Altared Images to Save Black Sands Beach

Picture this secluded black sand beach on the southern shore of Big Island:

• Revered for its sacred heiau (temple) and sacrificial altar stone, Punaluu Black Sand Beach is also known for another kind of stone: little illi-illis, or baby-making rocks. • Giant green sea turtles swim and breed here—in fact, a ham of a honu (turtle) dubbed “Hollywood” poses on the beach each day for tourists’ cameras. • Here native Hawaiians still enjoy a bit of their old lifestyle, fishing, resting and talking story.

Now imagine gates and guards and high-rise luxury hotels bordering the bay. The sacred sites are gone; only the wealthiest tourists will stay here now.

Help protect Punaluu Black Sand Beach against high-rise development.

After our Big Island workshop, I decided I needed to take a stand for Punaluu Black Sands Beach. I created, then sold about 100 greeting cards under the name Altared Images. With the profit from those cards, I had prints made from the originals into 200 more cards that I have sent to Auntie Pélé to sell. All of the proceeds from these cards will go to the Kau Preservation Fund to carry out the work that Keola Hanoa began to save Black Sands Beach from development.

Samples of the Cards