‘Carrying Home’ Paid Tribute To Hawaii in Photo Exhibit

Jade Borchers, a portrait photographer from Maui, Hawaii, displayed her exhibit dedicated to Hawaiian transplants at the RedLine Contemporary Art Center near Uptown and Five Points. Her exhibit was called “Carrying Home” and paid tribute to the unique and privileged experience of a kama’aina. 

Kama’aina means “child of the land” and is used to title people who are native, born there or have been in the Hawaiian islands for a long time. “I was born and raised there,” Borchers said. “That’s one of the main reasons I wanted to do this project. People are born and raised there; there’s history and they have lives.”

As a participant in the BFA showcase, her art was in the front of the exhibition hall near the library for the first 11 days of May. She arranged an array of portraits of where she grew up, near Haiku and Makawao, where her parents now reside. In the middle of her exhibit, she placed large frames of other fellow Hawaiian transplants with captions quoting their experiences as Hawaiians living in Colorado. Many of her subjects also made an appearance to be able to share in Borchers’ long-time project.

“First and foremost, it’s important to bring visibility to Hawaii as more than just a tourist destination,” Borchers said. “You can talk to just about anyone on the mainland who has had a vacation to Hawaii, but none of them really know what it’s like on the other side of things.”  

Borchers is currently pursuing her bachelor’s in fine arts on the mainland at CU Denver. Borchers’ work discussed the effects of tourism, the displacement of locals around the islands and the uncontrolled inflation of basic living costs for Hawaiians. Her project is now available on her website, and she is currently looking to share her thoughts on important issues in the Hawaiian Islands through future “Carrying Home” exhibits.

“I think it’s a big issue that a lot of local people from Hawai’i are forced out due to the increase in price of living,” Borchers said. “I’m lucky enough to have had the choice to move out, but a lot of people have been forced out.”

“Carrying Home” captures the essence of this journey, her exploration of homesickness, connection and the small yet meaningful ways we hold on to the feeling of “home wherever we go,” according to Borchers’ artist statement.

“It’s just getting the word out and expressing how locals feel,” Borchers said.

Kristen Fukumoto, a former resident of Kona on the Big Island, has been living in Denver since 2008. First as a CU Denver student and now as a Senior Business Services Coordinator at Auraria Campus, Fukumoto has spent close to two decades away from the islands.

Fukumoto has fully adjusted and has built a life for her and her family as a Denver Hawaiian, but she still recognizes the change of pace compared to her place of origin. “The first thing I noticed when I moved here was the speed that people walk,” Fukumoto said.

Along with the food and culture comes the concept of “Island Time.” Hawaiians affectionately refer to the laid-back nature of living in the islands, and Fukumoto immediately noticed the rushing and promptness surrounding her. Under Fukumoto’s portrait display in “Carrying Home,” she talks about the inaccurate perception of being from Hawai’i following her during her college years. 

“I remember feeling so exotic, getting ‘Oohs’ and ‘Ahhs’ when being asked why I chose to come here,” Fukumoto said. “I also remember some people being disappointed when people asked if I could surf and I said, ‘No.’”

Fukumoto’s portrait shows a more accurate depiction of some of the Hawaiian traditions brought to the mainland by her and others. She’s shown holding a head lei, which many have seen or appropriated throughout the years, which is an arrangement of woven flowers, nuts, vines or leaves.

Emma Timbal, another of Borchers’ subjects, mentioned the sense of community that comes with being a Hawaiian transplant. “Over there, it feels like everyone is one big family” (ohana), Timbal says.

Timbal is from Hilo, on the Big Island. She more recently moved to the mainland and is a junior at CU Denver. Timbal enjoyed being able to contribute to Borchers’ project, as representation allowed her to find more community in Denver.

“There is actually a big community of people [in Denver] who are from Hawaii,” Timbal said. “They share a similar experience.” Especially in a melting pot, such as the Auraria Campus, Timbal says that this project introduced her to people that she previously knew but was unaware were also from Hawaii.

Borchers photos provide beautiful depictions of her lifestyle and the things she feels connected to as a resident of the Hawaiian Islands, like traditional dancers, Tacoma pickups, beach day activities, surfboards, backyard barbecues, plated arrangements and the beautiful West Maui Mountains.

She liked to add that visibility was a main theme. Being seen gives the feeling of empathy and empowers people to act on the issues that move them most. Her shared experience with the subjects of her project gave a heart and personal touch to what she was doing. 

“It was so nice to meet other people with the same experiences as me,” Borchers said about being a local Hawaiian. “It made me feel more seen and connected with these people. Less alone.”