Prominent Hollywood Star and resident of Maui, Hawaii, Kris Kristofferson, today issued a comment on Catherine Bauknight's film, "Hawaii A Voice For Sovereignty".Kristofferson stated:"Catherine Bauknight has beautifully captured a timeless moment in the unending struggle of the Hawaiian people to restore their Sovereign Nation. Hawaii - A Voice for Sovereignty is a thought-provoking documentary that respectfully canvasses their journey, hopes and dreams."Reach on her way to the Pacific Rim Film Festival where Bauknight's film will be screened this week, Bauknight said "It is an honor to have the approval of Kris regarding the message of the film. His life experience, including his living on Maui, have brought him wisdom and the respect of the Hawaiians."Following the screening in Santa Cruz the film will also be screened at the American Film Market in Los Angeles and the Waimea Theater on Kauai.
We need to have movies that reach the "mainstream" with the true history of Hawaii and the facts of the overthrow. Mainlanders have NO idea of what's going on now and went on then. This film serves a role in letting people know that SOMETHING is going on, but was WAY too watered down to do any good. As for that recommendation from Kris Kristopherson... I would much rather have heard that he (and the other rich haoles on Maui) decided that he would throw his considerable fame and fortune to supporting the Hawaiian people in the quest to restore the Kingdom to its proper place in the family of nations. If he were to do that, I could possibly believe that he now "gets it" about the sovereignty movement. As they used to sing in the old days of the labor movement, "Which side are you on?" There's too much fence straddling and too many things keeping Hawaiians from working together as one... regardless of blood quantum... that's not the issue for me. It's a matter of where one's true loyalty lies. That's the point I'd like for people to see. A nation is not a race. Until this is settled in the eyes of the people and the world, we'll continue to spin our wheels. At any rate, that's my mana'o on the topic. Pardon if it's off-topic. Malama pono
Just wanted to respond to your comment that "Overall it was good but it is still not a film about Hawaiians by a Hawaiian." There is a documentary/film that is oustanding by the way that is about Hawaiians, by a Hawaiian. That documentary is "Noho Hewa: The Wrongful Occupation of Hawaii." I would highly recommend you purchase it and watch it as soon as you possibly can, if you have not already!!!
P.S. I should add too that Haunani Kay Trask was in it but where were oiwi women in it?
They were virtually invisible thus their voice was invisible which of course was also not a coincidence. "Hawai'i: A Voice of Sovereignty" where the haole wahine has mostly oiwi kane speaking and the oiwi women are basically invisible and do not have much of a voice in the film compared to the kanaka men. This was done purposefully like how they tried to silence Queen Lili'uokalani.
Why am I not surprised? LOL
Yet some people are eating it up and raving about the film. I liked what some of them had to say though but it was juxtaposed with her message which made it even more obvious to those like me who can see.
Which popcorn movie? I thought the title was "Blood and Orchids?" What I do not like is how an actor like Kristopherson is somehow an "authority" on social justice and injustice.
Problematic is that some of these actors/actresses live on Maui part of the year which seems hypocritical.
They do not ask Hawaiians how they feel and/or how they think and I am not referring to pseudo-intellectuals. Worse... when we verbalize it some Hawaiians call it "whining" LOL In fact just recently there was a discussion about the "Barbarian Princess" at Facebook and a kane implied that Hawaiians whine.
I thought that "Hawai'i: A Voice of Sovereignty" was good though the undercurrent seems to try to be to pit one Hawaiian against another. I noticed that the premise was not "Let us work together as one for the betterment of ALL."
Instead it was "This is what I think and that is that!" though one of my cousins was in it. He and a few others who spoke in it was the saving grace. However they were the ones who spoke less than the others which of course was a not a coincidence.
Overall it was good but it is still not a film about Hawaiians by a Hawaiian. You already wrote about how some white women get involved in causes that are not necessarily their own and some toy with kanaka men. This film seems to have epitomized that because IMHO that is exactly what she did. Just my mana'o though.
Comments
Just wanted to respond to your comment that "Overall it was good but it is still not a film about Hawaiians by a Hawaiian." There is a documentary/film that is oustanding by the way that is about Hawaiians, by a Hawaiian. That documentary is "Noho Hewa: The Wrongful Occupation of Hawaii." I would highly recommend you purchase it and watch it as soon as you possibly can, if you have not already!!!
Kaleo
They were virtually invisible thus their voice was invisible which of course was also not a coincidence. "Hawai'i: A Voice of Sovereignty" where the haole wahine has mostly oiwi kane speaking and the oiwi women are basically invisible and do not have much of a voice in the film compared to the kanaka men. This was done purposefully like how they tried to silence Queen Lili'uokalani.
Why am I not surprised? LOL
Yet some people are eating it up and raving about the film. I liked what some of them had to say though but it was juxtaposed with her message which made it even more obvious to those like me who can see.
Which popcorn movie? I thought the title was "Blood and Orchids?" What I do not like is how an actor like Kristopherson is somehow an "authority" on social justice and injustice.
Problematic is that some of these actors/actresses live on Maui part of the year which seems hypocritical.
They do not ask Hawaiians how they feel and/or how they think and I am not referring to pseudo-intellectuals. Worse... when we verbalize it some Hawaiians call it "whining" LOL In fact just recently there was a discussion about the "Barbarian Princess" at Facebook and a kane implied that Hawaiians whine.
I thought that "Hawai'i: A Voice of Sovereignty" was good though the undercurrent seems to try to be to pit one Hawaiian against another. I noticed that the premise was not "Let us work together as one for the betterment of ALL."
Instead it was "This is what I think and that is that!" though one of my cousins was in it. He and a few others who spoke in it was the saving grace. However they were the ones who spoke less than the others which of course was a not a coincidence.
Overall it was good but it is still not a film about Hawaiians by a Hawaiian. You already wrote about how some white women get involved in causes that are not necessarily their own and some toy with kanaka men. This film seems to have epitomized that because IMHO that is exactly what she did. Just my mana'o though.
Rewriting the Massie Case and distorting the facts, so that Joseph Kahahawai looks like a rapist! Jerk!!! Popcorn movie sucks!!!!! Kaohi