Niuhi Rising

Niuhi Rising is a collaborative ceramic and mixed-media sculpture created with more than forty kūpuna at Hawaiʻi Island Adult Care (HIAC) in Hilo, many living with dementia. Over several weeks, ceramic artist and educator Suzanne Wang guided participants in shaping pinch pots and texturing coils, encouraging expression through touch, memory, and shared making. These hand-formed elements were later assembled into a six-foot skeletal niuhi (tiger shark) form - an abstract relic evoking strength, protection, resilience, and interdependence. In Hawaiian culture, the niuhi is a revered aumakua, or guardian spirit, and the sculpture honors both the spirit of the tiger shark and the wisdom of our elders through a fusion of art, memory, and community. Acting as designer and builder, Wang constructed the shark’s armature, glazed and fired the ceramic components, and assembled the final work using hundreds of barnacle-like forms created during the workshops. The process itself became central to the piece, offering participants living with memory loss a meaningful sense of connection, dignity, and accomplishment beyond words. Niuhi Rising received the 2025 People’s Choice Award at the Hawaiʻi Nei Annual Exhibition, was featured by Hawaii News Now, and is currently on display at the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center while seeking a permanent public home for the community to enjoy.