Hawaiian Voices: Bridging Past to Present

We have partnered with the University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu ʻUluʻulu: The Henry Kuʻualoha Giugni Moving Image Archive of Hawaiʻi to digitize, catalog, and make this film and raw footage available online for education and research. The links below will take you to short clips of the digitized film and raw footage. If you want a free DVD of this film, click here to visit our online store, just pay shipping and handling.

“The voices and stories of these old-timers reveal the true nature of our culture. Listening to the tūtū folks reminds me of the way it was when I was growing up. Mama Hale, Kahu Kaʻalakea, Auntie Ruth Kaholoaʻa and all of our treasured elders are our window into the past and a way of keeping the culture alive” — Eddie Kamae

This award winning one-hour documentary pays tribute to the role of the Kupuna (elders) in preserving Hawaiian culture. It focuses on the legacies of three respected Hawaiian elders whose lives bridged the transition from older times into the late 20th century. They are Ruth Makaila Kaholoaʻa, age 93, of the Big Island; Lilia Wahinemaikaʻi Hale, age 85, of Oʻahu and Molokai; and Reverend David “Kawika” Kaʻalakea, age 78, of Maui. A special emphasis in the documentary is the power of Hawaiian language as a key to cultural connectedness and continuity. Each of these kupuna speaks Hawaiian fluently, as it was once learned within their families. Each is a living archive of invaluable lore and recollection, a treasure whose stories, memories and perspectives need to be shared as a way of bridging the healing wisdom of the past into the often-fragmented world of the present.

If you want to see the complete film or an entire raw footage tape, contact ʻUluʻulu (click here to do so) and let them know what you want to watch; they will set you up as a researcher and provide you with a temporary streaming link of the tape you request.