Spectrum Hawaii; 320; Ban Chiang, Quilts, Hon-Chew Hee

The following program is a production of key HPT in one of the low hopefully public television. The following program has been funded in part by the Hawaii State foundation on culture and the arts and by grants from the people of Chevron of Hawaii and from the Davies Charitable Trust. Today on spectrum Hawaii were given a glimpse into the secretive art of hallway and quilting where methods are handed down through the generations. It's water colorist Honshu he founder of the Hawaii water color society displays his pioneering wet on wet technique. But first the last Bronze Age of Thailand is examined new evidences

appear that reveals traces of an unknown civilization in ancient Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia stretches from eastern India to the South China Sea. And it's acapella gives. Thailand about the size of Spain lies near its heart. Thailand's ancient history particularly its pre Buddhist history has been

shrouded in mystery. Traditional notions about old Thailand and the rest of Southeast Asia dismissed the area as a mere receptacle of Indias and Chinas culture and the name Indochina. As archaeologist chap Gorman once said. The traditional belief is that they squatted in their caves until they were taught the rudiments of civilization by more intelligent outsiders. This traditional belief was shaken However by several bold discoveries that revealed traces of an unsuspected prehistoric civilization in Southeast Asia. Dr. Wilhelm sort of Hyman the students computing said Gorman. But the first Americans to specialize in Southeast Asian archaeology. There's been a big growth a big development in Prehistoric Archaeology since we started

coming up with them. This information on early time when there had been previous theories speculating on the possibility of an early center of civilization outside of age in China or India. But they remained unverified until unusual evidence appeared. Then the proof of Bonn changed about unchaining attracted much more attention in some way than irony or excavations did just because of the beautiful painting pottery done Jang is a village on the northeast plateau of Thailand through the Mekong River here excavations beginning in 1974 and directed by Chet Garman and the government of Thailand unearthed artifacts that raise new questions about man then his civilization. The interesting thing is how they started off so advanced. Jerome Feldman is an art historian of Hawaii Loa college in County Ohio. When he first observed a traveling exhibit of bunching artifacts hosted by

Hawaii Loa college. He was impressed with ancient Thailand's innovation and metallurgy. They start with oars. It's not as sore as it requires very high temperatures to melt this metal So there's a furnace technology that has to be developed for smelting. And there is evidence of a kneeling hammering. Layering. Very complex Nano. Technology. It's. In Bonn Chang were found axes bracelets beads and crucibles. When ancient societies learn the techniques of turning stone into metal. They normally use the superior technology for expansion and domination. There's just no indication or for no indication of centralization of power yet the accoutrements that presumably went along with this. Were there. The burials did not indicate beheading or mutilated bodies.

They suggest a peaceful culture of advanced ability. You were prosperous rice farmers who could forge metal and turn out elegant ceramic pottery. And striking you know in the very otherwise simple. Agricultural context. It goes against what they are used to used to build civilizations it has been pointed out. Civilizations with armies and with massive undertakings and we don't see that here. What we see are well crafted items that are thousands of years old from a previously unexplored corner of the world. To a great extent. The world is looking for new things to discover and as it turns out he finds it bunching rather spectacular artistically. Especially the later painted parts. Of the news of this pottery spread quickly perhaps too quickly. I collectors got onto this very early.

I understand pieces and in London Frankfurt and the major areas collectors were in and Europe were going for close to $10000. The cache of the collectors proved tempting to Thai villagers. The Thais are an independent people. Having never been colonized. In the old parts they found in their back yard suddenly became valuable. They started digging. Up the valley of bunching and sitting right on top of the site. Archaeologists have very little in common with art collectors. Although government regulations now prohibit ancient art from leaving Thailand. For a time. There was commerce in loot. Looting is a threat to nothing. But an ancient site is disturbed by heedless looters. A pocket piece of art is yanked from its context. But left in place ancient relations I deduced. Perhaps a ritual is discovered. A cultural

favors or relationships with other cultures. At. Best a gator's can only date and identify the parts as genuine by finding them in their 5000 year old bed. Thereby adding to mankind's knowledge of man. Some people do. Live. In their homes in tiny parts called the bench and cultural areas that look like this. Some have extensive collections which of course cannot leave the country. Dave Crockett as co-director of the Miranda league gallery at Hawaii Loa college speaks as the project director for this visiting exhibit. Sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibit service. The University of Pennsylvania and Thailand. These bunching artifacts represent Hawaii law's first major exhibition. Crocket saw his task. Plainly.

And simply expose everything here and all the visitors could have a chance to to be comfortable and not crowded it and it would take it time and see all these things and digest the whole exhibit. You don't have to put yellow arrows on the floor among the visitors were Thai students and teachers as well as American students of Thai culture. And back me. Up about. This is the language of Thailand. Keep an eye out. For my my man. Now. One such Thai student debts the late assisted Davy Crocket in the exhibit said Oh I'm glad everybody. You know. Paying so much attention to this and it just give us so much pride and we have such a long history. It is now known to be a country with an ancient civilization one that

possesses similarities with surrounding cultures. It provokes the thought of scholars. So it's a difficult thing to prove or you can say is that. We have shreds of evidence. On my experience now I believe that the Polynesians originated in Southeast Asia. Scholars from diverse fields have added their knowledge to these theories. There should be many more sites like mine and Chang in North Vietnam and southeastern China to provide further proof they were. Bunching itself provides direct evidence of a cultural development in Southeast Asia. It might be early enough to help explain the enormous migrations and explorations of the Polynesian people. Could the ancient inhabitants of bun Chang have been the ancestors of those people who settled the Pacific domain.

One of the last regions of the world to be settled by prehistoric man. Scholars will keep searching. And digging. The Age of Exploration is over. And many things that wound up in our museums. And we really don't know what's out there yet. That will be found inside the earth. Deborah cochlea teaches Hawaiian quilt making at the Bishop Museum. Well Lee Wilde oversees a historical cook collection at the Mission houses museum. Together they share with us a view of symmetrical beauty in a cultural resource.

That has been an awakening to the value of traditional handicrafts in Hawaii. Imaginative path and seen in Hawaiian quilts are a demonstration of this living. Deborah cochlea a master of how I am design has drawn upon her garden as a sauce of inspiration for original quilts. What makes it more interesting to me is because I create my own city. I work and wake up 4:00 in the morning and I have a pattern in in mind and I design it right away. Before it runs away and by the time day break I have to go out and. John. And I usually take my patterns from my flower. See and some people said I want this back and I want that has an eye and so I go and look for the flowers. And there's some flowers that are so tiny but I enlarge it like this.

This is Kiss me quick. They call it Kiss me quick. And some call it yesterday today and tomorrow. And it's tiny. So whatever flower that I have I take it from a real flower and I am not you see. So like this the liquid Who are you cannot create a pattern out of the lady who eats out. Because it's part of pop. So I took the bite. And then this is all divine. That's the way I create patterns. The center of your quilt is very important. And it signifies the Creator. So every quickly a chair usually have their own center but mine is the only one that has the star and this is cut you Lani's fan when she for when she went to London to school she came back wearing the Spanish II using a Spanish fan and a Spanish

comb. Well Francisco you learned he was one of our princes I mean his. What you called it was sent to London but she died very young because she has pneumonia. Did you remember her. That's why they call days on the stand. Traditionally Hawaiian quilts were often made to Ana and record events of history. The quilts added color and designed to the lives of Hawaiians and became cherished family possessions. Sewing skills to sales and fishing nets had long been known by native men and women. But it wasn't until the 1820s that the arrival of Christian

missionaries introduced the concept of piecing and patching fabric together to form a large decorative quilt. Mission schools set up in the homes of missionaries taught the New England quoting style which has since evolved into a unique. Oh I am ot for today. These missionary home still stand holding within them ot attacks that denote the evolution of a peculiarly how why and style of looking at the Mission House special projects caught in a totally wild describes a few of the empty shelves in the museum's collection. This orange and white. Morning. Donated to the museum. We know that it was made a rounded 90 you know a six. However the name of the pattern has not come. Forward to us. We know that there are the bases in the four corners. Of the quilt with flowers coming out in the

crosses. We're not sure. What the actual name is. The pattern. This piece is marvelous It's been pieced. Several spots. All together they must have run out of some of the fabric. The next well. Is a blue and white. This pattern traditionally is known to have. The beauty of Maui or the Maui beauty mattered when this quilt was donated to the museum it came with the pattern name Louis breakwater. Most of these works with this pattern will have a name designating it as being from the island of. Only. The stitching on this quilt uses the Chickenfoot staged as the applique a stage as they go around the area here. The following the design manner of quilting is

said to be unique to the home lives as one of the things that designates the quilt as being home lion quilts. One of the Hawaiian flag quilts in the collection. Is this marvelous piece that is very different from the usual. Home Wine like. This one does not contain the coat of arms. That will have the mama Lay and the crown in the center. Again we believe this one was made in the early 1920s results so. It doesn't have the standards up in the corners. While it is widely been believed that the home why and fly well. Became. A very popular pattern and was actually created at the time of the 1893 overthrow of the monarchy. I think the problem for. Making all of these whines like welts at the time of the overthrow of the monarchy was to preserve the Hawaiian fly the image of the wind flying.

People thought that maybe this would be lost forever. I am quoting is derived from New England methods. However as it developed here in Hawaii and the original style began we know. Well. The difference between a highway bill and they are an American type of will is that the Hawaiian quilt you will. Every portion. That the motive and the outside where as in your American quilt your necke will be pattern down. And that's all. All the patterns but we quilt the whole thing. Everything. Good thing gave There are it relaxes me. And I see it and I think of good things. You know I don't think you know as you get older you get all kinds so you forget what you have. And you think on oh no nice things. I call this the half American

quilt. How how are the reason for this is because the center is Hawaiian and I'll be quilting the outside like your American quilt and in the stripes you have to mark it off with a ruler. The Americans call it the medallion type. But I call it half American or hop on Holly. The old Hawaiians do not like to show people what they know. So. I've known women that quilt for 45 50 years but they have never shown their work out. They've hidden it you know. Even now they won't come out and show they work. But I go out and I show what I know. Actually it was a not dying off it was that he had been on a lot of people said it's undying but each watching it was a hidden art.

The Honolulu zoo offers a quiet center amid our spinning world. Young faces of curiosity are there to gaze at a collection of exotic citizens all for a stroll. Honshu he painted his first mural on the wall of his family's home but.

He was three years old. Now 80 years old. He continues to take this considered by many as a master of the wet on wet watercolor technique in a way. I mean is that the blood on my heart. When I WILL DIE Diana I just painting painted nothing in this hour nothing in that uprising or anything. Yeah enjoy. That song ration asked me to my dying day and. I've been here every day almost. Sketches a couple of mountains from the front door of his Canio hit home. He prefers paints to pencil sketches. He's able to choose the colors and. Read the composition. For the final image. Yes. You say he's gracious. I Jenny. Can mold. The

kind of. Shape. My man. And. Some gal. Change into my role thing done. As a child. He moved to China. There he was educated in the Chinese Classics and the Taoist philosophy. If you use his art as an expression of the Taoist principles of yin and yang. Space inside it's white and black. Squares and circles. Opposite forces coming together in a perfect bow. Blending and leading of colors and lines. Characterize the wet on wet technique. This effect is achieved by applying water colors to wet surfaces and allowing them to meld together. Consequently the artist has less control over the medium and when the paint is applied to a dry surface the.

Paper is first so thoroughly to remove the sails. If. I eliminate that size you know wash up the size and then you know size into a crawl. I would get. One to he has taught this technique to hundreds of students including Jackie Kennedy says it is difficult to master because it can be so unpredictable. He was not able to put found a collar you wanted. He tells of how he learned this technique at the Art Students League in New York in 1950. Already an accomplished painter. He showed his portfolio to his teacher George groats and he said it was bad. Lesson nothing and I almost turned from red to purple and in the whole class about it is stored in doll laughing. So what's wrong with it. I've got my. Eyes what's wrong with my wood. And he said nothing wrong his big voice everything. But

they just like. To say you you are Chinese you were a man or in cold and. Then it beautiful call but is it oh fashion past a star it isn't. And should. I show you. Next week I just grabbed the paper and strong I want to ring and he said. See. How these crawl. Then he becomes only the chicken I made him some story Tiger I made a tiger that yeah I might take a bow when I read. So find a good song. After six minute him I say my portfolio is a good one of. Which I will go from here. Is going to Europe all the time I'll go

to any place but don't stay here. So I went to Europe upon his return to the islands nine years later he taught art and founded the Hawaii watercolor society and the time they had only a student now. Yeah about 250 members. This is childhood attempt. Now I think he has been fascinated like we were as a student at the California School of Fine Arts. He would watch the Mexican muralist Diego Rivera at work on campus and every day I watch him every day and then one day I walk over and he said to me yeah you're tired. I mean yes and no no I have to go back there cries when. So since then I felt a hand I was showing my work and he said wow you want. Cameron To person you on match your. Game and you can come to me to mess with cool and and be my assistant. One of my sister

and I couldn't do it and I had to get my degree and I said I had to get at the one thing I did and I think anywhere you say you can come when I'm here Farai. Unfortunately he was not able to because of anti-Chinese feelings in that country at the time. However he continued with his bureaus which can be seen through in a variety of media. He has recently completed three colored marble panels in Taiwan for the Milan a public library. He's already working with his assistant Robert Tom on an entry for a mural competition for the Taiwanese government.

Many years ago I. Thought I should. Get I'm not a profession. And I thought to myself well gone and. And we needed it. And what should I do. Hi and I wonder. Spectrum was funded in part by grants from the Davies Churchill trust.

I'm from the people of Chevron in Hawaii and by the Hawaii State foundation on culture and the yards.