Brook Kapukuniahi Parker was the guest of honor at the monthly BYU–Hawaii Women’s Organization Luncheon on Jan. 9 in the Aloha Center Ballroom. He explained how he honors his ancestors and combines his love for Hawaiian history with his love of painting and art.
Originally from Kahaluu and an alumnus from BYUH, Parker shared how returning to present at the luncheon felt surreal. “Coming back here and speaking here is full circle for me.”
Parker went into detail about how his family was first introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through his great-grandmother, who had 18 children and tried to influence them for the best in both life and the gospel. Although there was a slight lull after her death, Parker said his grandfather and grandmother rejoined the Church together.
Talking about his grandmother’s decision to be baptized, Parker said, “She said she wanted an eternal family, and [my grandfather] knew what he needed to do: [come back to church].”
With this background in place, Parker mainly emphasized how much influence his father had on him growing up. His father, an untrained artist, passed his love of art to his son by both expressing himself through painting and sharing stories from Hawaii’s colorful past.
While Parker himself admitted, “If you look at Hawaiian history today, you still scratch your head, but it still happened.” He expressed how inspired he was from these stories passed on from his father. Since the stories are full of character and often overlooked gems from Hawaii’s history, he shared, he began painting about 10 years ago to put faces to the people mentioned in these stories.
Parker’s artwork was featured in the Hawaii Convention Center, and he shared how some customers were blown away by his artwork because of the familiarity and personal connections drawn from the paintings.
From portraits of Hawaiian heroes to stories brushed under the mat, Parker said, “I know that Heavenly Father helps me [paint].”
Ultimately, Parker brought everything back to how much he feels he is honoring his ancestors through his paintings. He said he has been able to share his love for Hawaiian history through his talents and connect deeper to his family line.
Parker’s artwork can be found on his Instagram @hawaiianatart and for sale on his website hawaiianatart.org.
Giving Back
As a part of this event, the organization invited its members to bring their talents to the table. Women were able to showcase their unique abilities, ranging from crocheted table settings to sewn pouches for purchase. All of the proceeds went back into the organization’s fund for scholarships.
Sister Larona Melville, who runs the Sewing Center at BYUH, presented her very own goodies with the members of the organization, which were later available for sale. She said through this display and other displays, she was able to inspire others. “They make things because of what I make.”
The organization holds luncheons every month with guest speakers to earn money for scholarships for students at BYUH. The president of the BYUH Women’s Organization, Nancy Eastwood, shared they are planning on distributing at least 20 scholarships of $300 for students at BYUH. However, she said there may be more based on the amount of donations received.
“Our main focus now is to raise money for scholarships for people in deep financial need. So, in the spring … we will be accepting scholarships for people. We provide scholarships in $300 denominations to help with things like books and such.”