Creatives have the chance to honor victims of Hanapēpē Massacre with a monument

Artists, designers, and architects from Hawaiʻi can now respond to a request for interest for a public art monument to be located at the historic 1924 Battle of Hanapēpē, also known as the Hanapēpē Massacre site.

The call for interest is the first step in a two-phase selection process to commission an artist or design team to create a lasting monument that honors the victims of the 1924 Battle of Hanapēpē.

This tragic event, one of the deadliest labor confrontations in Hawaiʻi’s history, resulted in the deaths of 16 Filipino plantation strikers and four sheriffs during a violent clash on Sept. 9, 1924.

The project aims to commemorate the individuals who lost their lives and reflect themes of peacemaking, understanding, cooperation, and respect for life. The proposed monument will be installed on a county-owned parcel at the intersection of Moi Road and Kaumualiʻi Highway in Hanapēpē.

Finalists selected from the request for interest phase will be invited to develop a full design proposal and participate in interviews with a selection committee for a $5,000 stipend.

The winning artist will be awarded a commission with an anticipated budget of up to $300,000 to complete the project by Sept. 1, 2026, in advance of the historic event’s 102nd anniversary.

This request for interest is open to all local, state, and international artists, designers, architects, and creatives. If selected, applicants will be responsible for the construction, transportation, and installation of their monument designs.

The request for interest will be open from Monday, July 14, through Monday, Sept. 1. Interested artists must submit a résumé, examples of past work, a written statement of the monument design concept, and a conceptual drawing or design.

Entries will be accepted either by mail to the County of Kauaʻi Planning Department, 444 Rice St., Suite A473, in Līhuʻe or via email at planningdepartment@kauai.gov.

To learn more about the Hānāpepe Massacre, view a detailed story map and the County’s previous news release commemorating the 100-year anniversary of the Battle of Hanapēpē.

For further information, please visit the County of Kaua‘i Planning Department website. 

If you need an American Sign Language interpreter, materials in an alternate format, or other auxiliary aid support, or an interpreter for a language other than English, contact the Planning Division at planningdepartment@kauai.gov or at 808-241-4050 as as soon as possible. possible.

Upon request, this notice is available in alternate formats such as large print, Braille, or electronic copy.