< Back to Gallery Page

Vaiata

Y

Aloha is Ohana

For this project, I was asked to create a postcard representing how I have been shown Aloha in my life. Since we cannot use copyrighted images for this project, I decided to get creative and try using photos found in my camera roll. I chose photos that to me felt like Aloha. These images each represent a different way I have been shown Aloha in my life. Although I was asked to represent one time I was shown Aloha, I chose to represent more. This is because I feel that aloha cannot be truly appreciated to its full extent if you don’t see the many ways it flows into our lives. My goal was to design a really down-to-earth, and “relatable” feeling postcard. I want viewers to look at this postcard and almost feel like a family member created it, not a company, as this creates a more personal and meaningful connection. The first image I placed on the postcard is on the bottom left. This is a picture of me handing a milkshake to a customer at work. I feel it represents Aloha because it shows the act of giving and kindness. It also represents the Aloha and blessing found within me getting this job. On the right of this image is a photo of me as a baby with my mom. It represents the main way I’ve been shown Aloha in my life; My family constantly loving and supporting me, through it all. Next, there is a photo of members that were in my Polynesian club. This photo was taken after a big performance of ours, it shows everyone’s passion, love, joy, and overall Aloha toward one another. Throughout my entire experience of that extracurricular activity, I felt an overwhelming sense of love. Everyone apart from this was truly amazing people, and all embodied the true Aloha spirit. They inspired me and became like my second family. If we move to the top row (on the left) we see an image of me with a couple of my younger cousins. Throughout my entire life, my younger cousins have always meant the world to me. Between all of us, there is an unbreakable bond that only grows stronger. Although my cousins are young, they inspire and teach me new things every day. They have shown me just how much I could truly love someone. My relationship with each one of them is a constant back-and-forth of aloha and laughter. If we move over to the right we see an image of me and my friends holding hands, facing the ocean. Friends are those who love you for who you are, and always stick up for you. Friends are the people in your life that show you endless amounts of Aloha, and my friends have done that and more. Along with this, the image also captures nature, which is another huge way I have been shown Aloha in my life. Mother nature has protected me, helped clear my mind, held me tight, and listened to my endless rants on difficult nights. Mother nature is an amazing main source of Aloha for us all. The last image I used was of a Jack Johnson concert my uncle (Tavana Mcmoore) played in. Music is something that brings everyone together and helps us all feel understood, which is why I think it is such a powerful form of Aloha. The concert was also a fundraiser to help save our planet! If you look closely at the image you can see the crowd, all appreciating the event, feeling loved and comforted by the music, and all uniting as one. We are all ohana, not just me and my cousins, my mom, but that crowd too, my customers at work, and even mother nature. Throughout all my examples of Aloha ohana is depicted. For these reasons I believe “Aloha is Ohana”, hence the reason it’s my title. One last detail on my postcard is the text. I started by writing the obvious, “ALOHA”, forming the “O” into a sun, as it is a bright and positive term. Next, I wrote “What does it mean to you?”, as I wish to make viewers stop and discover the meaning of Aloha to for themselves. This not only creates a deeper connection with the card (meaning there’s a higher chance they’ll purchase it), but it also is a great point of self-reflection/realization. I made these letters/words rainbow, as Hawai’i (the origin of the word “ALOHA”) is the rainbow state. Lastly, I made all the images black and white and simplified them to help make the text stand out more. Adding this effect to the images also makes viewers feel as if they're going through somebody's actual memories (in which they are!).
High School Division
Browse Student Work:
We are uploading more over the next few days so
if you don't see your work, please standby!