DOCUMENTARY on HAWAIIAN CULTURE and SOVEREIGNTY - Standing Room Only Hawaii A Voice For Sovereignty Screened in Pasadena: The Real-life story of the Avatar Theme Becomes a Social Movement - Blog

A plea for paradise from the keepers of Aloha, the kanaka maole (people of

the land) in "Hawaii A Voice For Sovereignty" was premiered with standing room only at the Pasadena Convention Center, Saturday April 3rd. Photojournalist and filmmaker, Catherine Bauknight became a messenger for the voice of the Native Hawaiian people as she documented them speaking out in the epic documentary, Hawaii A Voice For Sovereignty. The documentary was filmed over 4 years. Bauknight went from Island to Island asking the Native Hawaiians to discuss their culture and why they were not visible in their own land. They would tell her that they could not talk about their culture or issues without speaking of their spirituality and their need to reconnect to the land and their sovereign rights.

The screening was opened with a traditional ceremony by the Hula Halau Na 'O Maile and musician Auntie Geri Kuhia. Kiowa Gordon, actor from the Twilight Saga New Moon and Native American from the Hualapai Tribe announced he will serve as a spokesperson for the documentary "Hawaii A Voice For Sovereignty", and the upcoming documentary series that Bauknight is creating to raise awareness of vanishing cultures. After the screening of the 84 minute documentary, a panel discussion engaged the audience monitored by Addie Rolnick - Critical Race Studies Law Fellow, UCLA School of Law, with panelists including Arnie Saiki- Project Director, 'Imi Pono Projects, 'Ehu Kekahu Cardwell -The Koani Foundation, Leon Siu - Astute analyst and strategist in the Hawaiian political arena, and Christen Marquez - Filmmaker

Hawaiians are seeking sovereignty to save their culture, their spirituality, and their connection to the lands of Hawaii; land which they believe belongs to them. The land was owned by their ancestors and the RoyalKingdom, before it was claimed by the U.S. in 1893. They seek to have their natural sovereign rights returned, as people who respectfully care for each other and care for the land. The issue of Hawaiian ceded lands went before the US Supreme Court in 2009, but was remanded back to the Hawaii Supreme Court.

The film was screened to a standing room only crowd of about 400 people in the filmmakers home town of Pasadena, California at the Pasadena Convention Center on April 3rd, with an introduction by vice-mayor, Victor Gordo.Support for the film in her hometown on Easter weekend is an expression of how eager the public is to help make changes

in social awareness of indigenous people, Bauknight believes. Most of the

people came out to learn more about the film that they had heard much about through traditional media coverage such as USA Today, Newsweek.com, The Honolulu

Examiner,Hawaiian Public Radio, and the Pasadena Weekly over the years. "An

extraordinary thing happened when people began to participate in the Hawaiian sovereignty movement. A social movement has been created following the film and the journey of the Hawaiians on their quest. This was done through google, youtube, facebook, Maoli World, the film website, and word of mouth known to Hawaiians as the Coconut Wireless.

Supporters of the Sovereignty movement and of environmental sustainability on the lslands began a unique way of communicating with each other through the film in 2005. They have followed their movement and supported the film at its first private premiere at the US Capitol Building in June 2009, and watched the continued success at film festivals where it won awards including "Best Hawai'i Film" at the Maui Film Festival", "Best Environmental Film" and "Best Documentary Feature" at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival Film Festival in New York

City. It is the Hawaiian People's film. They share their aloha and touch the hearts and minds of the viewers.

"People kept calling me the day that Avatar came out saying I had to go see

the film. I realized immediately that the theme of Avatar is the real-life story of the struggles that the Native Hawaiian People face, due to overdevelopment, environmental abuse, and lack of respect for their culture", says Bauknight.

"Hawaii A Voice For Sovereignty" is and educational film about the cultural

awareness of the people and the environment of Hawaii. It is a universal message. For more information about the series and submissions on subject matter of indigenous cultures please email Catherine Bauknight @www.catherinebauknight.com <http://www.catherinebauknight.com/>.

Relating articles and comments from audience

“This is a must see film” Dan Lagronio
The Examiner

http://www.examiner.com/x-24782-LA-Hawaiian-Culture-Examiner~y2010m3d21-Aloha-aina?cid=email-this-article

Comments on the film Hawaii A Voice For Sovereignty: from the audience

commented on the film:

"The Aloha spirit is alive and thriving in our hearts here ... Thank you

for your glorious ,eye opening,enlightening, concsiousness raising film. You

have seriously made a differnce." - Valerie Swift Bird

In a nutshell, the movie shows the current state of the HawaiianIndependence movement (dates back to the occupation of Hawaii by U.S. forces

in the late 1800s), history, interviews and words of key players incl. Henry

Kapono, Dennis Kanahele, etc.; local native culture; protests; incursions

by government authorities; the words, life and day to day struggles of

native Hawaiians against the onslaught of developers who seem intent on

paving over paradise; interviews with lawyers; spectacular footage of the

islands, much more. - Don Chin