these talented students, and are proud to showcase their designs,” said Su Shin, president of Hawaiian Telcom. “Community engagement is a core part of Hawaiian Telcom’s operating philosophy, and it’s exciting to see these partnerships visibly come to life.”
