meredith buck
kumu ulana lauhala
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ulana club
my private weaving group on Hawai'i Island only.
Kānaka Maoli ages 17-35 take priority, all are welcome to apply.ENTRY NOW CLOSED.
Applications welcome for future consideration.
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kauluhiwaolele
Maui's Fiber Arts Conference is your chance to learn with me in an immersion setting. Four full days of instruction in Ka'anapali.
Look for the class titled "Lauhala" when you register.
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ulana library
an ongoing resource pool for anyone interested in learning about or perpetuating the art and culture of ulana lauhala. Find links, books, videos, articles, and more to support your journey, no matter your experience level.
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About
♡ ♡ ♡♡ Aloha, I'm Meredith ! ♡I am a kumu ulana lauhala living in Hōlualoa, Hawai'i. I began weaving lauhala in May 2017 at the Ka Ulu Lauhala O Kona conference. After that, I spent the next four years training to refine my skill and gather knowledge of Hawaiian culture, history, and art. In May of 2021 I was given the blessing and permission to teach lauhala weaving to others by my kumus. Now, I work with a private group of haumāna with the goal of ensuring this cultural art's perpetuation deep into the future.
In chronological order my kumus are Iliahi Anthony, Michele Zane Faridi, Michael Naho'opi'i, Karen Hasegawa, Barbara Watanabe, and Pōhaku Kaho'ohanohano.♡ ♡ ♡
♡ L I F E ♡When I'm not working with my haumāna, I am a sewist and patternmaker by trade. In my free time I enjoy connecting with friends, family, nature, and wildlife. Some of my other hobbies include music, self care, aesthetics research, anime, and games.♡ C O N N E C T ♡My full weaving portfolio is viewable on Instagram.
For invitations, collaborations, proposals, and other business inquiries, please contact me directly via email.
Contact
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ulana lauhala
Ulana Lauhala (pandanus weaving) is a traditional Hawaiian cultural craft that reaches back thousands of years in Pacific history. Traditionally, knowledge of this craft was protected and passed generation to generation within families.The leaves of the Pandanus tree are harvested dry, cleaned, de-thorned, and stripped into evenly-sized pieces for weaving. In earlier times, lauhala weaving was focused primarily on utilitarian items for daily use, such as mats, bedding, sails, thatching, and very basic hats and baskets. With America's invasion of Hawai'i came the influence of western fashion, and thus the development of modern lauhala items, such as hats, handbags, and fine jewelry.Today, Ulana Lauhala is shared with the community and protected by mutual collective understanding of cultural protocol. Many of the master weavers of previous generations have passed away without the opportunity to instill their knowledge in their younger family members. But now, many young weavers are bringing their fresh ideas and energy to ensure that the art is not lost.
Below is an abridged portfolio of my weaving work. for the latest updates, be sure to find me on Instagram:
♡ @meredithbuck.studio ♡
