“Hawaiʻi: A Voice for Sovereignty” free screening at Akaku

Hawaiʻi A Voice for Sovereignty
Catherine Bauknight

Join Akakū for a free screening of Catherine Bauknight’s, Hawaiʻi A Voice for Sovereignty, on Saturday, July 14, 2012.

KAHULUI, HI – On Saturday, July 14, 2012, Akakū is honoring three local community leaders, Kumu Keliʻi Tauʻā, Uncle Richard Hoʻopiʻi and Amy Hānaialiʻi Gilliom, at its 2nd Annual Maui Walk of Heroes. The celebration will conclude with a free screening of Catherine Bauknight’s award-winning film, Hawaiʻi A Voice for Sovereignty. The movie will be featured at 8:00 p.m. outdoors at 333 Dairy Road in Kahului.

ABOUT THE FILM:

Hawaiʻi A Voice for Sovereignty, is a documentary about the Native Hawaiian’s journey to sustain their culture, spirituality, and connection to the land. This modern epic documentary, filmed over four years, contains rare interviews with Native Hawaiians in their homes, at sacred sites, in mountains and the rain forests. Along with the voices of these “people of the land,” Professor Haunani-Kay Trask, Senator J. Kalani English, Grammy nominee Willie K and other Hawaiian leaders introduce us to ancient lifestyles where spirituality, culture, and care for the land form a sacred bond between humankind and the natural world. They reveal their quest to secure their Hawaiian rights as the host culture, and their economic, social, and ecological future. By bridging their ancient knowledge with modern technologies such as wind, solar, and wave renewable energy and agriculture land systems, they move towards their goal of sustainability. The film received the Audience Award for Best Hawaiʻi Film at the 2009 Maui Film Festival, an award from the Wairoa Maori Film Festival and others.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER:

Catherine Bauknight, a professional photographer for over two decades, has been featured in such distinguished publications as The New York Times, the cover of Time Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, Newsweek Magazine, USA Today, Rolling Stone, and People Magazine. She was one of five international photographers who risked their lives to cover the Tiananmen Square massacre. According to Bauknight, “My goal is to enhance the awareness of indigenous people by enabling them a voice, tell their own story which contributes greater knowledge to the family of mankind.” During trips to Hawaii Bauknight was compelled to uncover the reason for the lack of presence of the host culture. “It was an honor to reveal their story through the voice of the people,” says Bauknight.

Akakū: Maui Community Television (Akakū) empowers the communityʻs voice through access to media. Akakū is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that airs content created by the community for the community. Community members on Maui, Molokaʻi and Lanaʻi are encouraged to submit programming to the station, create their own television shows and have their voices heard by fellow community members.