Hawaii has gone through a lot of trials and tribulations. Today, we see how Hawaii continues to change and grow with the constant development and continued perpetuation of the Hawaiian culture.
The controversy of Mauna Kea being at the forefront of news today involving Native Hawaiians have brought even more awareness of the illegal occupation of Hawaii.
Recently, Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) launched a film project called Pa‘a Ke Aupuni: The Reel History of Hawai‘i, which is part of Kamakako’i which will be used as a “tool that engages community and shapes Hawai‘i through aloha ‘āina.”
Below is a trailer for a 60-minute animated film about Hawaii’s history that gets right to the point. It starts from traditional times during the era of Kamehameha the Great and tells the story all the way up to the annexation of Hawaii.
Ryan “Gonzo” Gonzalez, OHA digital media manager, who served as the film’s producer said:
“As you can imagine, there were a lot of challenges in condensing our history into a 60-minute space. But most of our content decisions were made easier by remembering who our target audience is — those who know little to nothing about the history of Hawai‘i,”
The film will debut in Honolulu at the Doris Duke Theatre on July 31 and online the same day. The date is significant to Hawaiian history because it is recognized as the national holiday Lā Ho‘iho‘i Ea – Sovereignty Restoration Day, which marked the restoration of the Hawaiian Kingdom by the British government.
OHA community engagement director Kēhaunani Abad, who wrote the script said:
“We hope those who may not know much about Hawaiian history will see Pa‘a Ke Aupuniand walk away from the experience with an increased appreciation of why Native Hawaiians remain passionate about addressing historical injustices – even 122 years later. And for those who know our history well, we hope Pa‘a Ke Aupuni will be a useful tool they can use to share our history with others.”
This is a great opportunity to continue to learn more about the Hawaiian history, no matter how much knowledge you have.
As our ancestors have taught us, through the telling of stories it all depends on what you take from it. 
PC: Kamakako’i
