53%
53% is on permanent display at The Exhibit Gallery on The Big Island of Hawai'i. Contact Nathan Gentry for prints.
What is 53%?
The big island of Hawai’i is home to one of the oldest colonized civilizations. In its earlier years, the island belonged to the Natives. It was a sacred place; watched over by gods, kings and queens. The gods Pele, Kane and goddess Papa believed that the land should be honored for its vast amount of resources. Whether it was the wide array of fertile crops- or indigenous living species that made the island their home, the agreement was there; that the land comes first- and the people who settle there shall respect it.
Sadly, as we see in many parts of the world, migration began to infiltrate the island. As immigrants were beginning to find new places to settle, Hawai’i slowly began changing. New animal species would be brought to the island- causing homegrown species to fight for territory. For example, never before in history did a Hawaiian report seeing snakes on the island until the migration of foreigners. Mongooses- and feral cats started to kill off bird species that could not be found anywhere else in the world. Many of these species, like the Black Mamo, Lāna'i hookbill and Nukupu‘u are now extinct. Even worse, the native people of Hawai’i were seeing their land being inhaled by the people they hoped would only be tourists. Homes were taking over the Hamakua Coast and throughout Kiholo Bay. Volcanoes were losing their respect- and in fact, became neglected. The minds of Hawaiians were perplexed when they saw families building homes at the bottom of the Kīlauea Volcano- Hawai’i’s most active volcano. Needless to say, Hawai’i was no longer to Hawai’I to the native islanders. Instead, it is Hawaii; a once beautiful landscape, now overcrowded with foreigners
Luckily, the native people of Hawai’i who remain have begun to stand up for their Island. They grew tired of the land being disseminated by people who don’t understand its importance. In 1921, 53% was implemented by the government of Hawai’i to help preserve native culture. This law put restrictions on who can apply for home/land ownership on the Island. The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands now requires that anyone who wishes to live on the island, must provide proof of ancestry or blood traces before applying for home ownership. The hope of the government is to slowly give the island back to the native families who have worked, farmed and lived off the land their whole lives. Today, 53% continues to be a stand-in for anyone wishing to be a part of all the riches the land has to offer. Since implementing this pre-qualifier, native Hawaiian’s have begun to notice that the extinction of certain species has drastically decreased; the beauty of the landscape is being preserved- instead of built upon; and most importantly, the land they call home is being honored as a sacred place- and is no longer building ground of new homes.
*All photo's are available for print- Contact me via email/phone
(click image to view larger size)
The big island of Hawai’i is home to one of the oldest colonized civilizations. In its earlier years, the island belonged to the Natives. It was a sacred place; watched over by gods, kings and queens. The gods Pele, Kane and goddess Papa believed that the land should be honored for its vast amount of resources. Whether it was the wide array of fertile crops- or indigenous living species that made the island their home, the agreement was there; that the land comes first- and the people who settle there shall respect it.
Sadly, as we see in many parts of the world, migration began to infiltrate the island. As immigrants were beginning to find new places to settle, Hawai’i slowly began changing. New animal species would be brought to the island- causing homegrown species to fight for territory. For example, never before in history did a Hawaiian report seeing snakes on the island until the migration of foreigners. Mongooses- and feral cats started to kill off bird species that could not be found anywhere else in the world. Many of these species, like the Black Mamo, Lāna'i hookbill and Nukupu‘u are now extinct. Even worse, the native people of Hawai’i were seeing their land being inhaled by the people they hoped would only be tourists. Homes were taking over the Hamakua Coast and throughout Kiholo Bay. Volcanoes were losing their respect- and in fact, became neglected. The minds of Hawaiians were perplexed when they saw families building homes at the bottom of the Kīlauea Volcano- Hawai’i’s most active volcano. Needless to say, Hawai’i was no longer to Hawai’I to the native islanders. Instead, it is Hawaii; a once beautiful landscape, now overcrowded with foreigners
Luckily, the native people of Hawai’i who remain have begun to stand up for their Island. They grew tired of the land being disseminated by people who don’t understand its importance. In 1921, 53% was implemented by the government of Hawai’i to help preserve native culture. This law put restrictions on who can apply for home/land ownership on the Island. The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands now requires that anyone who wishes to live on the island, must provide proof of ancestry or blood traces before applying for home ownership. The hope of the government is to slowly give the island back to the native families who have worked, farmed and lived off the land their whole lives. Today, 53% continues to be a stand-in for anyone wishing to be a part of all the riches the land has to offer. Since implementing this pre-qualifier, native Hawaiian’s have begun to notice that the extinction of certain species has drastically decreased; the beauty of the landscape is being preserved- instead of built upon; and most importantly, the land they call home is being honored as a sacred place- and is no longer building ground of new homes.
*All photo's are available for print- Contact me via email/phone
(click image to view larger size)
The Process
Each 11x17in. photo is comprised of two layered-images. Using a tripod, I would set up my Nikon D7000, and find how I wanted the image to look. After I found what I was looking for in the image, I would take the first photo of the layered set. I would then un-mount my digital camera, and mount my 35mm, Canon AE-1 camera onto the tripod. With my Canon AE-1 now in the same exact spot, I would take a black and white replica of the original photo. This second photo would end up being the second image of the layered set.
In post-production, I would take the two images of a given set and layer them together in photoshop; The digital image would serve as the colored background image. While the black and white, 35mm image would be layered on top of the digital image- combining both images into one single canvas. After masking the two images together, I would then begin to erase portions of the black and white image from the canvas. Leaving 53% of the image in color.
Each image is meant to serve as a metaphor to the 53% rule put in place by the Hawaiian government. The colored portion of the image refers what remains prior to the enactment of the 53% rule. On the other hand, the black and white is a referral to the parts of the island that have been lost due to immigration and colonization.
Each 11x17in. photo is comprised of two layered-images. Using a tripod, I would set up my Nikon D7000, and find how I wanted the image to look. After I found what I was looking for in the image, I would take the first photo of the layered set. I would then un-mount my digital camera, and mount my 35mm, Canon AE-1 camera onto the tripod. With my Canon AE-1 now in the same exact spot, I would take a black and white replica of the original photo. This second photo would end up being the second image of the layered set.
In post-production, I would take the two images of a given set and layer them together in photoshop; The digital image would serve as the colored background image. While the black and white, 35mm image would be layered on top of the digital image- combining both images into one single canvas. After masking the two images together, I would then begin to erase portions of the black and white image from the canvas. Leaving 53% of the image in color.
Each image is meant to serve as a metaphor to the 53% rule put in place by the Hawaiian government. The colored portion of the image refers what remains prior to the enactment of the 53% rule. On the other hand, the black and white is a referral to the parts of the island that have been lost due to immigration and colonization.