Day #1
Thursday
Honolulu, Hawaii (Oahu) Temp: 80 degrees
I started out this morning by taking the traditional hike up Diamond Head. As always this is an exhausting trek. I really felt the strain as my breathing got heavy and I had to take off my shoes when I reached the top. Awaiting me there was a creation of God. Atop of Diamond Head I got to see the rising of the sun. I have always seen the Florida sun rising. However the Florida sun rises are viewed from ocean level. I have never been atop of the sun when it rises. There aren’t any words I know that can explain this spiritual experience. After Diamond Head I drove the car back to the hotel and walked over to check in for tomorrows Hawaii International Conference on Arts & Humanities. I made plans to get with Deloris Guttman ( CEO of the African American Diversity Cultural Center Hawaii). Deloris is presenting on the History of African Americans in Hawaii at the conference. What I didn’t know, would change my life forever. Deloris Guttman is the Mother of African American History in Hawaii. She is a 25 year resident of Honolulu. What she had in store for me was a tour of Honolulu from its African American History. This was a part of her Black History Tour of Hawaii ( reference the History of African Americans in Hawaii on web sites: www.aadcch.org and www.hugeaux.com).
We began the tour at the University of Hawaii at the taro plant gardens at the Hawaii Studies Center at U of H. The taro plant is a royal tradition to the Hawaiian culture. The garden is watered by the water whish runs from the mountains. From there we visited the East-West Center on the campus where presidents from the world meet while in Honolulu. We visited the law school where Howard University’s professor Lawson help to start. We then went to the marbled plague embedded in the ground by the chaulmoogra tree ( a full grown tree, now) where African American scientist Alice Ball discovery was made from the once then seed.
After the University of Hawaii we went to the most historic site of the tour. The neighborhood where the Honorable President Barack Obama grew up. The neighborhood is called Makiki. We visited the apartment complex where President Obama spend his early childhood with his mother (1839 Poki Street ). Deloris told me that just a few block over is where she lived on 1638 Annapurna (circa 1973-1979). This was during the president’s high school years. We drove by this as well. We then went onward to where president Obama’s grandmother lived at the Punahou Circle Apartments, which was a few blocks way and down the street from his high school. All this is in walking distance.
After the president’s tour we drove up the mountain to the upper middle class community called : Tantalus. There was lots of liquid sunshine there. The Hawaiians calls the mist that falls from the clouds in the mountains liquid sunshine because it is a constant mist and produce some of the world’s all day rainbows. Through his tour I continuously saw rainbows. I got to see Diamond from another side and each view is more beautiful than the other. We drove further up the mountain and stop at the top to gaze opposite of Diamond Head onto the Wainae Plains of the Koolau Mountains. The Koolau Mountain region is the oldest region in Oahu. Through our drive down the other side of the mountain Deloris told me stories about how early settlers imported mongooses to control the rat population which were destroying the sugar cane fields. However these field rats and the mongoose slept differently. She mention the problem rose when the settlers found the mongoose were nocturnal and the rat moved by the day. This story was fascinating. Moving further down the mountain we saw more of the liquid sunshine rainbow valleys and a group of wild chickens within the cliff.
From Tantalus we drove to the National Memorial Cemetery in the Pacific “Punchbowl” ( a military cemetery) is also where president Obama’s grandfather is buried. We drove onward to the Oahu cemetery where more historic African Americans are buried (McCants Stewart and family). We then went onward to another gem of the Historic African American Community in Hawaii. We visited the community of Doris (pronounced Dori) Miller. He was an Honored Military man whose heroic in the war against Japan was honored the United States of America. What makes this honors so remarkable was that Doris Miller was a domestic for the military ( a cook), who defended this country regardless of his title due to racial inequal of the nation’s past. He is honored with a busted embedded in stone at the entrance of the community which bears his name: Doris Miller Park Community. The plaque was made possible by the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. At this point we were into the 3 hours of the tour. I agreed to treat Deloris to lunch, her choice. We ate traditional Mahi Mahi sandwiches at a restaurant called: Uncles. There we sat and talked about African American History and a need to include Hawaii’s African American history into the core.
5 hours have passed and Deloris decided that the last stop should be Kaok’a Oaka Park. This is the park she takes her morning walks along the pacific ocean. She tell me that this park us to be a garbage dump site that the city filled in a created a park. When we got over the mount I spotted 2 large whales blowing water from their spouts, I quickly showed Deloris. I told her that by living in Florida amongst the ocean I am use to seeing dolphins and killer whale doing the same thing. As we walked more I spotted an almond tree which I haven’t seen since my childhood in Miami. Deloris didn’t know what this tree was. I told her that this tree produced a very sweet stringy fruit, similar to the turpentine mango, but has a almond nut in the middle.
This tour was more of a family reunion than anything. I have never met Deloris, personally. We met through the Internet and via telephone. After visiting Honolulu last year and surf across her web site: www.adcch.org. I telephoned her and wanted to become a member of this remarkable organization. After Deloris visited my web site: www.Hugeaux.com she agreed. The island of Oahu is full of rainbows. I got to see this first hand today. The treasures that are embedded in this Polynesian culture are as diverse as its flora. I am very honored to know that I have opened one of these treasures today. This treasure is full of the wealth that our African & American ancestors have given their dominion to. This treasure is full of water which flows continuously with knowledge & wisdom. This treasure welcomed my African and Indian spirit today. This treasure I speak of is named: Deloris Guttman. Deloris Guttman is the legacy of African Americans in Hawaii. May God Bless you Deloris. Mahalo….Hugeaux
The conference starts tomorrow.
Copyright Hugeaux all Rights Reserved
January 9, 2009
Day #2
The Conference Begins. The 7th Hawaii International Conference on Arts & Humanities is officially off to a great and exhausting start. I had breakfast with Deloris Guttman (Honolulu) and Helena Woodard (University of Texas, Austin). While I was at the lap station my friend Petrouchka Alexieva (California State University, Los Angeles) arrive and told be she was right off the plane from Turkey and had to stop off in Los Angeles before coming to Honolulu. She brought me a souvenir from Hollywood. A coffee cup. The first session I attended was Benita Masani of Walden University : “Transforming and sustaining Global Communities through the voice of women:”. Benita is from Atlanta Georgia. I met my friend Dr. Ekata Rosemary Isibor (University of Lagos) Nigeria in the hallway before the session. Her presentation was about how elder women taught advice to younger women, basically African American women. Her emphasis was on language and culture: voices of women from ages 14 - 96. I caught the second half of Marcus Hayes “ Dancing Bodies: Corporeal studies in a Post-Identity Politics World”. My friend Ekata Rosemary Isibor “ Dance as a Contributory factor to a culture of peace amongst Nations”. Dr. Ekata Rosemary Isibor is senior lecturer at the University of Lagos in Nigeria. Ekate spoke on dance from the African prospective. She spoke on dance as traditional. Not dance for art sake. She spoke about the relationship of man and nature. Ekata spoke on the tradition of African dance from Nigeria as a community function. The session hopping has begun. I next attended Jiajun Cai of the Chinese University of Hong Kong “In search of Moral truth - Ming literati Garden design in the 16th century”. Jiajun talked about Ming scholars research on the Ming Gardens. He spoke about Confucius scholars interpretation on the Ming Gardens. Emphasis was based on tranquility and rural living amongst the city. Hopping again I ran into Ekata in the hallway who gave me 2 papers she wants me to publish On-Line. I accepted. I hopped over to hear Alexie Tcheuyap ( University of Toronto) “Reconfiguring Africa: Changing Aesthetic in African Cinema”. I hopped over to hear Dr. Clotilde Roth-Meyer “Parisian colourmen during the 19th century” of the Centre Allemand d’historie de l’art Paris, France. The colourmen were merchants/painters who mixed colors for artists. The colourmen sold their colors through the almanac. She spoke on how art suppliers during the early century were also grocery merchants. She mentioned about how art dealers rented paintings to the upper-middle class for social events. It was now time for a smoothing classical music break. I was serenaded by opera from Crystal Whitaker (Jamestown College) and Carla Mariani “Fanny Mendelsohn Hensel Recital”. This is the break I needed from the conference. To gather my thoughts and re-energize for the later half today.
After the laptop room, I hopped over to hear Jesvin Puay-Hwa-Yeo (Nanyang Technological University) “Beyond Typography - Typeface as visual”. She spoke on how visual art help artists with typography. Visual and simplicity. She spoke on how visual art can be lost through typography. I stayed for the next presenter Lee Vander Kooi (Herron School of Art & Design) “ Visualizing design competencies engaging the discipline”. He spoke of individualism vs. collaboration. He spoke of emotional intelligence. I hopped over to hear Gregory Hampton (Howard University) “ Teaching ethnic studies with sci-fi”. He spoke of time traveling through imagination. He spoke of African American in Sci-Fi literature. He paid homage to award winning African American woman writer Octavia Butler. I finished today’s conference
By hopping over to Anna L. Pearman (Vincennes University) “ Ancient encounters - The Orientalist’s in Egypt”.
This first day of conferences and presentation was exhausting. This is typical of this great conference. My trek up Diamond Head really prepared me for all of the hopping today. I was truly enriched with the diversity of cultures and presentations. As I get ready to retire for tonight. I am very relaxed and willing to see what new experiences in thinking I shall embark upon tomorrow. I am paying much attention to the quality of this conference. These scholars are an authentic breed. The coordinator Darren Garvey is really putting on a great conference. Now it is time to rest.
Copyright Hugeaux All rights Reserved
January 10, 2009
Day #3 Saturday (Conference and Waikiki Yacht Club Gathering sponsored by AADCCH)
I started this morning having breakfast with Deloris Guttman and Dr. Ekata Isibor. I and Deloris hopped over to hear Evie Holmberg (Hellenic College) “ Ancient Greek Pottery: “The craft as a work of art and a window into Greek society”. She spoke about reconstruction of ancient Greek pottery. I stayed in the same room to hear Marcella Florence(George Mason University) “Different paths: contrasting the art of Liberia and post colonial Sierra Leone. She spoke about pan-Africanism especially She spoke about how art and government have different laws in each country. She also spoke of Liberia. She spoke on how the major emphasis of art centered around central Sierra Leone and not the coastal region. She spoke about how European exploitation of European Industrial Art was considered superior versus authentic traditional Sierra Leone. I hopped over to hear Tetsu Ichikawa (National Museum of Ethnology) “The meaning of religion and language in Chinese subethnicity: Papua New Guinea - Chinese in Australia”. He spoke about the migration of Chinese into Paupa, New Guinea and Australia. He spoke of the Chinese diaspora amongst the oceanic and pacific ocean. A major change happened when Papua, New Guinea gained independence in 1975. His presentation was very interesting. He delivered a great visual presentation of Papua, New Guinea from a Chinese prospective. Papua, New Guinea is similar to Haiti. I then hopped over to her the end of Dr. Ekata Isibor second presentation “The Niger Delta and Needs: The Imperative of Theatre”. She spoke of using the theatre as community. Sub coming dialogue to theatre. She spoke of how major corporations are killing natural resources of the Niger delta. Her solution is theatre “Human Rights”.
Now is time for the guest speaker: H. R. Stoneback of State University of New York. He opened up with a prose by Mark Twain on Hawaii.. After the guest speaker I and Deloris went over to talk to him. H. R, Stoneback is a really down to earth man. He is a down to earth man with a bohemian spirit. I told him I was from Florida. He thought I was a Polynesian because of the lei I was wearing. I got him to autograph my program book and to a photo with him. I wanted to purchase his book of poems titled “ Amazing grace wheelchair jump start Jesus poems”. He was a singer in his beatnik days in Waikiki when the locals called it the jungle. He was a great speaker. I then hopped with Deloris over to hear my dear friend Petrouchka Alexieva (California State University, Los Angeles) “ Image Analysis of women in power as depicted on late classic polychrome Maya ceramic vessels”. She spoke on good celebration. She mentioned that the Mayan culture celebrated at night. She also spoke concerning celebration of war fare rites. I hopped over to hear Jeffreen M. Hayes ( College of William and Mary) “Windows to the soul: Black masculinity in the Hampton Roads port of Embarkation Collection”. She spoke on how black men had to define their masculinity through the military. She quotes W. E. B. Dubois against Jim Crow. I now need a musical break. I hopped over to hear Susan Chan (Portland State University) “ A multimedia performance of selected piano works by contemporary Chinese Composers: Dooming Lam, Alexina Louie and Tan Dun. She played the piano plus provided a visual slide show of traditional and contemporary Chinese visual artists. She gave us a description of the Chinese instrument called the pipa. Her performance piece was really the break I needed today. The conference is over-powering and a great intellectual workout. Her Chinese rhapsodies has revitalized my energy for the second part of today’s conference. Listening to Susan Chan play these contemporary Chinese composer’s music made me lay down my lei and take off my shoes. I really needed this relaxation. I didn’t want to walk back to the hotel and take a nap. She talked about how Chinese customs use to care for the dead by leaving their bodies to the vultures. Now I had the energy to hop over to another session until I ran into Kim Strunk, who mentioned she knew me from the African Art conference at Ohio University in Athens Ohio in 2007. She mentioned that she receives my emails and couldn’t wait to see me. I told her the same and that I shall remain for some of her dance performance. Kim Strunk (Utah Valley University) “ From the Boogaloo to the Bush and back again”.
Her dance performance is influenced by the Congo tradition. The sounds of the tribal drums could be heard throughout the ballroom. Sounds of hand clapping could be heard also. This was another revitalization as the sounds of the drums calmed me. I am now ready to continue to hop over to hear Sachi NakachI (Tsuru University) “Jim Kelly and Asian Martial Arts in Blaxploitation Films in the 1970’s”. What I got was a real treat. She spoke on how those blaxploitation films help to identify black culture. She spoke on how the black culture had incorporated the martial arts, using Jim Kelly as the main focus. She spoke about Asian philosophy and zen assisted the black culture. She is delivering a great presentation dealing with Asian art and the civil rights influences. She speaks that Asian (karate) assisted the African American man as being the strong fighter. She really pays homage to Jim Kelly. She speaks of the strong black man. Her balance of Asian and African culture are similar. She quotes Richard Wright many times and his influence on the Asian culture. The world of colors, she mentions. However she mentions how these karate fighters had stereotyped the Asian culture. She really gave an impressive and informative presentation on the Asian approach of looking at the black films of the 70’s (Shaft. Cleopatra Jones, Coffy, Black Samurai etc).
Time was getting late and I found my friend Petrouchka sitting in a conference room awaiting another session. We began to talk and talk and talk and talk. No one showed up for the session so we decided to make our way over the party at the Waikiki Yacht Club. I drove her and her friend/student Banu. What awaited us their seems remarkable. We speak 3.5 hours talking and sharing information over great finger food, wine and Polynesian spirits. African American Diversity Cultural Center Hawaii members:
Steve & Deloris Guttman and John & Saundy Bratton really put on a first class gather tonight. We all were exhausted from the conference however, we found energy to be apart of this great event. We were all thankful for such a beautiful evening. I lead the final prayer thanking God Almighty for bringing such a group of diverse individual to that spot The Waikiki Yacht Club. Well it is about 10:30 pm and I was up ever sine 4:00am. My presentation is tomorrow and I look forward to it….Thank you God and all for a wondering conference day today….. Good night
January 11, 2009
Day # 4 Sunday
It rained all night last night. This morning in Honolulu was a gray and wet morning. I again met up with Deloris for breakfast. We joined Samuel Doku from Howard University. The conference was getting ready to start. I learned later by Deloris that I could park free anywhere on Sunday in Honolulu. I and Deloris decided to start today’s session by hopping over to Shiori Hasegawa (Tsukuba University) “ Oscar Micheaux and the infrastructure network.” She spoke about Oscar Micheaux travels into Latin America. She spoke on how Oscar Micheaux used film making to interrupt a true African American culture. Her heavy Japanese accent of English has made me attentive to her every word. She is showing Japanese homage to the African American Oscar Micheaux. She spoke on how he supported Theodore Roosevelt and that he had traveled to Latin America before Roosevelt. She mentioned how the working and opening of the Panama Canal boost the travel and trade business. She spoke on how Micheaux supported Imperialism as seen in South America society. She spoke on how Micheaux supported an international society. I reached over and told Deloris that I got the spelling of Hugeaux from Oscar Micheaux year ago. The “Eaux”
It was now time for my presentation. The presentation Hugeaux aka Hugo Miller (National Conference of Artists NCA) “Cyber Exhibitions: The power of the ONLY On-line art exhibitions via Internet and
ARTE MECCO: The Lavilla District”. My session consisted of Antonio Cuyler and Robyn Heckenberg. I was the session chairman. My presentation went very well. By using Conference Etiquettes my attendance was quite high. Conference Etiquette is the proper behavior of visiting other session and/or people who have visited your session to return the favor by visiting their session, regardless of the content. I practice this etiquette in all my conference travels. Antonio Cuyler ( Savannah College of Art and Design) “ The Art of Lynching” revisited the past through art. He spoke about how the lynching of African Americans was seen as an art. How exhibition were painted during that time of lynched African Americans. Exhibitions and Industrial art benefited from the art of lynching. He tells a very visual presentation of the art of lynching. The next presenter was Robyn Heckenburg (Monash University) “ When all the rivers run”. She speaks about how the aborigines are influenced by the African American cultural struggle. She spoke on the determination and struggle of the aborigines traditions. She tells an aborigines story “why do the frogs croak”. This session spawned a group of us gathering into our own personal group conversation. Myself, Antonio, John and Helena. We broke away and started discussing the African American plight from slavery to Obama.
I then hopped over to hear some music by Mark Berry (Western Kentucky University) “Col Legno Duo - music for cello and vibraphone representing composers from around the world”. These music performances are a very good way in which you can revitalize the senses. I then straightened up my lei and hopped over to hear Samuel Doku (Howard University)”Allegory of evil, good and grace in Flannery O’Connor’s A Good man is hard to find and Good Country people”. Samuel was at the Waikiki Yacht Club last night. He spoke on O’Connor’s interpretation of good and evil in literature. What was surprising to me is when Ekata who was at the session whispered to me that it was an email from me that got her involved with the conference. I thanked her. Samuel became a story teller as sounds resonated from his Ghanaian baritone voice. I then hopped over to hear Petrouchka Alexeiva (California State University, Los Angeles) “Images of women on Bulgarian national currency depicting gender differences in historical perspective:. Petrouchka was at the Waikiki Yacht Club last night. She spoke of the importance of the woman and how they are a homage to the Bulgarian women. She spoke on how the Bulgarian women was depicted as laborers. She mentioned the beauty and power is present in current Bulgaria currency. I then hopped back over to hear Adrien Pouille (Indiana University of Bloomington) “ Rituals as occult currencies in Ben Okri’s The famished road and Fagunwa’s Forest of a thousand daemons”. He spoke of rituals in African traditions. He spoke about the first Nigerian novel writer in Yuroba. To end today’s sessions I attended the last 2 sessions in the same salon. First was Awoniyi Mufutau ( Lagos State University) “ The Emergence of common market in West Africa: An examination of cross culture Ethnographic marketing system of Alaba International market - Lagos, Nigeria”. He spoke about the market as being apart of the slave trade. He spoke about how the outsiders are now controlling the modern commerce of trading today. He gave a definition of the term Personality pricing which mean if you look rich I shall over price the item. This is an universal practice. He spoke for the bourgeois attitude of eating oranges rather than apples in Nigeria. He also spoke of ethnic marketing. The last presenter for today was Earl Jones ( Indiana University Northwest) “ Music history, culture and community Revitalization sounds that moved and changed the world: Vee Jay records, the Beatles, Jerry Butler and the Impressions, The Four Seasons - Big girls don’t cry and much more - a case study, Gary Indiana”. He spoke of the music of Gary Indiana and how an African American couple start the record company:Vee Jay out of the garage and sold the records on the street corner in downtown Gary Indiana. He gave a great presentation of the African American history of Gary Indiana. Earl Jones really refreshed my memory of the years I stayed in Indiana 1987 - 1990. He really brought my memories back to Indianapolis, Indiana. Throughout this conference I believed I straightened my lei about 10 or more time. This is just a little humor pertaining to the hopping I have done at this most beautiful conference. I received my certificate of authentic today from conference chairman Andrew Burge.
As the conference began to wind down many who haven’t visited the Island went sightseeing and to the Luau today. This is another way to revitalize the senses from the hundreds presenters of the conference. I took this opportunity to drive to Hilo Hattie (main store) for some souvenir showing and to see more of the majestic mountains from downtown Honolulu. This was a refreshing ride. With today, being Sunday, I listened to sweet southern gospel music from the CD I had and it reminded me of home. I could feel the Atlantic and the Pacific African and American ancestral spirits pull on my soul as I winded through the streets of Honolulu with the mountains surrounding me. Tomorrow is the last day of the conference. We shall end at 1:00pm. I shall now take the trip I wanted last year, to go and see the North Shore of Oahu. I shall then return the car and leave for Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon tomorrow night. North Shore should be as fascinating as Diamond Head. Deloris mentions that it is very oceanic rural. I shall take lots of photography…..Good Night
January 12, 2009
Day #5 Monday
Hawaii Conference Final Day
Today is the last day of the conference. I started out this day by checking out of the hotel and walking through the park over to the conference. What I saw shall remain with me for life. As I crossed Kuhio I was struck by the full moon over Honolulu. I took out my camera and began taking pictures. As I walked through the park the full moon seemed to glisten. This full moon look so perfect behind and between the palms and hotels. I entered the Hilton Hawaii Hotel with the sounds of Marvin Gaye and coffee streaming through the lobby.
I started the conference listening to music “The wild basin Winds and Trio 488. What I have planned to attend was cancelled at the last minute. This new friend whom I met at the beginning of the conference: Helena Woodard (University of Texas at Austin), had health matters and needed to see a doctor. She is so full of life and wanted to visit as much of Honolulu as possible. I personally believed that she over indulged in Paradise. I wish her well. However I hooked up with my friend Petrouchka Alexeiva and we attend the music recital together. I left Petrouchka and hopped over to hear Michael Gutierrez (Boston College) “ Of Dots, Data and Magic: Theory and Practice in the work of art”. He spoke of how the dot and color can create a image called: Pointism (The Point). This is an interesting session as this is the first session I attended which spoke on art theory. He spoke of relativity of objects, existing and non-existent. He related a lot of his paper on the artists Seurat. He mentioned the use of Optical Mixing. I interjected that Seurat flipped the canvas. Pointism entails a lot of flipping of the canvas. This the presenter didn’t touch upon. His presentation was enlightening and a homage to Seurat. I went to the computer lab before going to my friend and colleague Deloris Guttman’s presentation. He spoke of Optical Mixing as a practice. His presentation was a homage to Seurat,
I then hopped over to see my friend and organization AADCCH’s Deloris Guttman (African American Diversity Cultural Center Hawaii) “ 200 years of African American History in Hawaii. Deloris and her colleague Kathryn W. Takara PhD. Spoke on the beginning of the migration of blacks to Hawaii. They spoke about the coconut shell banjo. They spoke in terms of Honolulu when it was very rural. They spoke about the Buffalo soldier’s contribution to the island of Hawaii. They spoke in depth of the history. I stayed to hear the next presenter James Wolfinger (DePaul University) “Race and the Republican Party: Philadelphia political history in the mid 20th century. He spoke of the history of the working class racism in the mid 1900’s. He spoke of the corruption of the city of Philadelphia. He spoke of the transit strike of the transit workers who walked out due to Franklin Roosevelt’s promoting of 8 blacks as drivers during Jim Crow. I stayed for the last session presenter of the conference Kelton Edmonds (California University of Pennsylvania) “Inevitable Southern Revolution: The myriad of student, activism, civil rights, black power and anti poverty protests in 1960’s Greensboro, NC”. He spoke of the Greensboro 4 in the civil rights movement. He spoke of Jessie Jackson’s assistance in the student right movement. He mentioned how the student activists targeted F W Woolworths.
I later realized that my friend Helen Woodard who I thought was sick, gave her presentation unbenounced to many. She mentioned that she took some medicine to assist her and she gave a great presentation. This is what missed. The 2009 7th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Arts & Humanities is officially over.
It is 9:00pm and I am writing this last entry of today from Honolulu International airport. The ending of this conference was so spectacular. What I did was gather a group of friends and headed for the North Shore of Oahu. I gathered Adrien Pouille, Helena Woodard and Binta Manasi and we headed for North Shore. I filled the car with zouk music (music for Martinique) and with no map and getting direction from convience store attendants, we saw a beautiful side of Oahu away from the touristy side. This side was really spectacular. As we oohed and aahed, through the mountains, valleys and beaches we had no directions, but the will to keep north to North Shore. Binta made a joke about the late Richard Pryor when he joked about trying to get directions in the black neighborhoods “ You hang right pass Pooky’s house, turn at the beauty parlor until you see a yellow house etc…” we all laughed. Because that was the direction and information I was receiving from the people in the convience stores.
The flora reminded me of Florida as Adrien said this also reminded him of his native home Senegal. I would occasionally stop the car and we get out and take pictures. Every twist and turn was a picture. The mountains, banana groves, papaya groves, coconut trees and chickens etc made our conversations as fruitful as the scenery. We finally got to the North Shore to see the large waves. We didn’t see the 30 ft waves, but we saw some 10ft waves. We took off our shoes and walked on the sand. Taking pictures all along the way. The beach and waves looked so inviting however so deep and deadly. As we prepared to drive back to Honolulu, I asked a guy on the side of a convience store the directions and he told me to keep straight and “turn down there, somewhere”. This made me think of Binta and her Richard Pryor joke and yes, she told the joke again and well all laughed. Making my way back to Honolulu reminded me of the trips I made in college (early 1980’s) at the University of Florida driving people back and forth to Jacksonville. The laughter, the excitement and the anxiety made you feel very youthful. This entire trip was four and one half hours, which felt like thirty minutes. Adrien and I was leaving on a late night flight so he accompanied me to the airport. The girls were leaving tomorrow. After we checked in and went through the security check point, we gathered in the middle of Honolulu International Airport and talked like old men. I happened to be 17 older. I introduced him to what I called “Conference Etiquette” . He mentioned that he never heard of this and shall practice this from hence forth. He told me about his Senegal upbringing and about always having to compete. We talked and laughed, talked and laughed. We shared information and he gave me some strong advice about my web site. He told me I should start using Paypal.
I have finally established myself in this beautiful paradise call Hawaii. Deloris Guttman is planted and rooted in my memory. It is amazing that on the Atlantic coast, with the Caribbean, I have never been to them and they are in my back yard. However I travel 2000 miles away from home of that so close to me. Go Figure!. However Hawaii is becoming apart of me. Now, my boarding call has sounded and I am on my way to Las Vegas and onward to the Grand Canyon. Hawaii is making me homesick for Hawaii. This is an all night flight from Honolulu to Salt Lake City, Utah….I hope I can sleep on the plane…Good Night.
1/13/2009
Salt Lake City, Utah.
Departing from Salt Lake City and looking from the airplane out at those mountains covered with snow, I couldn’t help but be in awk by the sun making the snow on the mountains appear like porcelain. This was a beautiful welcoming back to the Mainland from Honolulu. A beautiful morning to wake up to and be on my way to Las Vegas. As we approached Las Vegas, I could see the red earth formation similar to the Grand Canyon picture that are embedded in my memory. My first impression of the redness reminded me of the red clay of Georgia. As I got situated in Las Vegas, I decided to do some personal sightseeing. Luckily everything was right in front of me. I visited and photographed the casinos: Luxor, New York, New York, MGM and Tropicana from that end of THE STRIP. I took a picture with the world famous sign of Las Vegas. I got $20 dollars for taking a survey at MGM plus food coupons etc. It is amazing for a non-gambler as myself, that I spent 4 hours just in that one area of THE STRIP. As I made my way to my hotel BINIONS at the other end THE STRIP in downtown Las Vegas, I couldn’t help to think how these people were similar to the tourists of Hawaii. There is an uninhibited friendliness here. I took another walk with my camera on this end of THE STRIP down Fremont street and was razzled and dazzled by the light shows there. This is amazing they say Paris is the city of lights, if that is so then Las Vegas must be the city of spot lights. Tomorrow marks the final end of my Honolulu - Las Vegas - Grand Canyon journey. This Grand Canyon has me like a child at Christmas….I can’t wait to see it….Good Night
January 14, 2009
The Grand Canyon, Arizona
The Grand Canyon was covered with snow.
Today I shall visit the Grand Canyon. I shall be pick up at the Golden Nugget in downtown Las Vegas near Fremont Street to see Lake Meade, Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon. I boarded on the Grayline bus. The bus driver gave us a great history of the history of Las Vegas and the Mafia with the motto “ You mind your business and we shall mind ours”. Those who didn’t found themselves graves in the desert or food for the vultures. This reminded me of the Chinese pianist Susan Chan at the Hawaii conference who spoke about the Chinese culture and the vultures feeding on the dead I noticed that the mountains don’t have any trees as we drove through Boulder City. The driver mentioned because it is desert and high desert, but has several palm trees and cactus. We are now entering Boulder City. We went pass Lake Meade, however she mentioned that the lake is low in water due to the drought. We are approaching Hoover Dam. I met a couple from Honolulu, Hawaii on the tour. He mentioned that he was from the windward side of Oahu. I took many pictures of Hoover Dam. From Hoover Dam we climbed up 7000ft unto the mountains. We saw people living in trailers out in the desert. I saw a gas station out in this desert. Homesteading is still going on in the desert.
She spoke of how mining was important in the 2 states: Arizona and Nevada. The community of Choride, which we passed, had just a few trailers. We passed by a place that was called Santa Claus out here in the desert. I saw an eagle in the desert. The red rock formation is beautiful in the desert. We are now entering a part of the Mohave desert. We passed areas called coyote pass, rattlesnake wash and peacock wash. These names seemed so true to the mood of the western desert. These red rock formations are the same formation I saw when I arrived into Las Vegas from Salt Lake City. We then traveled in the mountains where she said were inhabited with cougars, mountains lions, road runners and oselets etc. As we kept climbing I started looking down unto the desert valleys and saw small dried up streams. The higher we climbed the more snow we began to see. The snow looked so pure and untouched. The mountaintops looked so bright in the sun, similar to the porcelain I mention in an earlier entry. We looked out the window to see the famous mountains called: The San Francisco Peaks. We passed the famous route 66 highway “ Get your kicks…!!!”.
It is amazing to know this is where the buffalo use to roam. I am spiritually being connect to my Indian ancestry. As we reached the top, snow is everywhere. This is very scenic. We stop for lunch in Williams, Arizona and what a most interesting stop it was. We were greeted by Buck who was originally for northern Alabama, who runs the Williams’ western museum there and who greets the tour buses, with a real pistol, cattle whip and full cowboy and Indian jeweled outfit. He told us that Williams, Arizona was discovered by William Shirley Williams a bandit in 1886. I took some pictures and walked around with my new Hawaiian friends. However looking at all the Indian and Asian relics I knew there was more history then told.
After lunch our next stop would be the Grand Canyon about 40 miles away. We arrived at 2:00pm in the afternoon. I used the wifi system at Bright Angel Point to email my last diary entry. I finally got to see the Grand Canyon and the word Grand in an understatement. So beautiful, so majestic, so deep and so dangerous. I had my binoculars and got to see the houses at the basin of the canyon, however I couldn’t get to photograph the basin even with my zoom lens. This first stop was Bright Angel Point. We spent about one and one half hours there, before moving onward to Mather’s, the widest of the Grand Canyon South Rim. Along the way we saw a 5 point buck deer. The deer are not afraid of people and there are heavy laws for their protections. I photographed the 5 point buck deer.. I got to see the Colorado River at the basin of the canyon. I had to us my binoculars, because the zoom lens on my camera wouldn’t focus that far. I photographed a group of small deer feeding. At Mather’s point I took a lot of photographs. The colors are so majestic even with the haze in the sky. The snow was everywhere. So pure, so rugged and so tranquil. I broke way from the beaten path and journeyed upward into the snow to get a better, summery view of the canyon. Each point along the climb I was in awk. A photographer can spend weeks just discovering God’s changing scenery. Due to my journeying away from the path, I was late for the bus and people were waiting for me with not to pleasant looks. There was a group of English tourists who keep yapping and yapping away. Anyhow I didn’t care I was going to document and photograph this travel very well. The sun is setting as we were headed out for the canyon for our return stop back in William’s for dinner. I slipped the driver a $5 tip and she kissed my hand. Handing kissing is a custom of the older people of Las Vegas to show thankfulness. I was the only tourist who gave her a tip. Thank you Ruthie of Grayline Bus Tours in Las Vegas.
I saw sunset in the desert. The English tourists were making faces and bodies out of the mountain forms against the sunset. The yellows, reds, blues, oranges and blacks lighted up the desert. We were treated to a traditional western dinner of beef and potatoes and in big heaps. The restaurant was named Hop Sing. After dinner I decided to break way and walk around Williams and route 66 in the night air. I was searching for some of the history there and I found it. Talking to our dinner tour guide he told me that the Chinese and Indians were the founders of the town. One could see with all the Chinese relic around. The restaurant was named Hop Sing, the whore house was called Woo Tom Social Club with its red light right on the front porch entrance. The Indian tobacco shop in the corner. The man mentioned that the Chinese worked on the railroad and built this community. There was a richsha (an Asian carriage) and Indian totem near each other on the corner of the restaurant. But what was the crème de la crème was the story he told me about the opium refinery which was in one of the store basement. He mentioned that all the equipment was now in the western museum which was closed at this hour. As were boarded the tour bus to head back to Las Vegas, I couldn’t help but feel my Indian ancestry pulling on me.
One of the finales of the return trip back to Las Vegas was seeing the Hoover Dame at night. The stone and cement gives of a bone-like glare amongst the lights. The dam looks larger and deeper during the night. We were told by Ruthie that it was the Indians who would climb down the cliff suspended by ropes to plant the dynamite to blow out the holes to form the depths of the dam. The Indians would plant the dynamite then sling away from the spot, let it exploded before singing back. A pendulum like affect. This was done about 800 - 1000 ft downward. Leaving the Hoover Dam and headed by to Las Vegas we got to see why Las Vegas is called the jewel of the desert. With all the desert and blackness around us, we were climbing over a small hill and Las Vegas with all it lights just appeared. It was like opening a jewelry box in darkness to be blinded by the brilliancy of the stone within, truly the jewel of the desert.
As we de-bussed and were taken back to our personal casinos, the second finale appeared to me. I was put out at the Golden Nugget Casino and had to walk around the corner to my hotel Binions Casino, when it hit. While walking down Fremont street the Fremont street light show was starting. This is a techno sensation for about 3-5 long city blocks. The sounds, the colors, and the laser lights were spectacular.. I must end this day by saying that the pictures can not justify the Grand Canyon. The word Grand is a understatement. This is truly one of God’s wonders of the universe. This was a 15 hour trip. I have 3 hours to sleep before I must make my way to Clark County Las Vegas McCarran International Airport Nevada, to return home to Jacksonville, Florida. Good Night from Las Vegas…Hugeaux.
1/15/2009
The Final Entry
I am writing this entry 30,000 ft in the air on my flight from Las Vegas to Jacksonville about 7:00am western time. To capture the total 2009 Honolulu - Las Vegas - Grand Canyon adventure is to say that thank you God to make such an adventure happen. You have taken me to the Pacific tropics through a desert jewel to the deep canyons of America. The new friends and people I have met only makes me richer in the humanities. What can one say when he watches an Pacific sunrise and peering into the core of the western earth, but Thank you. I have tasted Pacific sea salt and western mountain snow. I have met many people from around the world and exchanged greetings. I have eaten Pacific Mahi and western beef. I have looked into the eyes of all sizes and dimensions. All this and more I can say was done in the blink of an eye. However the process of documenting and photographing shall embed this into many memories. This diary has been inspirational to some and a motivation to some people as well. I am grateful for all the support I received from people. I have had the history of the Buffalo solider in the Pacific told to me and the history of the Mafia in the West told to me. I have take pictures with replicas of great and exact size worldly monuments in Las Vegas and entered their casino worlds, truly a world within a world. I have seen the beauty of the North Shore in Oahu a majestic beauty as well as the rock formation in the Mohave Desert. I have climbed into the mountains in Tantalus of Honolulu and hiked into the forest of the Grand Canyon. Seeing the childhood neighborhood (Makiki) of the 44th President and Honorable Barack Obama, a man of my generation, to be told the history of Black Hawaii by a Black woman of an older generation: Deloris Guttman, to journey onward and then to be told the story of the Mafia in Las Vegas by another older generation while driving through the Mohave desert can not be conveyed in words. The storytellers are the history of America’s Humanities to the world.
As I make my way back to the Atlantic Coasts of northern Florida it revitalized me to know that I have relations of all kinds 2000 plus miles way. The beauty of this great country America is an ever change foliage. The people are an ever changing foliage as well. I can’t thank all the people I met an this journey, however the warmth is felt. I got to know and share with so many people my humanitarian service. I am truly an African American Indian who gives his contribution to the Fine Arts through the Humanities. May God Bless.
PS: As I arrive home to be bombarded with a sea of unopened mail, I was struck my one. I have received an Official invitation from the Presidential Inaugural Committee requesting the honor of your presence to attend and participate in the Inauguration of Barack H. Obama as president of the United States of America and Joseph R. Biden Jr. as vice president of the United States of America on Tuesday, the twentieth of January two thousand and nine in the City of Washington. This included the Inauguration seal on quality paper. I have supported President Obama before his campaigning for president. I had no idea of this return favor. This is truly the end of a GREAT JOURNEY. The Entire Hawaii - Las Vegas - Grand Canyon is available at www.Hugeaux.com. Web page: Hawaii Diary.
Copyright Hugeaux All rights Reserved
Honolulu / Waikiki 2008
HUGEAUX - An Artist's Diary -
The 6th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities 2008.
Honolulu / Waikiki, Hawaii of the island of Oahu.
written by Hugeaux aka Mr. Hugo R. Miller
( see archives for factual locations, dates, times, etc.)
Day one - January 10, 2008.
This is the day before the 6th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities in Honolulu, Hawaii. I took the opportunity to explore this paradise and to my surprise I was in for a beautiful and refreshing awakening. I started the day out by hiking to the top of the Diamond Head crater. This is a challenge for the spirit, legs and lungs. This .7 mile climb is full of all the scenic photographs that a photographer could desire. The exhausting climb to the top is filled with the breath-taking aromas and foliage, that I refuse to stop climbing. At each term there created a panoramic view of the crater and its engulfing father: The Pacific Ocean.
My Florida upbringing isn't surprised by the beauty of the ocean, however I have never had the chance to seat atop of the ocean and peer down into its beauty. Many nationalities make this historic climb and you can hear the grunts and growns of pleasure as they impatiently awaits what is at the top. Every turn made me think that the end was near, as my breath became heavy and the scenery kept me focus.
By the afternoon my thrust for this paradise drove me to Nuuanu Pali Lookout point and what awaited me there was a rainforest kind of paradise. The mountains seemed to spew steam as the wind and vapors rose from the valley upward into the clouds. Opposite to the climb of Diamond Head, Nuuanu Pali Lookout descends into the forest and exhausts one on the climb upward and outward. The beauty and the wild Hawaiian ginger is everywhere. Flowers and foliage dominated as I could only hear the sounds of water in the mountains. I am in a paradise hallucination euphoria.
I finished the day going to pay homage to the statute of King Kamaamama (sp) and also the Queen of Hawaii, whose name escapes me at the moment. After the 12- hour flight into this Hawaiian paradise, I can truly say that one night of sleep would seem like a daydream. Tomorrow the conference begins.
Day 2: January 11, 2008 The opening (part I).
Director and coordinator Darren Garvey has really put on an explosive international conference. I started the day attending an elaborate breakfast banquet and a getting to know each other. It was amazing that many of the presenters had 10-20 hours journeys to this paradise. The presentations on today were very enlightening. I attended the first presentation given by Dr. Russell (above) on the topic concerning why African Americans are behind when learning 2 or 3 languages and there limitation into the international business and education market. The conference than flowed onward to another session concerning the visual arts at an all girls college (Agnes Smith in Decatur, Georgia). I posed the question to this panel concerning their procedures in archiving their exhibitions. This was a very informative session. During the mid-day I attended a performance given by opera singer Diane Bolden-Taylor ( University of Northern Colorado) who gave a breath-taking recital on Negro Spirituals post 1960's. This was the break need before lunch. It is lunch-time now that I am writing this update 2:00pm pacific time,
First Day - Part 2. January 11, 2008
After Lunch , I had the pleasure of listening to two dynamite presentation. Edinam spoke on the lack of art and computers in the Ghana Educational system and Curlee have a Homage to Faith Ringgold. Surprising that Curlee is well familiar with the NCA and his homage and informational documentation on Faith Ringgold was remarkable. Faith Ringgold in one of the few African American women artists who has a paper trail (documentation) to follow. Curlee is making sure that this remarkable Living Legend - Faith Ringgold be etched in the Humanities Stone.
By the evening of this 10 hour day, I was completely exhausted, however I made room for Len Bernstein's Photography presentation-workshop. I was very glad I attended. His workshop was a great visionary show and tell as we all gave impressions on some very famous photographs and photographers of the times. This conference is really becoming great international conference. Tomorrow, I shall vision the Aloha Flea Market.
Day 2 - Part 1 -January 12, 2008
Aloha
This is the day I present, however I took an early start (5:45am) and visited the Aloha Stadium Flea Market. What started out as a 20-minute drive took me 1 and one half-hours to complete. I went pass the stadium and ended up in west Hawaii. Very beautiful and very lost. I back-tracked and ended up in Pearl Harbor of Pearl City and a military personel directed me to the flea market. The sun was rising behind the mountains and I found a great joy at the flea market. I made it back in time for the breakfast banquet for more meet and greet. Getting lost could have never have been so fun.
The keynote speaker spoke this morning (Dr. Andrew B. Schoedinger - Boise State University). This was time to re-group and get some time saving activities done. There was no session during the Keynote speaker session. I am meeting some very interesting scholars especially from the southern states. I sat with Edinam who is very interested in cultivating the fine art in Ghana. I mentioned to her that NCA was a chapter there, and she welcomed me with a visit. I shall continue to attend more of the afternoon session before my session at 4:45pm in the Hilton Hukio today.
Mahalo (Thank you).
Day 2 - Part 2 - January 12, 2008
Aloha
After the keynote speaker, I had the privilege of sitting in on Janaka Lewis (Northwestern University-Atlanta) presentation "Elizabeth Keckley and Freedom's Labor. From this session onward the session hopping began. I had no idea that my Diamond Head hike would condition me for all the hotel hopping sessions. After Janaka I hopped over to hear Dr. George Rivera (University of Colorado) and Tony Ortega ( Regis University) session. They gave a revealing session on how their Mexican and Chicano culture influences the world. From there I hopped over to the other hotel to give my History of ARTE MECCO paper to a potential editor, then hopped back over to the other hotel to hear Dr. Raphael Thoene (Vienna-Austria) The Three Musketeers discussion, on classical music and The Three Musketeers.
The session on Islamic Decorative Art in which I wanted to attend, didn't launch on time, so I took a quick breather back at the hotel (15 minutes). I was off again to listen to Isaac Blankson ( Southern Illinois University Edwardsville via Ghana) session on speech and communication and its affect on Ghanaian culture. This was a very electric session open to discussion. Time for my session was dawning near so I began to prepare myself, however I did happen to sit in on Kim-Loing Chew (Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts - Singapore) session on the Buddha cave drawings of Dunhuang.
My session: I was amazed at the attendees of my session (Conference etiquette). Many people who I met and whom sessions I attended, attended mine. As, the night was dawning there was a performance for all of Latin music in the ballroom of the Hilton Kuhio. I danced salsa and stayed for half. This day was truly the zenith of activity and endurance. Tomorrow I shall attend the African American Trinity Missionary Baptist Church, morning worship service, near Pearl Harbor. Mahalo.
Sunday Day 3 - January 13, 2008 - Part 1
Aloha
I started the day at the conference laptop laboratory. There was a lot of information I needed to download before the day began. I met Curlee Holton at the breakfast banquet for a long talk. Curlee is very grateful of my presentation, as it sledded light on how written documentation by well known African American Humanitarians exists. We talked a little about NCA with a renewing interest of the organization. Curlee is a person whose friendship shall serve an importance.
I later met Fiona Oliver Te Momo ( Massey University-New Zealand) at the tattooing history session. She informed me on the South Pacific area and my personal interest in Papua, New Guinea. By this time I was ready to attend the 10:45am morning worship at the African American Trinity Missionary Baptist Church in east Honolulu. The Church is pastored by Rev. Dr. Dwight E. Cook. Like yesterday, I got lost, but had to turn around and take the right turn.
The morning worship was very tropical with a southern Baptist ambiance. I had always heard of these white walled, height ceilings and hurricane fan blowing churches. The breeze and the pastor's baritone voice reminded me of my own Atlantic Tropics. The church I believe is a scared sanctuary so I didn't photograph. A real Pacific - Southern Baptist delight.
After lunch I returned back to the conference to attend a session by Joseph Thompson on the Digital Humanities and the Internet. I next hopped back to the other hotel to listen to Virginia Whatley Smith (University of Alabama-Birmingham) session about WEB DuBois visit and writings while in china. Next, I hopped back to the other hotel to catch the session by Jerald Walker (Bridgewater State College-Massachusetts) on the "The Heritage Room: Angry Black Male-Stereotype and the Realities of Humor, very revealing. Mahalo.
Sunday - Day 3 - January 13 - Part 2
Aloha
Nothing could have been so pleasing and relaxing of this third day than the evening performance of Lee Hyung-Hwan, whose Komungo music world with Korean traditional music ensemble " Poong-Ryu" (Choong-Ang University). I captured the finale of the day when I hopped over to catch the beginning session / recital by opera singer Luvada Harrison (graduate student - Florida A&M University) on the music of Italian composer Franco Alfano. Dinner tonight would be the burger shop on the corner. It has gotten to the point that the woman at the register called me Mr. Miller (my name tag around my neck), because I eat there so often.
Throughout my visit I had the pleasure of waking and listening to all pacific island reggae music. Tomorrow is the last day and the Luau. Look forward to my photo-documentary of my visit to Honolulu, Oahu of Hawaii. I leave tomorrow for Chicago after the Luau for my photography exhibition at the Museum of Science and Industry titled " Black Creativity ". This is a group show, before my return to Florida. Mahalo.
Final Day - January 14
Aloha
The day started like always with the breakfast banquet meet and greet. I then hopped over to sit in on the session on Linguistics by members of National Cheng Kung University: Kimmy En-hsuan Chin and Dr. Shelly Ching-Yu Hsieh. Next I hopped over to sit in on session by Abayomi Okunowo (University of Colorado) and his session about mistaken identity and linguistics on the Yuroba theatre drama dialogue " The gods are not to blame".
I remained in the room for the session by my friend Ratna Mullick (Sultan Qaboos University) and her session " Power point in Classroom presentation: enhancer or distractor as Art. Ratna mentioned my presentation " The Importance of Documentation and The History of ARTE MECCO" in her presentation concerning the great usage of power point presentation, thank you Ratna.
I next hopped to the session of Terri Leo Mauu (pacific liaison-Unitec New Zealand) who spoke on the Pacific Cultures of Learning: Issues and Challenges. This was a very enlightening session. A very pacific presentation. I remained in this room for the final 3 presentation of the 2008 conference. Dr. Fiona Te Momo (Massey University) and her presentation called "Cultural Shifts and Identity on the Maori Culture - an indigenous New Zealand culture. Also Sangwon Sohn (University of West Georgia, USA) presentation on Modern and contemporary design and lastly Ramiah Nena (Bangkok University). Honolulu There was nearly 1,500 international presenters. Hawaii is really a PARADISE!!!! MAHALO !!. I am now off to Chicago for the Black Creativity group exhibition at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago Illinois.
Special Thanks to Darren Garvey (Coordinator) as tiresome as his job could be made me very welcome.
PS. I wrote a letter to myself from Honolulu, which is not presented with this article at the time.
An African American Indian contribution to the Fine arts through the Humanities
Copyright Hugeaux All Rights Reserved
