Kauaʻi County officials are calling on local artists to design a public monument for the historic Battle of Hanapēpē, also known as the 1924 Hanapēpē Massacre.
The event was a tragic turning point in Hawaiʻi’s labor movement that led to the deaths of 16 Filipino strikers and four police officers.
The goal of the monument is to commemorate the people who lost their lives.
The permanent memorial will be installed at the intersection of Moi Road and Kaumaualiʻi Highway.
Michael Miranda is the vice president of the Filipino American National Historical Society, Hawaiʻi Chapter. He was one of the researchers who uncovered the mass grave containing the strikers at the Hanapēpē Filipino Cemetery.
"I'm confident that the artist that is selected will design a monument that not only memorializes the 20 souls lost on that morning of Sept. 9, but also designs a memorial that I think fosters healing, community, and also integrates with the surrounding environment," he said.
The finalists chosen from the initial round of applicants will need to develop a design proposal. Preliminary applications are due Sept. 1.
They will also be interviewed by a selection committee for a $5,000 stipend.
The winning artist will have a budget of up to $300,000 to complete the project by September 2026.
