​THE HAWAIIAN LEGACY FOUNDATION

HAWAIIAN VOICES
Bridging Past to Present

 

This award-winning one-hour documentary pays tribute to the role of the Kūpuna (elders) in preserving Hawaiian culture. It focuses on the legacies of three respected Hawaiian elders whose lives bridged the transition from older times into the late 20th century. They are Ruth Kaholoaʻa, age 93, of the Big Island; Lilia Wahinemakaʻi Hale, age 85, of Oʻahu and Molokaʻi; and Reverend David "Kawika" Kaʻalakea, age 78, of Maui. A particular emphasis in the documentary is the power of the Hawaiian language as a key to cultural connectedness and continuity. Each of these kūpuna speaks Hawaiian fluently, as it was once learned within their families. Each is a living archive of invaluable lore and recollection, a treasure whose stories, memories, and perspectives need to be shared to bring the healing wisdom of the past into the often-fragmented world of the present. 

 

"The films of Eddie Kamae are like no other. His only subject is his subject, not a demonstration of style. Direct, heartfelt, unlettered, pure, Kamae's effect of wry precision."

Dave Donnelly, Honolulu Star-Bulletin