Waikiki

The Hawaiʻi of my childhood is a world far different than the glossy misrepresentation presented in Hollywood film. The repercussions of colonialism and Statehood have left a people severed from ancestral land and culture. This has had a profound effect on Hawaiian psychology and self-image. Filmmaking has been my means to process these realities.

With Waikīkī being the crown jewel of the tourism industry and the driving force behind the exploitation of Hawaiian culture, it very clearly presented itself as the setting in which to discuss these issues. In my current film, I explore the contradictions of nature and development in contemporary Hawai’i, allowing for greater understanding of the film’s subtext — how the destruction of nature impacts mental and spiritual health.

The protagonist Kea, navigates a world where intergenerational violence, abuse, poverty, and mental illness, are daily battles. Negotiating between the diametrically opposed needs to survive in modern society and the call of her ancestors, tears at her psyche. Ultimately, it is Kea’s subconscious yearning to reconnect to her culture that serves as the true beauty of Waikiki.

As the world recognizes modern societies destruction of the planet, and begins to understand the importance of indigenous knowledge to face these challenges, WAIKIKI serves as a call to action for all people to realize that our survival is intrinsically tied to nature.

He aliʻi ka ‘āina, he kauwā ke kanaka.
The land is the chief and the people are its servants.