‘Pearl Child’ Graces Pearl Ridge School

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Artist Nicholas Bleecker stands beside his
granite scultpure He Pua Momi or The
Pearl Child, which was installed at Pearl
Ridge Elementary School in a Dec. 15
ceremony. Photo by Lisa Asato.

A new granite sculpture celebrating children was welcomed at Pearl Ridge Elementary School at a recent dedication ceremony warmed by the morning sun, intermittent rain, and students who sang, danced and chanted.

Gracing the Aiea school’s driveway,“He Pua Momi,” or The Pearl Child, reaches higher than 7 feet.

The abstract work in black granite “represents a happy child with his hands held high in celebration,“artist Nicholas Bleecker said at the Dec. 15 dedication.

The metaphor is that the child’s mind is nurtured and “develops in time into a precious pearl,” said Bleecker, a University of Hawaii lecturer who was commissioned for the project by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts’ Art in Public Places Artists in Residence program.

The “arts have played a major role in our school’s success,” said Ray Sugai, a recently retired principal who was instrumental in bringing the program to the school.“We encourage you to be proud and to appreciate this beautiful sculpture, He Pua Momi, it represents all of you.”

Attending a ceremony for the new He Pua Momi sculpture at
Pearl Ridge Elementary are (back row, from left) Jonathan
Johnson, BOE member Breene Harimoto, Sen. Clarence
Nishihara, DOE superintendent Clayton Fujie, Ronald
Yamakawa, BOE member Eileen Clarke, sculptor Nicholas
Bleecker, Sen. David Ige, Rep. K. Mark Takai, Al Navares,
principal Mark Arinaga and kumu Kaleo Kauahi-Daniels,
(front) Pearl Ridge Elementary student council members
Korie Lum, Sharayah Silva, Amy Tanoue, Jordann Ah Nee,
Matthew Ige, Kai Tachino, Devon Miller and Brock Honda.
Photo by Lisa Asato.

Sixth-grader Matthew Ige emceed the event as the student body looked on. His father, state Sen. David Ige, sat under a tent nearby with other officials and school representatives, including SFCA executive director Ronald Yamakawa, Art in Public Places acting director Jonathan Johnson, state Department of Education deputy superintendent Clayton Fujie, acting complex area superintendent Al Navares, Board of Education members Breene Harimoto and Eileen Clarke, principal Mark Arinaga, state Sen. Clarence Nishihara and Rep. K. Mark Takai.

Fourth-graders performed Oli Mahalo, a chant directed by kumu Kaleo Daniels, and fifth-graders danced hula to Kealii Reichel’s Pupu a o Ewa directed by Jenny Niki. Everyone closed the ceremony by singing the alma mater composed by former teacher Gwen Takeguchi, who led with ukulele strumming.

Bleecker previously created a sculpture for Aikahi Elementary School in Kailua. His art is on view at Bank of Hawaii, The Queen’s Medical Center and The Pacific Club, among other places.