ʻAlalā are the only survivors of five crow species that evolved in the Hawaiian Islands, according to the ʻAlalā Project, which aims to restore the native bird to the wild. Reading and artwork focused on the ʻalalā will be presented at Windward Community Collegeʻs Out Loud in the Library! on Wednesday, September 25, 10–11 a.m. The free event will take place in the Hale Laʻakea Library.
Melanie Dorado Wilson will read from her Hawaiian Studies research Ka ʻAlalā, ʻAumakua in Transition: A Multimedia Exploration of the Science, Politics, Law, Culture, and Spirituality Surrounding the Hawaiian Crow. A display of artwork she completed for the class will be available for viewing.
Wilson, Windward CC’s interim vice chancellor for academic affairs recently completed her associate’s degree in Hawaiian Studies. Originally from Wahiawā, she returned to Hawaiʻi from living overseas in 2017. She fell in love with the ʻalalā, which became the subject of her artistic and academic focus.
Out Loud in the Library! is celebrating its 10th anniversary of literary and music events by local artists, and is meant to inspire and encourage students to find their own creative voice through writing, reading, poetry, music, spoken word and the visual arts.
For more information, contact Susan Lee St. John, associate professor of language arts and Out Loud in the Library! coordinator, at (808) 236-9226 or susankcl@hawaii.edu.
