MAUI CALLS
Twenty-fifth anniversary of MACC signature gala celebrates the hukilau
“Festival of the Sea,” by Eugene Savage -- Image courte
Festival table arrangements are a signature element of Maui Calls. -- Photo courtesy
Stunning performances capped last year’s event. (TONY CLIFFORD-NOVAK photo) -- Photo courtesy the MACC
An example of delicious pupu (TONY CLIFFORD-NOVAK photo) -- Photo courtesy the MACC
Maui Calls lei ladies ready to greet attendees. (TONY CLIFFORD-NOVAK photo) -- Photo courtesy the MACC
An aerial view of last year’s Maui Calls event (DOUGLAS DEBOER photo) -- Photo courtesy the MACC
Signed instruments are often distinctively MACC silent auction items. (TONY CLIFFORD-NOVAK photo) -- Photo courtesy the MACC
“Festival of the Sea,” by Eugene Savage -- Image courte
Festival table arrangements are a signature element of Maui Calls. -- Photo courtesy
Stunning performances capped last year’s event. (TONY CLIFFORD-NOVAK photo) -- Photo courtesy the MACC
An example of delicious pupu (TONY CLIFFORD-NOVAK photo) -- Photo courtesy the MACC
Maui Calls lei ladies ready to greet attendees. (TONY CLIFFORD-NOVAK photo) -- Photo courtesy the MACC
An aerial view of last year’s Maui Calls event (DOUGLAS DEBOER photo) -- Photo courtesy the MACC
Signed instruments are often distinctively MACC silent auction items. (TONY CLIFFORD-NOVAK photo) -- Photo courtesy the MACC
Trending
A vibrant tableau by 20th-century artist Eugene Savage depicts native Hawaiians engaged in the centuries-old tradition of laying fish net, muscles glistening under the tropical sun, as they harvest the sea's rich bounty. On the shore and in the surf, the village ohana celebrates -- their faces joyful and spirits lifted in dance --as they prepare for the communal feast to come.
This pulsing image of collective labor and celebration offers a visceral interpretation of the hukilau and sets the tone for Maui Calls 2019, promising to once again infuse a distinctively Hawaiian vibe into the annual event.
"This year, we felt the need to reflect on community and what that means for Maui," explains Renee Dustman, director of development at Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Kahului. "We tossed around a bunch of different theme ideas, but kept coming back to the idea of the Hukilau -- of friends and family working together for the greater good -- because the MACC wouldn't be where we are today without our community. It's our way to honor that and this really special place where we live."
When one of the Maui Calls committee members suggested Savage's "Festival of the Sea" as inspiration, Dustman knew instinctively that this piece held the key to this year's gala provided the MACC could secure the rights and permissions to craft an event around the artwork, which it did.
"This painting resonated with us right away," Dustman recalls. "The ocean, the mountains in the background as members of the community come together in different ways -- it becomes the visual focal point for the evening, and we base the decor off of that."
Complementing "Festival of the Sea" and the hukilau theme will be authentic net-making and -repairing demonstrations and a design palette reflective of lives lived in harmony with the ocean --netting, fruit from nearby mountains, fish, pieces of driftwood and other treasures gifted by currents and tides eternal.
The magical celebration, now in its 25th installment, draws residents and visitors alike who delight in sampling the finest wines and most delectable locally created pupu by Maui's preeminent chefs while perusing an unmatched selection of live and silent auction items.
Wine enthusiasts will find a robust array of libations orchestrated by Alan Jahns, wine division manager of Paradise Beverages. Participating wineries include Andrew Will, Clos du Val Winery, Department 66, Duckhorn Wine Company, Herman Story Wines, Ken Wright Cellars, MauiWine, Merry Edwards, Quilceda Creek, Saintsbury, Share a Splash Wine Co., Southern Starz, Stoller Wine Group and Winebow-Negociants USA.
A culinary adventure overseen by Chef Eric Faivre awaits ardent foodies. As of this printing, participating restaurants include Cane & Canoe at Montage Kapalua Bay, Catering Creations by Vasi, DUO Steak and Seafood, Humble Market Kitchin, Humuhumunukunuku-apua'a at Grand Wailea, Leilani's on the Beach, Lineage, Maui Cookie Lab, Moku Roots, Nicole Scharer Events, Pacific'O, Pono Pies, Pulehu, an Italian Grill at The Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas, The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Sugar Beach Events of Hawai'i, Three's Bar & Grill, Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar and Wolfgang Puck's Spago at Four Seasons Resort Maui.
Silent-auction aficionados can review the always- impressive assortment and begin bidding online on Aug. 12 when the auction goes live at https://e.givesmart.com/events/bM0. Some of the uniquely Maui and uniquely MACC items include home stays and ocean excursions, unforgettable dining experiences at Mama's Fish House or via an Hawaiian style pa'ina for you and your friends at a private Upcountry home, autographed musical instruments and others of equal intrinsic value. Bidders do not need to attend the gala to participate in the online silent auction.
Those attending Maui Calls can elect to bid on eclectic live auction items that include luxury accommodations at Meadowood Napa Valley and an invitation to explore California's wine country, a Maui Jim's fishing boat experience, an exclusive in-home concert featuring a well-known artist yet to be revealed to the public and a once-in-a-lifetime Linblad Expeditions National Geographic cruise -- a big-ticket item that Dustman herself covets.
"I want that all to myself," she says teasingly. "One of the other aspects that we're really excited about this year is a special performance by Keali'i Reichel."
Additional performances include The Hula Honeys and Jimmy Mac and the Kool Kats, who will wrap up the evening with dance favorites under the glow of Yokouchi Pavilion.
From the aromatic fresh flower lei greeting to the sweet lilt of live Hawaiian music carried along the trades, every detail of Maui Calls is a paean to the island's opulent history and culture
As the primary fundraiser for the MACC, it's also an opportunity for the island to invest in and support the MACC's many educational and cultural events offered free to the public such as Starry Night Cinema, the annual Ki Ho'alu and 'Ukulele festivals, ArT=Mixx and more.
"When you give to the MACC, you're giving to all of Maui," Dustman notes. "It's only through community support that we can offer these incredible programs.
"For me, that's the most important part," she concludes. "Yes, the MACC brings in amazing musicians and artists, but the fact that we can, as a nonprofit, sustain free events that people from all walks of life can enjoy -- I think that's what makes it really special."
* Mona de Crinis can be reached at mdecrinis@mauinews.com.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
MAUI CallS
"Celebrating the Tradition of the Hukilau"
6 to 10 p.m. Aug. 17 at the MACC
Individual tickets for Maui Calls are $195 for a 'cruiser' pass; $225, $300 or $500 for table seating. Tables for 10 are $2,250, $3,000, $5,000 and $10,000. All tickets allow guests to sample a variety of wines and pupu by Maui's participating restaurants and chefs, with table tickets offering table seating and service as well as special gifts (depending on level). Purchase tickets and silent auction bids (bidding open Aug. 12) at https://e.givesmart.com/events/bM0/, via the MACC's Development department or email/phone Naoko Wagner at naoko@mauiarts.org / 243-4225 (table reservations only). Must be 21 years of age and older to attend.