Marques Hanalei Marzan

Marques Hanalei Marzan is a Hawaiian interdisciplinary artist raised in Kaneohe, Hawaii. Marzan enjoys combining his passion for the fiber arts with customary storytelling, movement, and sound to imbue layered contexts of cultural grounding into his work. His fiber arts skill in particular is acknowledged throughout Hawaii and the Pacific where he regularly serves as a mentor and advocate, promoting sustainable gathering practices, perpetuating Hawaiian fiber techniques, and imparting indigenous values within his community and the general public. He trained under many esteemed Hawaiian master weavers, including Julia Minerva Kaawa and Esther Kakalia Westmoreland. He continues to broaden his understanding of indigenous Oceanic perspectives through active cultural exchange. Through these interactions, he strengthens his commitment to his culture and champions the ideals of continuity and innovation. He champions the spread of indigenous frameworks and methodologies and advocates for the recognition and legitimization of indigenous voices. He shares his passion for the fiber arts through public presentations and engagements and continues to encourage and incite new conversations. Marzan bridges the innovations of the past with those of the present, and, through his work and community outreach, he speaks to the vitality and dynamism of living culture.