
9/4/25 Hawaiian History Month
Season 2025 Episode 28 | 56m 56sVideo has Closed Captions
September 2025 marks Hawaiʻi’s first-ever official Hawaiian History Month.
September 2025 marks Hawaiʻi’s first-ever official Hawaiian History Month, to honor the legacy of Queen Liliʻuokalani and recognize the lasting contributions of Native Hawaiians. The month had been celebrated before, but this year the Legislature passed a bill which was later signed into law by the governor making it official. Advocates say this recognition is long overdue.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Insights on PBS Hawaiʻi is a local public television program presented by PBS Hawai'i

9/4/25 Hawaiian History Month
Season 2025 Episode 28 | 56m 56sVideo has Closed Captions
September 2025 marks Hawaiʻi’s first-ever official Hawaiian History Month, to honor the legacy of Queen Liliʻuokalani and recognize the lasting contributions of Native Hawaiians. The month had been celebrated before, but this year the Legislature passed a bill which was later signed into law by the governor making it official. Advocates say this recognition is long overdue.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch Insights on PBS Hawaiʻi
Insights on PBS Hawaiʻi is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship>> THIS SEPTEMBER MARKS HAWAI'I'S FIRST HAWAIIAN HISTORY MONTH, A TIME TO HONOR THE LEGACY OF QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI AND RECOGNIZE THE ADVOCATE SAY THIS IS LONG OVERVIEW.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN IN PRACTICE AND HOW IS THE STATE PREPARING TO CELEBRATE?
JOIN CONVERSATION NEXT ON INSIGHTS.
ALOHA AND WELCOME TO INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAI'I...I'M LAUREN DAY.
ACT 167, SIGNED INTO LAW BY GOVERNOR GREEN IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR, OFFICIALLY DESIGNATES SEPTEMBER AS HAWAIIAN HISTORY MONTH IN OUR STATE.
THE DESIGNATION SEEKS TO HONOR THE LEGACY OF QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF KANAKA MAOLI TO THE ISLANDS' PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.
THIS LEGISLATION WAS A CULMINATION OF DECADES OF ADVOCACY BY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE HAWAI'I PONO'I COALITION WHICH HAS WORKED TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON HAWAI'I'S HISTORY AND CULTURE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PARTICIPATION IN TONIGHT'S SHOW.
YOU CAN EMAIL OR CALL IN YOUR QUESTIONS.
AND YOU'LL FIND A LIVE STREAM OF THIS PROGRAM AT PBSHAWAII.ORG AND THE PBS HAWAII YOUTUBE PAGE.
NOW, TO OUR GUESTS.
PAULA AKANA IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE FRIENDS OF 'IOLANI PALACE.
PRIOR TO HER ROLE WITH THE FRIENDS SHE SPENT 30 PLUS YEARS AS A BROADCAST JOURNALIST FOR KITV ISLAND NEWS.
SHE IS A MEMBER OF THE HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF HONOLULU AND A GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I AT MANOA.
TOM COFFMAN IS AN INDEPENDENT RESEARCHER, WRITER, AND PRODUCER.
HE WAS A REPORTER FOR THE HONOLULU ADVERTISER IN THE 1970S AND HAS PRODUCED DOUCUMENTARIES EXPLORING HAWAI'I'S HISTORY INCLUDING NATION WITHIN AND O HAWAI'I: FROM SETTLEMENT TO KINGDOM.
O HAWAI'I WILL AIR IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING TONIGHT'S INSIGHTS.
MALIA NOBREGA-OLIVERA WAS BORN AND RAISED IN HANAPEPE VALLEY, KONA ON KAUA'I ISLAND.
SHE IS PART OF THE HAWAI'I PONO'I COALLITION.
SHE IS A NATIVE HAWAIIAN EDUCATOR, KUMU HULA, SALT MAKER, AND AN ADVOCATE OF INDIGENOUS RIGHTS.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
SUCH AN EXCITING MONTH FOR THE STATE OF HAWAI'I.
THE FIRST OFFICIAL HAWAIIAN HISTORY MONTH.
I WANT TO GO AROUND THE TABLE AND GET TO YOU KNOW ALL A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
WHAT DOES THIS MONTH DESIGNATION MEAN TO YOU PERSONALLY AND WHAT IT YOU THINK IT MEANS FOR THE COMMUNITY?
PAULA, I'LL START WITH YOU.
>> FOR ME, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, ESPECIALLY AT THE PALACE.
WE THINK OF IT AS ALREADY EVERY MONTH AND EVERY DAY SHOULD BE HAWAIIAN HISTORY.
TO SEE IT FINALLY BE FORMALIZED IS EXCITING.
AND I THINK FOR THE FUTURE, IT WILL HOPEFULLY MAKE PEOPLE WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR KANAKA MAOLI AND OUR HISTORY.
>> Lauren: MALIA, WHAT ABOUT FOR YOU?
>> I WORK FOR THE HAWAI'INUIAKEA SCHOOL OF HAWAIIAN KNOWLEDGE, AND I'M A GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY.
AND I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST STARTED MY JOURNEY OF LEARNING OLELO HAWAI'I, AND I SAY TODAY OUR FROM THAT FIRST CLASS I TOOK WITH MY FIRST KU MU, KUMU HAUNANI MY LIFE CHANGED.
FOR ME I FEEL LIKE HAWAIIAN HISTORY MONTH, IF YOU'RE NOT ALREADY ON THE JOURNEY TO LEARN ABOUT THE TRUE HISTORY OF OUR PEOPLE, OF OUR 'AINA, THEN HERE'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY.
JUMP ON AND LET'S LEARN TOGETHER.
WE ALL HAVE MORE TO LEARN.
NO MATTER WHAT I'M A GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S SO MUCH MORE FOR ME TO LEARN.
AND QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI DEFINITELY SETS A PATH FOR ALL OF US, AND, YEAH.
>> Lauren: I CAN HEAR IT IN YOUR VOICE, THE ENERGY.
TOM, WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOU AND THROUGH ALL OF THE PEOPLE I'M SURE YOU'VE INTERVIEWED AND SPOKEN TO THROUGHOUT YOUR WORK, WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THEM AND OUR COMMUNITY?
>> YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.
I, YOU KNOW, I KNOW GOOD FRIENDS WHO'VE WORKED ON DEVELOPING THIS IDEA OF A HISTORY MONTH, AND I THINK IT'S GOOD BECAUSE IT'S LIKE A PUNCTUATION.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I HOPE THERE'S NO SUGGESTION THAT THIS IS LIKE -- THIS IS THE ONE MONTH OUT OF 12.
AND SO MY CRAVING IS TO HAVE THE HISTORY OF HAWAI'I, YOU KNOW, INCORPORATED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SOCIETY, THROUGH ALL 12 MONTHS.
AND SO THAT'S MY ADDITIONAL THOUGHT.
>> Lauren: WHY SEPTEMBER?
CAN ANY OF YOU CHIME IN ON THAT?
PAULA, YOU MENTIONED IT'S A LONG TIME COMING.
WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S TAKEN SO LONG TO HAVE AN OFFICIAL MONTH?
>> WE'VE BEEN CELEBRATING IT AS HAWAI'I HISTORY MONTH AND HAWAI'I MYSTERY MONTH FOR YEARS AND YEARS.
>> FOR A LONG TIME.
>> AND SEPTEMBER IS THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY.
WE'VE BEEN HAVING BIRTHDAY CAKE AT THE PALACE.
AND MELE AND OLI AND HULA FOR HER.
AND I THINK IT JUST TOOK A WHILE FOR PEOPLE TO REALIZE IT'S HAPPENING ANYWAY.
SO LET'S MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT IT.
>> AND I THINK FOR THE SOCIAL ASSOCIATION OF HAWAI'I CIVIC CLUB, WHICH I'M ALSO A MEMBER, WHEN WE CREATED AND STARTED TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS THROUGH OUR RESOLUTION AND CONVENTION, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A HOLIDAY FOR PRINCE KUHIO, WHO STARTED THE CLUB.
WE HAVE A HOLIDAY FOR KING KAMEHAMEHA.
WE DON'T HAVE SOMETHING THAT REALLY HONORS QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI.
AND I THINK THIS IS A PART OF THAT IS LIKE SO THAT WE ALL REMEMBER AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'LL BE SHARING ABOUT IS THIS MY TOUR.
IT'S NOT TO FORGET LIKE WHERE WE COME FROM AND WHERE THAT HISTORY WILL GUIDE US TO.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I LOVE DOING IT IN SEPTEMBER, AND WE ALWAYS LAUNCH IT ON THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND.
>> MALIA, WHY DOES HAVING A HAWAIIAN HISTORY MONTH MATTER SO MUCH?
I SAW HEADS NOD WHEN TOM MENTIONED AN IDEAL WORLD, WE WANT IT TO BE 365 DAYS A YEAR, BUT WHY HAVING THIS OFFICIAL DESIGNATION, WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?
>> WELL, JUST LIKE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE MONTH.
FEBRUARY IS HAWAIIAN LAHAINA -- LANGUAGE MO.
IT'S A WAY TO KICK IT OFF.
WE ALL LIVE HERE IN HAWAI'I, AND I THINK THAT GIVES US SOME KULEANA, SOME RESPONSIBILITY TO LEARN THE TRUE HISTORY, OUR 'AINA, OUR LAND, OUR PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHY I GET UP AND GET INVOLVED AND I DO THE WORK THAT I'M SO COMMITTED TO DO.
>> Lauren: TOM, I'M EXCITED TO SEE YOUR DOCUMENTARY THAT YOU PUT TOGETHER PRODUCED IN THE '90s, CORRECT?
>> ORIGINALLY, YEAH.
>> Lauren: AND IT'S BEEN REVAMPED, IF YOU WILL.
>> REVAMPED WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, YEAH.
>> Lauren: TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE MOST PROUD OF WHEN IT COMES TO THIS DOCUMENTARY AND WHY THIS WAS SO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO PUT TOGETHER THEN AND STILL WORK ON NOW?
>> WELL, YEAH.
MY FIRST COMMENT, I GUESS, GOES INTO MY WHOLE CONCEPTION OF THE COUPLE DOCUMENTARY.
THE DOCUMENTARY BEGINS WITH THE FIRST STEP OF HAWAIIAN SETTLEMENT, AND IS AN ATTEMPT TO CREATE A NARRATIVE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF HAWAIIAN SOCIETY ACROSS THE ISLAND AND TRACE HOW IT GREW AND THEN HOW IT INTERACTED WITH THE CONTACT WITH THE WEST AND EVENTUALLY WITH THE UNITED STATES.
AND TO DO ALL OF IT IN AN HOUR, OBVIOUSLY, IT LEAVES A LOT OUT, BUT IT'S AN ATTEMPT TO CREATE A SENSE OF BEGINNING AND BEGINNING.
AND THEN PROGRESSION FORWARD.
JOHN DOMINIS SAID, IF YOU CREATE PROGRESSIONS OF HISTORY, THE PEOPLE IN THE STORIES BECOME REAL.
AND THAT'S MY SENSE.
>> Lauren: IS IS THERE ANYTHING IN DOING ALL OF THOSE INTERVIEW THAT'S REALLY STOOD OUT TO YOU?
IF YOU COULD TAKE ONE THING AWAY FROM PRODUCING IT?
>> THERE WERE -- THE COMPLEXITY OF THE HISTORY, AND THE ENORMOUS CONTRIBUTIONS THAT WENT INTO US EVEN HAVING THIS HISTORY.
SO IT'S LIKE FROM ALL THE PEOPLE WHO BEGAN RECORDING HAWAIIAN ORAL TRADITION IN THE 19TH CENTURY.
WE HAVE KAMAKAU, DAVID, JOHN AND OTHERS WHO ARE LATELY BE BROUGHT TO THE FORE BY PEOPLE LIKE NOENOE SILVA AND THOMAS POIPOI AND SO ON.
THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT'S GONE INTO US HAVING THIS UNDERSTANDING, AND THEN PEOPLE LIKE JOHN HOT -- HOLT TOOK AHOLF IT AT A POINT WHERE IT WAS IN DANGER OF BEING LOST.
WHEN I FIRST STARTED DOING SOME RESEARCH FOR JOHN HOLT, KAMAKAU WAS NOT IN PRINT.
NOW IT'S IN PRINT IN HAWAIIAN.
THAT'S THE DEFINITION OF PROGRESS.
AND THE PEOPLE THAT I ENGAGED IN THE FILM, I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW ON ANOTHER LEVEL THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY WERE CULTURAL TREASURES AND CULTURAL ICONS.
PEOPLE LIKE KEOLA LAKE,.
[INDISTINCT] HERB KANE, DR. GEORGE KANAHELE, SO SON.
THEY ARE PEOPLE WHO KEPT THE HISTORY ALIVE, CARRIED IT FORWARD AND OPENED UP VEINS OF THIS REALLY COMPLEX WEAVE.
>> Lauren: WE'LL GET TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR DOCUMENTARY IN A LITTLE BIT.
I DO WANT TO HEAR ABOUT SOME OF THE EVENTS HAPPENING THIS MONTH.
MAYBE, PAULA WE CAN START WITH YOU AND SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT OUR COMMUNITY CAN LOOK FORWARD TO.
>> WE STARTED ON THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY OUT IN KAPOLEI, WHICH WAS A WONDERFUL WAY TO START IT ALL.
AND THIS COMING SATURDAY, THE 6TH, WILL BE KIND OF LAUNCHING THE NEXT PART OF IT AT 'IOLANI PALACE.
WE HAVE THE MEMORY WALK, AND MAYBE YOU CAN EXPLAIN THAT AND I'LL EXPLAIN SOME OF THE ACTUALLY EVENTS THAT WILL BE AT THE PALACE.
>> THE MEMORY WALK STARTS AT ST. ANDREWS CATHEDRAL, WHICH I LEARNED THAT WHEN WE STARTED DOING THESE MEMORY WALKS, THAT THAT'S WHERE QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI WOULD GATHER AND BE WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND SO IT'S REALLY RETELLING THE HISTORY AND HONORING HER IN THAT SPACE.
AND THEN WE TAKE THE WALK OVER TO WASHINGTON PLACE, OVER TO THE PALACE AND THERE'S SOME HONORING OF MELE AND HULA THAT'S DONE.
SO IT'S REALLY JUST WALKING IN HER FOOTSTEPS AND TELLING THE STORY UNTIL THEY GET TO THE PALACE.
YEAH.
IT'S ABOUT AN HOUR LONG.
>> IT KIND OF TAKES YOU THROUGH THE QUEEN'S FOOTSTEPS.
AT THE PALACE SATURDAY, WE'LL HAVE FREE TOURS FOR KAMA'AINA.
AND WILL BE DOING THE QUEEN'S PLAY AT 2:00.
THAT IS THE 1897 KUE PETITION.
THEY'RE BRINGING BACK THE MAI POHIA, OVERTHROW.
IT TAKES YOU THROUGH THE EVENTS OF THE OVERTHROW, AND THAT WILL BE THE 6 6 6TH, 7TH AND 13TH.
WELL REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
ONE OF THE EVENTS WE'RE REALLY EXCITED IT, AND I THINK IT GOES BACK TO HOW WE GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING IS ON THE 14TH, IN THE EVENING AT DUSK, THERE ARE GOING TO BE ABOUT 60 CHANTERS FROM ALL ACROSS THE STATE THAT ARE GOING TO BE PERFORMING THE ENTIRE KUMULIPO, OUR CREATION CHANT.
THERE ARE OVER TWO THOUSAND LINES.
IT WAS DONE IN 1999 IN FRONT OF THE PALACE.
THIS IS A HUGE UNDERTAKING TO HAVE THEM.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE KUMULIPO AT THAT PLACE IS THAT THE QUEEN, WHEN HE SHE WAS IMPRISONED TRANSLATED IT TO ENGLISH.
IF ONE PAYS TRIB DUTY TRIBUTE TP OF ENGLISH AT THAT TIME.
SHE TRANSLATED AR BEAUTIFUL VERSION, BUT ALSO IT'S KUDOS TO INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE BECAUSE IT REALLY IS HOW WE WERE CREATED, YOU KNOW.
THE EARTH IS WARM, RIGHT.
THE SEAS ARE WARM AND EVERYTHING THAT DEVELOPS, AND IT'S THE SCIENTIFIC CREATION THAT WE TALK ABOUT TODAY, BUT FROM A MILLENNIUM BEFORE.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT PRESENTING THAT, AND IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
>> Lauren: WHEN IS THAT?
>> SUNDAY THE 14TH.
>> Lauren: I CAN ALMOST PICTURE IT.
I FEEL THAT ONE'S GOING TO BE A CHICKEN SKIN MOMENT.
>> WE'RE GOING TO PUT A LIGHT ON THE QUEEN'S WINDOW WHERE SHE WAS IMPRISONED.
>> Lauren: THERE ARE A LOT OF LOCALS PROBABLY WATCHING, TOO, THAT HAVEN'T BEEN TO 'IOLANI PALACE MAYBE EVER OR HAVEN'T BEEN IN MANY, MANY YEARS.
THIS IS A CHANCE THIS MONTH.
THIS SATURDAY IS FREE.
>> THIS SAD SATURDAY IS FREE.
EITHER KUPUNA COME AND THEY REMEMBER SLIDING THROUGH THE BANNISTER WHEN SOMEBODY WORKED FOR THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT.
OR WE HAVE KUPUNA WHO HAVE NEVER STEPPED FOOT IN THERE.
THEY WALK IN AND COME OUT IN TEARS.
OR PEOPLE WILL SAY, I WENT THERE IN FOURTH GRADE.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HEAR THE HISTORY OF HAWAI'I AND TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT.
>> Lauren: YEAH.
>> MALIA EARLIER YOU SAID WHEN WE FIRST STARTED HOW YOU'RE REALLY EXCITE.
AND WE'VE BEEN CELEBRATING HAWAIIAN HISTORY MONTH IN OUR STATE FOR A WHILE BUT THIS IS OFFICIAL.
WHACK ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT MAYBE HOW THIS WILL SHAPE MAYBE EVEN EDUCATION IN OUR SCHOOLS?
>> YEAH.
YOU KNOW, I BECAME A HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE IMMERSION TEACHER, SO IN MANY OF THE IMMERSION SCHOOLS, THINGS LIKE KUMULIPO AND WATCHING SOME OF THESE DOCUMENTARIES AND TEACHING THROUGH OUR MELE AND OLI IS FOUNDATIONAL, BUT I ALSO WENT TF EDUCATION HERE IN HAWAI'I, AND I DID NOT LEARN A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT I LEARNED WHEN I WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY.
AND SO AGAIN, I REALLY HOPE THAT IT HELPS -- I MEAN THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF GROWTH.
I THINK WITH CURRICULUM FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF ROOM FOR GROWTH BECAUSE I THINK EVEN TIL TODAY, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I HEAR, YOU KNOW, NA THERE'S -- THERE'S THIX THAT COMES OUT OF THE CLOSET, AND IT'S THE HAWAIIANA BOX FOR TODAY.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT STILL HANS.
-- HAPPENS.
THAT'S ALL THAT OUR CHILDREN GETS EXPOSED TO.
SO THERE'S ROOM FOR A LOT OF GROWTH, WHETHER YOU'RE A TEACHER OR JUST SOMEONE THAT'S INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE, NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE.
I THINK THERE'S ROOM FOR GROWTH IN ALL OF US.
LIKE THE KUMULIPO, FOR ME, I MAY KNOW ABOUT 40 LINES, BUT I LOVE THAT THERE ARE SOME OF OUR HAWAIIAN 'AINA-BASED SCHOOLS THAT USE THIS AS ALL OF THEIR SCIENTIFIC CURRICULUM BECAUSE IT'S SCIENCE.
IT'S SOCIAL STUDIES, IT'S ALL.
ABOVE.
MATH AND SO I LOVE THAT WE HAVE THAT AS A FOUNDATION FOR US, YOU KNOW.
AND I HOPE PEOPLE GET INSPIRED TO USE IT MORE AND TO LEARN MORE.
>> Lauren: I THINK WHAT'S EXCITES IS WHEN WHEN THEY -- EXG IS WHEN THEY DID IT AT THE PALACE, IT WAS IN 1999.
THERE WEREN'T MANY PEOPLE WHO KNEW THE KUMULIPO.
AND YOU HAVE TWO GENERATIONS SINCE THEN.
I KNOW A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE COMING.
AND THEY'VE GOT THE BOOK.
>> Lauren: THE INTEREST.
THIS IS A GOOD SEGUE.
WE HAVE A CLIP FROM TOM'S DOCUMENTARY.
IT'S A GOOD SEGUE TO WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT YOU.
YOU CAN LOOK AT THE SCREEN AND WE'LL PLAY IT FOR OUR VIEWERS AT HOME.
>> BY MOST ACCOUNTS, IT WAS SOMETIME AFTER WORLD WAR II THAT THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN CULTURE REACHED A NEW LOW EBB.
AMERICAN STATEHOOD WAS APPROACHING.
HISTORY BOOKS TYPICALLY BE GAP WITH THE ARRIVAL OF WESTERNERS, AND LIFE BEFORE WESTERN CONTACT WAS PORTRAYED AS SIMPLE AND STATIC.
THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE WAS ALMOST NEVER SPOKEN, AND LITTLE OF THE CULTURAL TRADITION WAS TRUSTED TO BE AUTHENTIC.
>> Lauren: AGAIN FOR VIEWERS, WE'RE GOING TO PLAY THE FULL DOCUMENTARY AFTER INSIGHTS SO STICK AROUND AT 8:30.
FOR GUESTS IN STUDIO, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM EACH OF YOU.
TOM, SINCE THAT WAS A CLIP FROM YOUR DOCUMENTARY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE MOST MISS UNDERSTOOD OR OVERLOOKED AS PERSPECTIVES OF HAWAIIAN HISTORY THAT MAYBE THIS MONTH WILL HELP TO CLAIRE CLARIFY?
>> MY GOD.
>> Lauren: EVERYONE CAN CHIME IN.
IT'S MORE OF A DISCUSSION.
>> I THINK WHAT WE'RE STRIVING FOR IS -- IS AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, THIS VERY DENSE CULTURE WAS ALL ABOUT AND WHAT ITS IMPORTANCE IS IN TODAY'S WORLD, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE IM IMPERILLED BY OVERDEVELOPMENT, SEA LEVEL RISE, THE COMMODIFICATION OF ALL THINGS.
AND THE WAY THAT IT IS, YOU KNOW, CALLING US TO UNDERSTAND THINGS MORE HOLISTICALLY, YOU KNOW.
AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF LIKE AT THE ROOT.
IF WE CAN GET DOWN TO THAT ROOT, I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON, REALLY.
I THINK THIS WORK IS -- >> Lauren: PAULA OR MALIA, ANYTHING COME TO MIND?
COULD BE SOMETHING SPECIFIC OR PIECE OF HISTORY THAT'S OFTEN OVERLOOKED?
>> THOMAS TALKING ABOUT SEA LEVEL RISE.
AS A SALT MAKER ON KAUA'I, WE'RE ON FRONT LINES OF EXPERIENCING CLIMATE CHANGE AND EXPERIENCING WHAT DEVELOPMENT AND HOW THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON OUR CULTURAL PRACTICES.
AND SO FOR ME, WHEN I PUBLISHED AND I TALK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND THOSE IMPACTS, WHAT'S EXCITING FOR ME IS FROM -- I LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS THROUGH OUR INDIGENOUS LENS, AS A NATIVE HAWAIIAN.
I WAS NOT TAUGHT TO THINK THAT WAY BUT AS I MET OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND WE WOULD BE AT CLIMATE CHANGE GATHERINGS AT THE UNITED NATIONS, I HEARD SO MANY OTHERS TALK ABOUT INDIGENOUS PEOPLE HAVE THE SOLUTION.
I WAS LIKE, WHAT IS OUR SOLUTION, YOU KNOW.
IT WAS REALLY COMING BACK AND REALLY TALKING TO A LOT OF OUR FRIENDS AND REALIZING WHAT IT WAS.
I MEAN, AND SO A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, WE START THE SHARING MORE ABOUT OUR KAUAULANA MAHINA.
HOW DOES THAT GUIDE OUR WORK AS PRACTITIONERS?
WHAT'S THE NAME?
THAT WAVES THE THE BE -- WAS THE BEGINNING.
NOW IT'S BRINGING THAT INTO OUR PRACTICE AND GUIDING OUR PRACTICE TODAY.
AND SO I LOVE THAT, YOU KNOW.
LIKE, THERE ARE ALL THESE PARTS AND MOMI OR LITTLE THINGS HERE AND THERE THAT WE LEARN THROUGH THE KUMULIPO, THROUGH KAULANA MAHINA THAT CAN GROUND US AND HELP US FIND SOLUTIONS TO MANY OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY.
>> Lauren: -- >> AND I THINK WE GO BACK TO, ESPECIALLY WHAT YOU TALK ABOUT IN THE BEGINNING AND HOW WE LEARN FROM OUR AN -- ANs ANCEST, IF YOU LOOK AT NATIVE HAWAIIANS, THEY COMFORTABLY HOUSE WHAT WE SEE TODAY, ALMOST NUMBERS THAT ARE KIND OF CLOSE TO WHAT WE SEE TODAY WITH THE AHUPUAA SYSTEM, AND THE FACT THAT THERE WASN'T FAMINE AND THERE -- YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS TO LEARN.
>> YEAH.
I THINK IT'S FANTASTIC.
YOU HAVE THE MOST FANTASTIC WINDOW ON SEA LEVEL RISE FROM SALT MAKING.
IT'S LIKE THE MOST IMMEDIATE, BUT IF YOU LOOK AROUNDAL ISLANDS, THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF INVOLVEMENT AND ENERGY IN HAWAIIAN FISHPOND RENEWAL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE THE SALT PONDS AND FISHPONDS.
AND IT'S AN ENORMOUS TASK.
AND THE INVOLVEMENT IN FISHPOND LEADS YOU IMMEDIATELY TO INVOLVEMENT IN WATER QUALITY.
AND THAT LEAD YOU KNEELED -- IMMEDIATELY TO STREAM FLOW.
AND IT LEAD YOU TO CLEANING THE STREAMS AND LEADS YOU TO DETOX FYING.
AND TO MAYBE PLANNINGS ON THE STREAM BANKS, AND IT LEAD YOU INEVITABLY LEADS YOU MAUKA.
AND SO IT'S AN ORGANIC PROCESS.
MOST CERTAINLY IF YOU LOOK, YOU KNOW, LIKE A FISHPOND PROCESS, HAWAIIANS ARE LEAVING THE PROCESS, BUT MANY PEOPLE, MANY DIFFERENT RACES JUMP IN AND GET INVOLVED AND RELATE TO IT.
AND I THINK IT RELATING, IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, CALLING YOU.
BECAUSE IT HAS TO DO WITH SUS TEN -- SUS TENNESS AND SURVIVAL.
>> Lauren: A VIEWER QUESTION.
SARA FROM MAKIKI.
I'LL ASK MY GUESTS, HAVE YOU SEEN THE "CHIEF OF WAR" SERIES?
SARA WANTS TO YOU HOW YOU FEEL?
>> I THINK IT'S A GREAT SERIES.
I THINK FROM A STANDPOINT OF WORKING IN TELEVISION, I JUST THINK IT CAPTURES EVERYTHING SO BEAUTIFULLY.
TO HEAR OLELO HAWAI'I AND TO SEE PEOPLE REABILITY REACT TO HEARIN LANGUAGE.
I MEAN, IT JUMPS AROUND BUT IT'S NOT A DOCUMENTARY.
IT'S BASED ON HISTORY, AND THEY'VE GOT TO SQUEEZES IT ALL INTO THAT 55 MINUTES OR WHATEVER EACH EPISODE IT.
IT'S MAKING PEOPLE WANT TO FIND OUT MORE.
THEY WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT KAIHAN AND THE HISTORY.
MY HUSBAND, WHO IS NOT FROM HERE, IS READING "RULING CHIEFS."
AND MY SON SAYS, I GET IT AFTER.
IT'S SO EXCITING TO SEE THAT IT'S MAKING PEOPLE WANT TO LEARN MORE.
>> I TOTALLY KAKOU AND SUPPORT THAT.
THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE DEFINITELY IS A CELEBRATION, SO SEE IT AT THAT SCALE AND TO KNOW THAT THE AC ACTORS PUT IN A LOT OF WORK.
WHAT'S EXCITING, TOO, IS I HEARD THAT THEY CREATED NEW POSITIONS FOR THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE COACHES THAT WERE THERE TO HELP ALL OF THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO WHETHER THEY WERE SERVING AS HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE COACHES SIDE BY SIDE OF JASON MOMOA OR OTHERS THAT NEEDED THAT SUPPORT, OR IT WAS SOMEONE STANDING NEXT TO THE DIRECTOR AND SOMETIMES IT WAS THE HAWAIIAN -- I'VE HEARD, SOME OF THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE PEOPLE, THE DIRECTORS WERE LOOKING LIKE, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
AND THEY'RE, HANA HOU.
YOU GOT TO DO THAT AGAIN.
THE OLELO WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
AND I LOVE THAT.
THAT HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE WAS -- >> THAT IMPORTANT.
>> THAT IMPORTANTLY ON SET, YOU KNOW.
OVER, LIKE, JUST DOING THE ACTING.
THAT THE LANGUAGE HAD TO BE SPOT-ON.
AND SO I LOVE THAT AND JUST LIKE WHAT PAULA WAS SAYING, IT'S MAKING ME, LIKE, QUESTION, I GOT TO GO BACK AND TAKE JOHN'S POST-CONTACT CHIEF PLAN.
HE'S BACK IN THE CLASSROOM TEACHING.
I NEED TO SIGN UP AND GET A REFRESHER.
YOU KNOW, I THINK AGAIN, AN INVITATION.
WHERE ARE THESE DISCUSSIONS HAPPENING AND BE A PART OF IT.
>> Lauren: SPEAKING OF EDUCATION, MAYBE WE CAN HEAR FROM ALL THREE OF YOU ON THIS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW PEOPLE -- IT'S A GOOD THING, TURNING TO CHIEF "CHIEF OF WAR"D OTHER RESOURCES TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES ABOUT HAWAI'I'S HISTORY.
DO YOU THINK THERE ARE GAPS WITH OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM IN TERMS OF HAWAIIAN HISTORY AND WHAT'S BEING SHARED?
HAS IT GOTTEN BETTER OVER THE YEARS?
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO?
>> I MEAN, SINCE MY TIME, I'D SAY IT'S GETTING BETTER.
I LOVE THAT THERE ARE SO MANY CHOICES FOR OUR FAMILIES TODAY.
I'LL SHARE LAST WEEKEND ON KAUA'I, WHERE I LIVE, WE HAD EIGHT WAA THAT WERE THERE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO BE A PART OF WHAT IS CALL HOAKEA, TO INVITE EVERYONE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WAA.
SO ON KAUA'I, 9,000 STUDENTS GOT TO TOUCH THE WAA.
THIS WAS SUPPORTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
I HEARD HE WAS ON THE WAA FOR A FEW HOURS, AND IT CHANGED HIM AS WELL.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES, IS YOU HAVE TO -- WE'RE CREATING THESE LIVING CLASSROOMS, AND YOU NEED TO BE A PART OF THIS TODAY.
DON'T STAND BY THE WAY SIDE.
YOU NEED TO JUMP IN, GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY.
AND THERE'S AN OLELO NOLEAU OF THE PUT YOUR HANDS TO THE EVEN A EVEN, TO THE -- WAA, GO TO THE PALACE, WATCH NIECE -- THESE DOCUMENTARIES AND GET INVOLVED.
>> REALLY EXCITING IS THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE NEWSPAPERS THAT ARE BEING TRANSLATED.
IT'S GIVING US A WHOLE DIFFERENT VIEW THROUGH THE LENS OF KANAKA MAOLI.
AND OUR LAL -- LAHUI.
DURING KALAKAUA ASIDE, WE HAD THE SECOND HIGHEST LITERACY IN THE WORLD.
IT'S REVEALING SO MANY ASPECTS OF OUR HISTORY AND NAMES AND PLACES THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW.
THE EDUCATION CONTINUES FOR EVERYBODY, AND THAT'S EXCITED.
>> Lauren: TOMORROW, TOMORROW -M WHEN YOU STARTED THIS PASSION PROJECT OF YOUR DOCUMENTARY, WHAT WAS IT IN YOU THAT WANTED TO DO THIS?
WHEN YOU THINK BACK TO THE VERY BEGINNING OF I WANT TO SHARE STORIES OF HAWAI'I AND NATIVE HAWAIIANS.
>> I THINK IT'S BECAUSE MY OLDEST SON WAS HAWAIIAN, MOST IMMEDIATELY.
AND THEN -- OH, OF COURSE.
IT WAS ALL THE STIRRINGS THAT I KNEW WERE GONE ON AT QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI CHILDREN CENTER BECAUSE MY WIFE WAS INVOLVED WITH SOCIAL WORK AND WAS A SOCIAL WORKER THERE.
AND SO HER, I -- THROUGH HER I GOT TO KNOW -- MY AGE OR YOUNGER EVEN.
AT THAT TIME, WHAT WAS CALLED QLCC.
CHARLIE WARRINGTON AND STEVE MORRISON, WALTER RITTE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ENDED UP ON KAHOOLAWE.
THEY WERE ALL COMING ALIVE AND TRANSITIONING FROM ONE FRAME OF MIND TO ANOTHER FRAME OF MIND.
IT WAS LIKE AN UPWELLING.
IT WAS AMAZING, AND IT WAS THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WHAT BECAME CALLED THE CULTURAL REVIVAL, RENAISSANCE OR WHATEVER.
AND I THEN GOT ACQUAINTED WITH JOHN DOMINIS, WHAT WAS, AT THAT TIME I THINK THE PERSON WHO MUSTERED THE WRITING OF HAWAIIAN HISTORY.
>> Lauren: WE DO ANOTHER VIEWER QUESTION.
I'LL THROW IT OUT THERE, AND ANYBODY WHO FEELS THEY CAN ANSWER.
MICAH FROM PEARL CITY IS ASKING, WHAT MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO FURTHER ADVANCE KANAKA?
ANYONE WANT TO TAKE IT?
>> WELL, THERE'S A LOT.
>> HERE GOES.
[LAUGHTER] >> I MEAN, I STARTED TO SAY EARLIER, GET INVOLVED.
OUR PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE DOING SUCH GREAT WORK.
THERE'S SO MANY AMAZING AINA-BASED ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE THAT ARE NOT ONLY LOOKING BACK AT HOW WERE OUR FISHPONDS MADE, BUT THEY'RE DOING IT TODAY AND FIGURING IT OUT.
LIKE OUR FRIENDS AT HEY HEIEA FISHPOND WAS ON MIDWEEK.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT VERY SOON THERE WILL BE NO MANGROVES IN THAT AREA, YOU KNOW, AND SO IT'S LIVING TODAY.
OUR HISTORY IS BEING CREATED TODAY, AND WHAT PART ARE YOU OF THAT HISTORY?
YOU KNOW, AND IN YOUR COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW.
I WOULD SAY GET INVOLVED RIGHT THERE IN YOUR BACKYARD.
AND THEN SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER MOVEMENTS TO FOLLOW AND TO SUPPORT I THINK WHAT KANAKA ARE DOING.
BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH GOOD THINGS.
>> Lauren: WITH SEPTEMBER BEING OFFICIALLY HAWAIIAN HISTORY MONTH, HOW DO THE 3 OF YOU HOPE THAT TOURISTS AND VISITORS ALIKE TO RESPOND TO HAWAIIAN HISTORY MONTH?
PAULA?
>> IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING.
I'VE BEEN AT THE PALACE FOR SIX YEAR.
IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT LONG AGO.
SOME OF THE VISITORS THAT COME ACTUALLY A LOT OF THE VISITORS THAT CAME ONLY KNEW WE WERE THE 50TH STATE.
THAT'S IT.
BUT I SEE MORE AND MORE THAT ARE DOING THEIR HOMEWORK BEFORE THEY COME.
THEY ARE COMING TO THE PALACE ALREADY KNOWING THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS, MAYBE NOT KNOWING A LOT BUT KNOWING THERE WAS AN OVERTHROW.
>> Lauren: THEY TALK TO YOU?
>> WHEN I CAN, I'LL SAY WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND WHAT DO YOU COME TO THE PALACE?
WE SAW THIS THIS BUILDING.
IT'S THEIR CHILDREN THAT ARE SOMETHING, OUR TEACHER SAID, WE LEARNED THIS AND WANT TO COME AND LEARN MOR ABOUT IT.
AND A LOT OF THEM WILL COME OUT, ESPECIALLY FROM THE IMPRISONMENT ROOM WHERE LILI'U WAS IMPRISONED FOR EIGHT MONTHS, WHERE THE QUILT IS THAT SHE STARTED, AND THEY COME OUT IN TEARS.
AND THEY ASK, WHAT'S THE BEST BOOKS FOR US TO TAKE HOME?
AND I'M HOPING WE GET MORE OF THAT.
AND I'M HOPING THAT WE SEE MORE VISITORS THAT WANT TO COME AND LEARN THAT IT'S BEYOND THE MAI TAIS AND SAND.
THEY WANT TO LEARN THE HISTORY OF HAWAI'I.
>> I HEARD AN NECK ANECDOTALLY M FRIENDS THAT THE HAWAIIAN HISTORY FOR THEM WAS LESS THAN A PAGE.
MALIA, ANYTHING YOU WERE HOPEFUL FOR?
>> WELL, SING WE'RE -- SINCE WEE TALKING ABOUT BOOKS ONE OF THE BOOKS I WAS ABING TO BE A PART OF AS A WRITER IS CALLED "DETOURS OF HAWAI'I," AND THERE WERE DIFFERENT WRITERS FROM DIFFERENT ISLANDS.
AND THE IDEA IS, I THINK, FOR THOSE THAT ARE A LITTLE OLDER, WHEN WE GO TRAVEL, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE GOOSAL AND -- GOOGLE AD LOOK UP WHERE SHOULD I GO ON KAUA'I?
SO YOU WOULD HAVE THESE TOUR BOOKS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO READERS AND IT WILL TELL YOU GO HERE, TURN HERE.
SO DETOURS IS MEANT TO GIVE YOU SOME INSIGHT FROM NOT JUST THE KANAKA PERSPECTIVE, BUT PEOPLE WHO ARE GROUNDED IN THAT COMMUNITY.
SO MY PIECE IN THERE IS ABOUT SALT-MAKING.
IF YOU GO DO HANAPEPE AND YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO CONNECT WITH ONE OF THE SALT MAKERS, MAYBE IN A BOOK LIKE THIS, YOU CAN HEAR DIRECTLY FROM A DESCENDANT.
WHAT IS THAT STORY.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I WAS THINKING ABOUT AS A RESOURCE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY GREAT PUBLICATIONS TODAY THAT TELL OUR STORY.
AND THEN FOR OUR TOURISTS, I THINK ALSO HAVING THESE EXPERIENCES, LIKE, AT THE UNIVERSITY WE HAVE OUR CULTURAL GARDEN.
EVERY FIRST SATURDAY IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO SIGN UP.
JUST SHOW UP EARLY IN THE MORNING AND YOU GET TO LEARN HANDS ON.
GETS INTO THE LOI AND MAYBE YOU'RE GOING TO HUKI ONE OF THOSE KALO OR MAYBE YOU'RE PLANTING.
YOU'LL BE AMONGST PACK -- PRACTICE TIBBERS, KEIKI.
WHETHER IT'S BEING IN THE LOI OR EATING RIGHT OUT OF THE IMU, LUNCH COMES OUT OF THE IMU.
I THINK GETTING AN EXPERIENCE LIKE THAT HELPS OUR TOURISTS AGAIN GET GROUNDED AND TO START A RELATIONSHIP WITH PEOPLE FROM HERE.
>> Lauren: IS THAT ADVERTISED?
FOR VISITORS?
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WE HAD IT.
>> I DON'T KNOW HOW WE ADVERTISE, BUT WE HOSTS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE EVERY FIRST SATURDAY.
>> Lauren: COOL.
I'LL HAVE TO DO IT MYSELF.
JUST MAKING THE TRIP OF A LIFE TIME FOR SO MANY PEOPLE.
TOM, ANYTHING YOU WOULD WANT TO ADD AS FAR AS WHAT YOU HOPE THIS MONTH, HOW VISITORS MAY REACT TO IT?
>> WHAT I THINK, OKAY.
I HAVE TROUBLE WITH THIS MONTH THING, OKAY.
AND I DON'T SAY THAT TO BE THE DEVIL'S AD ROUGH ADVOCATE.
RESPECTFULLY FOR ALL THE HARD WORK YOU'VE PUT IN AND I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE HAVE, TOO, BUT IT'A CONNOTATION OF PARTITIONING IT OFF OR SIGNING IT OFF TO THIS TIME, YOU KNOW, THIS OBSERVANCE.
AND IT DOES NOT INHERENTLY TAKE INTO -- IT CAN BE MISTAKEN FOR SOMETHING WHERE WE SHOULD THIS MONTH LEARN A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT HAWAIIAN HISTORY OR VISITORS, A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT HAWAIIAN HISTORY.
AND WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON IS, YOU KNOW, ALL THE DISCUSSION, CONVERSATION, MORE AND MORE AND MORE -- THIS IS A MOVEMENT THAT IS DYNAMIC TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S GOING ON HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE.
IT'S LIKE AS YOU WALK DOWN THE STREET, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW IT'S THERE.
IT'S LIKE YOU SIT ON AN AIRPLANE AND YOU SIT BEHIND TWO YOUNG PEOPLE TALKING TO EACH OTHER IN HAWAIIAN.
IT'S LIKE 40 TIMES MORE PEOPLE SPEAK HAWAIIAN NOW THAN WHEN HE CAME -- WHEN I CAME TO HAWAI'I.
BUT IN THE PROCESS, WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH ITERATIONS OF DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT THE MEANING OF THIS HISTORY IS IN TERMS OF A JUST RESULT OF THIS DISCUSSION, AND ALL OF THE PROPOSALS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE HAVE BEEN THWARTED TO DATE EXPECT FOR OHA INSTITUTIONALLY AND THE AMENDMENTS, HAWAIIAN AMENDMENTS TO THE 1978 CONSTITUTION.
BUT BENEATH THAT SURFACE IS THEE CONSTANT SEARCH THAT INEVITABLY WILL ARISE FOR A RESOLUTION OF THIS OVERALL SITUATION AND A RECKONING OF THIS HISTORY.
AND I PROBABLY WON'T BE HERE TO SEE IT.
I'D LIKE TO BE HERE TO SEE IT, BUT IT'S NOT GOING AWAY.
AND THE PROPOSALS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO DATE BASICALLY HAVE BEEN THWARTED BY U.S. GOVERNMENT NOT ALLOWING FOR SOMETHING WHICH TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE SCALE OF THE INJUSTICE THIS WAS DONE.
AND SO HOW THAT WILL BE DEALT WITH AS THIS LAHUI, THIS DEVELOPMENT OF LAHUI OF -- I LOOKED UP THE WORD "LAHU OI"HUID IT MEANS NATION IN THE DEFINITION.
IT MEANS NATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATION.
SO IT'S A NATION THAT EXISTS AND A NATION IN THE MAKING.
IT'S A SUBMERGED NATION, AND SOMETHING THIS POWERFUL IS NOT GOING AWAY.
IT'S GOING TO JUST KEEP GOING, AND IT WILL LEAD TO A REDEFINITION OF HAWAI'I.
>> Lauren: ON THAT NOTE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A SECOND CLIP THAT WE HAVE PREPARED FROM YOUR DOCUMENTARY.
IF OUR TEAM COULD PLAY IT AND YOU GUYS CAN WATCH IT, AND I'LL ASK A QUESTION AFTERWARDS.
>> THE HISTORIAN, SAMUEL WARNED AGAINST OUR BECOMING A RACE WITHOUT A HISTORY.
WE MUST PRESERVE OUR STORY.
IN KAMAKAU'S WORDS,.
[SPEAKING IN HAWAIIAN] >> Lauren: I HOPE YOU GUYS CAN SEE THE CAPTION OF I KNOW OUR TV SCREENS ARE A LITTLE WAYS AWAY.
MALIA, AS A NATIVE HAWAIIAN, WHY DO YOU FEEL IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO PASS DOWN YOUR STORIES, YOUR KUPUNA STORIES, STORIES OF NATIVE HAWAIIANS?
>> WELL, I SAW KUMU LAKE ON THAT CLIP, KUMU LAKE WAS ONE OF MY KUMU.
HE HAD HIS CLASSES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I AT MANOA, AND I WAS BLESSED TO LEARN FROM HIM.
SO I KNOW THAT I CARRY ON A PART.
HIS STORY BECAUSE OF THOSE TIMES THAT I SHARED WITH HIM.
AND I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE TO FIND THOSE STORIES AND PASS IT ON.
WE CAN'T HOLD ON TO IT.
IT NEEDS TO BE PASSED ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION IN ALL DIFFERENT FORMS, AND AGAIN, I GET EXCITED ABOUT IT.
THIS WEEKEND, WE'RE ALSO CELEBRATING THROUGH MELE, AND MELE IS A WAY THAT WE DOCUMENT THE HISTORY OF TODAY.
AND I REALLY, YOU KNOW, MAHALO AND HAVE A LOT OF GRATITUDE FOR A LOT OF OUR HAKU MELE WHO WILL WRITE SONGS THAT HELP TO DOCUMENT WHAT IS HAPPENING TODAY BECAUSE -- I MEAN WE SING SONGS FROM FIVE YEARS AGO, 20 YEARS AGO, A HUNDRED YEARS AGO, AND LIKE ONE OF THE FIRST EVENTS WE HAD FOR HAWAI'I HISTORY MONTH WAS AT KAWAIHAO CHURCH.
LEADS BY NOLA.
THOSE WERE ALL MELE WRITTEN BY LILI'U OR FOR LILI'U.
AND I SIT THERE IN THAT CHURCH, AND I'M JUST LIKE, I SEE LILI'U THROUGH THE WORDS.
I FEEL -- I FEEL HER.
THE WAY THAT OUR PEOPLE HONORED HER THROUGH THESE SONGS.
YEAH.
WE NEED TO DO IT MORE.
WE NEED TO HONOR IT MORE.
WE NEED TO BRING IT FORWARD AND ENCOURAGE OUR YOUNG ONES TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN BE A PART OF DOCUMENTING THE HISTORY OF TODAY FOR THE GENERATIONS TO COME.
>> MALIA, ISN'T IT POETRY THAT THE HAWAIIAN MOVEMENT, AS WE EXPERIENCE IT TODAY, QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI'S LEGACY AT THE CHILDREN'S CENTER WAS VERY KEY TO GENERATING THAT YOU KNOW.
>> I DON'T KNOW A LOT OF THAT HISTORY OF QLCC, BUT DEFINITELY, THE QUEEN HAS PLAYED A BIG ROLE IN THE LANGUAGE OF OUR PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS LOVE, LIKE ONE OF THE MELE THAT WAS SHARED WAS WHEN SHE WAS DELIVERED FLOWER, IT WAS WRAPPED UP IN THE PAPER.
IT WAS A WAY TO SHARE THE MO'OLELO OUTSIDE FROM THE QUEEN.
AM I SAYING THAT CORRECTLY?
>> YEAH.
THERE ARE SO MANY NEW MELE THAT WE'RE DISCOVERING.
SHE WASN'T ABLE TO WRITE IT DOWN BUT WOULD SHARE IT WITH THE PEOPLE WHO WERE ALLOWED TO COME AND VISIT HER THE 6 AND.
THERE'S AT LEAST TWO DOZEN THAT WE CAN NOW ATTRIBUTE TO LILI'UOKALANI, WHICH IS EXCITING.
AT THE PALACE, FOR US, IT'S SHARING THE EXCITEMENT OF WHO OUR SOVEREIGN NATION WAS AND WHO OUR PEOPLE WERE.
AND HOW OUR ALII ARE DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER ROYALS AROUND THE WORLD IN WHAT THEY DID.
THEY ALL WERE PHENOMENAL IN THE LEGACY THAT THEY LEFT FIND, AND ESPECIALLY WITH LILI'UOKALANI AND WITH LUNALILO, THAT IT CONTINUES TODAY, WHICH IS AMAZING.
BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT PEOPLE COME THROUGH AT LEAST THE PALACE AS WE WORK ON PROGRAMS FOR OUR STUDENTS.
THAT THEY CAN LEARN THINGS WALKING THROUGH THE FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ALII AND LEARN NOT ONLY PERSEVERANCE BUT SO MANY OF THE OTHER WONDERFUL ATTRIBUTES THAT THE ALII HAD AS SERVANT LEADERS.
THAT THEY CAN CARRY ON AND USE IN THE FUTURE.
>> Lauren: WE HAVE A COUPLE MINUTES LEFT.
WE CAN GO AROUND THE TABLE, TOM, WHAT IS A PIECE OF HAWAIIAN HISTORY WHERE AN ALII, QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HER, MAYBE YOU ADMIRE OR TAKE AWAY TO YOUR OWN PERSONAL LIFE?
LESSONS THAT MAYBE YOU LEARNED?
>> I THINK IT WAS HER WILL TO RESIST.
>> Lauren: MALIA.
>> A WORD THAT COMING TO MIND FOR ME WHEN I THINK OF LILI'U IS "MALUHIA."
KEEPING THE PIECE.
ENDURING.
IT ALSO MAKES ME THINK ABOUT PRINCE CUE KUHIO AS WELL.
HE WAS A NONVOTING DELEGATE, BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP HIM FROM CREATING LEGISLATION THAT -- WHO WOULD KNOW THAT TODAY, YOU KNOW.
YES, THERE ARE PROBLEMS TO THE HAWAIIAN HOMELANDS AND ALL OF THAT BUT, I MEAN HE HAD THIS INSIGHT, WHAT HE NEEDED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PEOPLE WOULD HAVE A PLACE.
HERE AT HOME.
EVEN THOUGH HE WAS A NONVOTING DELEGATE, HIM, ALONG WITH HIS WIFE, LED THE WAY WHILE THEY WERE SO FAR AWAY.
AND TOLD OUR STORY WHILE THEY WERE THERE, AND SO AS A CIVIC CLUB MEMBER, I LOVE LEARNING MORE ABOUT OUR ALII LIKE LILI'U AND PRINCE CUE KUHIO BECAUSE THY WERE SO STRONG BUT SO HUMBLE.
I LOVE THAT AS AN EXAMPLE.
>> I THINK THE HUMBLENESS BUT FOR HER, SHE DID PREACH FORGIVENESS ON SO MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS.
THAT YOU LEARN FROM IT.
YOU KNOW, IN DAY TO DAY, THINGS YOU COME ACROSS, THE ISSUES YOU COME UP WITH.
YOU CAN THINK WHAT YOU LEARN FROM THEM AND TRY TO STEP BACK AND KIND OF PAUSE BEFORE YOU MOVING FORWARD.
>> Lauren: PAULA, WE HAVE MAYBE A MINUTE LEFT.
EVERY TIME SOMEONE, WHETHER LOCAL, VISITOR STEPS FOOT ON TO 'IOLANI PALACE, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO TAKE.
EVEN IF IT'S A SMALL PIECE OF OUR HISTORY HOME WITH LEARN.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL THEM, LOCALS, VISITORS, MAYBE HOW THEY CAN REALLY SOAK UP THE EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY STEP FOOT ON THOSE DOOR?
>> GOSH, I THINK IF THEY DO A LITTLE RESEARCH FIRST, THAT REALLY HELPS BECAUSE IT KIND OF SETS THE TABLE FOR GETTING THERE.
WE DO AUDIO TOURS, BUT THE DOCENT TOURS ARE AMAZING.
AND TO JUST TAKE YOUR TIME WHEN YOU GO THROUGH.
YEAH.
AND OUR KAMA'AINA SUNDAY, WE HAVE MELE, HULA, WE HAVE JOHN OSORIO THIS SUNDAY PERFORMING.
TO COME AND SPEND THAT TIME.
>> Lauren: CAN WE GROW UP THAT GRAPHIC ONE MORE TIME SO VIEWERS KNOW WHERE THEY CAN FIND THE HAWAIIAN HISTORY MONTH EVENTS HAPPENING.
IT'S THIS SATURDAY.
>> SATURDAY.
>> Lauren: THIS SATURDAY FREE FOR KAMA'AINA.
AND WHEN IS THE CHANNEL?
>> 14TH.
KAMA'AINA SUNDAY DURING THE DAY.
AND WE CLOSE THE GATES O LITTLEE BIT, OPEN AT DUSK FOR THE KUMULIPO.
>> Lauren: CHECK OUT PKSZ -- PBS.org/HAWAIIAN HISTORY.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO THROW UP THE EVENTS THE THERE'S A LOT OF EVENTS THIS MONTH.
PLEASE CHECK THAT OUT.
AND USE THIS MONTH AS A STARTING POINT, A TIME TO BE A SPONGE AND SOAK IT UP.
MAHALO FOR JOINING US TONIGHT AND WE THANK OUR GUESTS• PAULA AKANA FROM THE FRIENDS OF 'IOLANI PALACE AND MALIA NOBREGA-OLIVERA FROM THE HAWAI'I PONO'I COALLITION AND WRITER AND FILMMAKER TOM COFFMAN.
NEXT WEEK ON INSIGHTS WE TAKE A LOOK AT HAWAI'I'S FILM LANDSCAPE.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS THERE ARE NO BIG STUDIO TV SHOWS OR MOVIES LINED-UP TO BE SHOT IN HAWAI'I.
SO WHAT CAN BE DONE TO REJUVENATE HAWAII'S FILM INDUSTRY.
PLEASE JOIN US THEN.
I'M LAUREN DAY FOR INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAI'I.
HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.

- News and Public Affairs

Top journalists deliver compelling original analysis of the hour's headlines.

- News and Public Affairs

FRONTLINE is investigative journalism that questions, explains and changes our world.












Support for PBS provided by:
Insights on PBS Hawaiʻi is a local public television program presented by PBS Hawai'i