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RIP Michael Jackson, 20 feet of letters spelled out in white coral on black lava appeared almost immediately after the star's death. Graffiti of this type, white coral on black lava, is Hawaii’s own version of social networking. On the Big Island from Kona to Kohala this type of graffiti adorns the lava fields. Reading the messages as you drive is a welcome diversion from the miles of stark black lava.
It is an island tradition to communicate with friendly messages, nothing like the hateful graffiti spray painted on bridges and walls in cities. The coral rocks are rearranged and often change day by day. “Amanda will u marry” me soon morphs into “Happy Birthday Mom”. Hopefully the message lasted long enough for Amanda to answer. Companies promoting their conventions often decorate the lava with their logos. Tourist spell out their names and sports enthusiast embellish the lava with the names of their favorite teams. Artwork is created in the rocks, and lost loved ones are memorialized in coral.
A few of these coral graffiti messages are left untouched, a beautiful turtle, a heartfelt plea for love, perhaps RIP Michael Jackson will be one of the messages that remains for a very long time.
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