Hawaiian Knotting Workshop with Marques Hanalei Marzan

Learn the methods of traditional Hawaiian net-making techniques, known as hana pu‘upu‘u and use them to make a bracelet and other items. This type of knotting has traditionally been used to make functional bags and nets in Hawaiian culture. The technique you learn can be used to create larger, more ambitious works in the future.

Marques Hanalei Marzan is a noted teacher and artist of various native Hawaiian art forms and has practiced the art of hana pu‘upu‘u for the last 20 years. He believes in preserving customary practices through innovative integration into modern contexts to bring relevance into the present.

What to expect at the workshop:

• A brief history of Hawaiian knotting
• Overview of materials 
• Making a cord bracelet using customary techniques in a modern form
• Time allowing, other projects may include a knotted keychain or necklace

Marques Hanalei Marzan is a Hawaiian and Oceanic fibers culture bearer and contemporary visual artist born and raised in Kāne‘ohe, Hawaiʻi. His skill, knowledge, and experience is highly acknowledged within his community where he serves as a mentor and advocate, promoting sustainable gathering practices, perpetuating Hawaiian fiber techniques, and instilling indigenous values in his students. He trained under many esteemed experts in Hawai‘i including master weavers, Julia Minerva Ka‘awa and Esther Kakalia Westmoreland.