Pu'u o 'Umi by Heidi Buscher

"This work is part of the Gathering Maile series which celebrates the abundance and variety of our Big Island rainforests, rich with so many endemic species found nowhere else in the world. The work captures the moment of generational ceremonial ritual — hiking into the rainforests, like the Pu'u o ‘Umi rainforest above Waimea, before special occasions to gather flowers and greens for lei making. This is a time honored tradition. However, the Gathering Maile series also gently invites the viewer to learn about the devastation of the Ohia Lehua rapid death fungi and its impact on the severe maile shortage. Conservationists are asking people to choose a different lei for most of special occasions." - Heidi Buscher