A critically acclaimed film about the Hawaiian tradition of honoring those who embrace both male and female spirit and values will have two Kauai screenings as part of the Hawaii International Film Festival. “Kumu Hina” (Not Rated, 77 minutes) is about
A critically acclaimed film about the Hawaiian tradition of honoring those who embrace both male and female spirit and values will have two Kauai screenings as part of the Hawaii International Film Festival.
“Kumu Hina” (Not Rated, 77 minutes) is about “the true meaning of aloha,” and will screen at 4 and 7 p.m. Sunday in the Waimea Theater. The documentary presentation will have a talk story and Q&A session after each screening with Kumu Hina Wong-Kalu herself and Emmy Award-winning directors Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson and co-producer Connie Florez.
“Kumu Hina” is about the struggle to maintain Pacific Islander culture and values within an increasingly Westernized society. She is considered an extraordinary kanaka maoli teacher, cultural practitioner and community leader, a respected kumu and mahu.
Director and producer Dean Hamer, an Emmy Award winning filmmaker and New York Times Book of the Year author, moved to the north shore of Oahu to work on “Kumu Hina” in 2011. He cofounded his film company, Qwaves, and made “Kumu Hina” in collaboration with ITVS and Pacific Islanders in Communications.
“We met Hina Wong-Kalu in early 2011 and were immediately captivated by her presence,” Hamer states in the production notes. “Physically large, and covered in striking tattoos, she is easily identifiable to most as a transgender Polynesian woman. But rather than being cast as an outsider, as would likely be the case if we were in the continental United States or most other places, Hina is an important and respected person in her home town of Honolulu and throughout Hawaii.”
In Hina Wong-Kalu’s Hawaii, “a little boy can grow up to be the woman of his dreams, and a young girl can rise to become a leader among men.” It was traditional culture that inspired her place as Kumu Hina of the school’s all-male hula troupe, and at the same time she longs for love and a committed relationship.
The film follows her marriage to Haemaccelo Kalu, a Tongan man, and the immigration complications that challenge the relationship. As their journey unfolds, Kumu Hina’s roots and values give her the strength and wisdom to persevere, offering a new perspective on the true meaning of aloha.
Kumu Hina is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and the University of Hawaii’s Center for Hawaiian Studies. She serves as director of culture at the public charter school Halau Lokahi, and chairs the Oahu Island Burial Council that works to protect Hawaiian ancestral remains. In 2014, Hina announced her bid for a position on the board of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
“While this journey through love and heartbreak has been powerful, it is another, unexpected, story that emerged during the year we spent following Hina that transformed our vision and hopes for this film,” Hamer added.
Hina’s painful experiences perhaps lead to this great effort to create a school environment where all kids are welcome and feel like they belong in accordance to Hawaiian values, he added.
“Traditional respect for māhū — those who embrace both the feminine and masculine traits that are embodied in each one of us — Hina has created a special ‘place in the middle’ for students who might be marginalized and mistreated elsewhere.”
Tickets are $15 general admission and $10 for students, military and seniors. Find out more at waimeatheater.com.
