"BARBARIAN PRINCESS" - ADDING INSULT TO INJURY - Blog

ADDING INSULT TO INJURYMovie Title Calls Hawaiian Princess Ka`iulani "Barbarian"

"Barbarian Princess" movie writer/director Marc Forby said that including the term “barbarian” in the movie’s title was meant to be ironic. "We wanted to draw attention to how Hawaiians were treated in the 1800s…”Knowing that back then, the word “barbarian” was an insult to Princess Ka`iulani and all Hawaiians; and knowing that Hawaiians today consider it an insult, the real irony is that Forby chooses to continue the insult.And for what? To attract “middle America” so they can know the story of Ka`iulani. I get it, the insult is a marketing ploy!Forby said “this has never been about exploiting the Hawaiian people. I never knew it would get so heated. I thought the irony would be obvious."Forby is obviously clueless. The true irony is that he has no qualms about blaring out a century-old racial slur on the movie marquee so he can sell more tickets. He does P.T. Barnum proud.Forby apologized for “any offense the title has caused.” That’s good, but did he change the offensive title? No. So we Hawaiians will stack it with the other worthless apologies while the Marc Forbys continue adding insult to injury.Leon SiuAiea, O`ahu

It takes a great deal of understanding as to where these popcorn film makers are coming from as to how come and why they are producing an eight million dollar budget film. The word 'barbarian' were used for the Spanish conqueror's and their attention to slave and imprisioment. Visiting any library where they are large populations of citizens, one will see on display Spanish writings bound in leather from the 17th century and the word barbarian written into the title. The next question would be what is the autor's message? This is very elementary and taught in 3rd grade classrooms.

What is the author's message? From the given title and the picuture what can we infer from the image? Just asserting that some students will say "she's very pretty ... she's wearing a white dress.. she's on an island... ." How do you know that? "she's standing on sand" So, we think she's not in a desert because of the trees? And there is water? Could this pictured image be about a Native American looking over a lake? Yes! "it's an island not a lake." Okay, why do you think this pretty girl, has her hand out? My student's being intelligent would say, "she has somethin in her hand, what is it?" "She look's like Jesus." "Is she going to die?" "I don't know if she is going to die." About Jack's question, (changing the subject to refocus students). "I can't tell as to what she is holding in her hand from this image." "It looks like rocks, I collect pet rocks, said Jack" Jack raise your hands! How many of you collect pet rocks? Tomorrow, "I want Jack to bring his pet rocks to school and share his reasons for collecting rocks." Teacher, "can I bring my collection of dolls?" "I have lot's of princess dolls" Yes, "you may."

So, we will have two people sharing their collection of things tomorrow. Jack and his pet rocks and Jane will share her princess dolls, and they will disscuss as to why they collect these things. The movie or book would be shown where as 3rd graders would commence to predict, and name the characters. They would draw an image of their thoughts and write a caption of their drawing. When they are done it's published for administrators that do walk into the classroom and evaluate teacher's performance. Now, would she get fired for showing a 3rd grade classroom the "Barbarian Princesss?"

Most books published about our Princess Kaiulani in elementary schools across the world, depict her as a child? So children are very familiar with Princess Kaiulani and the fact is in Hawaii she is their princess and not just wear's pretty clothes, she is a real princess! Princess grow up as the child grows, she becomes their teenage princes when they are in their teens. She dies, in her twenties like our teens do in Native Hawaiian dense populations. And people to create programs around these stats, it's said, but a couple million dollar programs do not remedy the problem of high teen deaths in Native Hawaiian communities. It's just a way of being capitalistic. For elementary the word "barbarian" would be foreign, negative, and Barbie Doll fantasy! And expected to be forgotten, and this movie generates a fantasy-- beyond the death of our Princess as a continum for boys who never grew out of their doll collections. I'm alluding this to the producers, that should have shared their collections of pet rocks in elementary years. About the shells that's another lesson. Kaohi

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Pomaikaiokalani October 19, 2009 at 5:07pm

What next a Movie on the The Frist Black President?
Kaohi October 19, 2009 at 12:22pm

It takes a great deal of understanding as to where these popcorn film makers are coming from as to how come and why they are producing an eight million dollar budget film. The word 'barbarian' were used for the Spanish conqueror's and their attention to slave and imprisioment. Visiting any library where they are large populations of citizens, one will see on display Spanish writings bound in leather from the 17th century and the word barbarian written into the title. The next question would be what is the autor's message? This is very elementary and taught in 3rd grade classrooms.

What is the author's message? From the given title and the picuture what can we infer from the image? Just asserting that some students will say "she's very pretty ... she's wearing a white dress.. she's on an island... ." How do you know that? "she's standing on sand" So, we think she's not in a desert because of the trees? And there is water? Could this pictured image be about a Native American looking over a lake? Yes! "it's an island not a lake." Okay, why do you think this pretty girl, has her hand out? My student's being intelligent would say, "she has somethin in her hand, what is it?" "She look's like Jesus." "Is she going to die?" "I don't know if she is going to die." About Jack's question, (changing the subject to refocus students). "I can't tell as to what she is holding in her hand from this image." "It looks like rocks, I collect pet rocks, said Jack" Jack raise your hands! How many of you collect pet rocks? Tomorrow, "I want Jack to bring his pet rocks to school and share his reasons for collecting rocks." Teacher, "can I bring my collection of dolls?" "I have lot's of princess dolls" Yes, "you may."

So, we will have two people sharing their collection of things tomorrow. Jack and his pet rocks and Jane will share her princess dolls, and they will disscuss as to why they collect these things. The movie or book would be shown where as 3rd graders would commence to predict, and name the characters. They would draw an image of their thoughts and write a caption of their drawing. When they are done it's published for administrators that do walk into the classroom and evaluate teacher's performance. Now, would she get fired for showing a 3rd grade classroom the "Barbarian Princesss?"

Most books published about our Princess Kaiulani in elementary schools across the world, depict her as a child? So children are very familiar with Princess Kaiulani and the fact is in Hawaii she is their princess and not just wear's pretty clothes, she is a real princess! Princess grow up as the child grows, she becomes their teenage princes when they are in their teens. She dies, in her twenties like our teens do in Native Hawaiian dense populations. And people to create programs around these stats, it's said, but a couple million dollar programs do not remedy the problem of high teen deaths in Native Hawaiian communities. It's just a way of being capitalistic. For elementary the word "barbarian" would be foreign, negative, and Barbie Doll fantasy! And expected to be forgotten, and this movie generates a fantasy-- beyond the death of our Princess as a continum for boys who never grew out of their doll collections. I'm alluding this to the producers, that should have shared their collections of pet rocks in elementary years. About the shells that's another lesson. Kaohi
Pomaikaiokalani October 19, 2009 at 9:04am

ALOHA Kakou, e Hawaii, I know that in the past the use of the word Barbarian was just one of the many words that was used to down grade our Alii and our people. I have seen the Political Cartoons of that period on our Alii. Making a movie and using the word Barbarian perpetuates the HEWA of the past.
Hawaiians today need to KUE this types of actions against our Ancestors and our people of today.
Long Live The Hawaiian Kingdom, o Pomai

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