How is cultural knowledge received, carried and ultimately passed on?
A new exhibition at at explores that question through the lifework and lived experiences of master cultural practitioners ʻ?lohe G. ʻUmi Kai and Suluʻape Keone Nunes.
Through photographs, storytelling, selected works and cultural materials, the exhibition explores how ʻike (knowledge) is carried, embodied, practiced and shared across generations.
“ʻAI MAMA: The Transmission of Knowledge Through the Lifework of ʻ?lohe G. ʻUmi Kai and Suluʻape Keone Nunes” runs August 25–December 11, 2026. An opening reception will be held Friday, September 11, from 4–7 p.m. Admission is free.
The title ʻAI MAMA refers to the process of chewing food and sharing it with, or giving it to, another. Within the exhibition, the act becomes a metaphor for the transmission of knowledge–what is received is worked through, understood, embodied and passed on.
Kai and Nunes come from distinct cultural lineages, but their respective practices share a commitment to the continuation of ʻike. Their work reflects years of learning, observation, discipline and relationships, as well as responsibility to those who came before them and those who will follow.
Sharing knowledge
“Knowledge is not something we simply possess,” said Kapulani Landgraf, curator and director of Gallery ʻIolani. “It comes to us through others, and with that comes a responsibility to carry it forward. ʻAI MAMA is about that process of receiving, learning, practicing and ultimately sharing what has been entrusted to us.”
Co-curated by Landgraf and Noelle M.K.Y. Kahanu, ʻAI MAMA is the second in a four-part Gallery ʻIolani exhibition series centered on Hawaiian mentorship and the transmission of ʻike. The series explores the role of mentorship, relationship and kuleana (responsibility) in sustaining Hawaiian knowledge and cultural practice.
Public programs, artist conversations, workshops and community gatherings will accompany the exhibition from September through December.
Gallery ʻIolani is open Tuesday–Saturday, 12:30–4:30 p.m. Admission is free. Learn more at .