Mr Michael DEMOTTA

Curator, National Tropical Botanical Garden

 Training in Hawaiian hula and story telling began in 1973 under kumu hula John Keolamakaainana Lake. Hawaiian language and cultural immersion continued through to 1978.  My interest in native ecosystems and conservation in the context of Hawaiian culture began in this era of hula study.  Deep connections between Hawaiians culture and their environment got me involved in conservation.  My involvement with NTBG began in 1998. In 2005 at Limahuli Garden, focusing the native plant collections. I then became Assistant Director for Living Collections where I was involved in building ex situ collections and ecosystem restoration. This included field research in native forest, making collections then propagating the seeds of very rare native plants. I attended the University of Hawaii Manoa.