Posted October 12, 2011

SUMMARY

"Native Of Owhyhee", a feature documentary film, is being broadcast on 'Olelo Television NATV Channel 53. The film shows Hawaiian history over a period of many centuries, focusing on the blending of cultures as native chiefs and commoners welcomed American Christian missionaries. It has 56 expert speakers and 10 Hawaiian narrators (listed below); over 1000 historical images, historical film-clips, great original Hawaiian music, and spectacular cinematography. There's a link for "on demand" internet viewing already available to anyone throughout the world. Each of the film's 3 parts will be broadcast on TV in Honolulu at least 4 times from October 25 through November 18, 2011; schedule provided below.

3-minute trailer:
http://www.imdb.com/video/wab/vi3972661785/

Motto of the film: Filmmaker Jo Danieli identifies the motto of the film: "I would like to quote Kumu Rubellite Kawena Kinney Johnson, one kupuna speaking in the film: 'Spirit is not racial, it is universal', and that is indeed the motto of the film."

Summary of film: In the mid 19th century, Hawaii turned from an ancient "pagan" society into one of the most literate Christian nations in the world, leaving behind eras of tribal cults and sacrifices, of legendary magical ways of living. The history of Hawaii began over 1000 years ago. It continued with Captain Cook's arrival in 1778, the unification of Hawaii by Kamehameha The Great, and the destruction of the ancient religion by Kamehameha II in 1819. Meanwhile several young native sailors had gone to America and made their way to Yale divinity school. Henry Opukaha'ia became a fervent Christian and great orator. He persuaded American missionaries to come to Hawaii. He died before the voyage; but 3 natives, including the Crown Prince of Kaua'i, accompanied the first group of missionaries, who arrived in 1820. Part 1 focuses on events in Hawaii before 1820, while Parts 2 and 3 trace the role of the missionaries and the cooperative mingling of cultures during the following decades, as Hawaii became a constitutional monarchy with private property and the rule of law.

Writer, director, producer, editor, videographer: Jo Danieli. Ms. Danieli is currently with her family in Vienna, Austria, but can be reached by email at
jodanieli@hotmail.com

Producer/director of photography and post-production: Robert C. Stone. Mr. Stone's contact information is
Stoneman Productions
222 Haulani Street
Makawao, HI 96768-8606
808-250-8030
stoneman@maui.net

Author of this media release with permission of Jo Danieli:
Kenneth R. Conklin, Ph.D.
46-255 Kahuhipa St. Apt. 1205
Kane'ohe, HI 96744
tel/fax (808) 247-7942
Ken_Conklin@yahoo.com

Recommended publicity photo of native Hawaiian Henry Opukaha'ia
(missionary spelling in English was Obookiah)
(Courtesy of findagrave.com)
http://tinyurl.com/3q7fnsh

The 390 minute film has been divided into 3 parts.
Each part is 2 hours and 11 minutes, and will be broadcast at least 4 times (broadcast schedule below).

All 3 parts are also immediately available "on demand" (along with user-friendly downloads for Windows Media Player and Macintosh Silverlight Player) at
http://tinyurl.com/3myv7wn
Viewing "on demand" allows the film to be viewed on a personal computer at anytime a viewer wishes, where the viewing can be stopped and restarted, but not saved. 'Olelo TV will probably maintain availability of the film "on demand" for an unspecified number of weeks after the broadcast schedule ends.

The film can also be viewed on the internet without needing any software download, at those times when it is actually being broadcast on television in Honolulu. See the link for livestream viewing immediately after the broadcast schedule, below.

Further details:

Filmmaker Jo Danieli says: "The feature documentary "Native Of Owhyhee" (390 min.) has always been a private project, made without any funding through several years, from the private resources of the filmmakers due to sincere interest in Hawaiian history and culture – since it reaches beyond boundaries of geography and ethnicity. It is to this day an educational effort by all the participants, and the filmmakers Jo Danieli and Robert C. Stone wish to thank all the speakers and narrators for sharing their "mana'o" as well as the contributors of imagery, music and other material for their cooperation"

Filmmaker Jo Danieli also says: "The speakers' names are intentionally not shown while they are speaking, because it is about the storytelling and the content, and not about who says what -- perceptions today are often affected by someone's title, and I wanted to avoid that division between the speakers. All names and titles are shared at the end of the film in their entirety and order or appearance. I would like to mention, though, that Charles Ka'upu and Papa Sylvester Kepelino, and George Naope, speakers in the film, have since passed."

Filmmaker Jo Danieli continues: "I would like to quote Kumu Rubellite Kawena Kinney Johnson, one "kupuna" speaking in the film: "Spirit is not racial, it is universal", and that is indeed the motto of the film. History can never be seen from one perspective only, but it is a summary of all experiences and their interpretations. We honor our ancestors -- all of them. The world is only divided if we think so."

SCHEDULE FOR SHOWING ON 'OLELO TV
ALL ON NATV CHANNEL 53 (except for one showing)
Allow 2 hours and 11 minutes for each part

Native of Owhyhee: Part 1 of 3
10/25/11 Tue 1:00 pm to 3:11 pm
10/28/11 Fri 1:30 pm to 3:41 pm
11/4/11 Fri 12:30 pm to 2:41 pm
11/16/11 Wed 6:00 pm to 8:11 pm

Native of Owhyhee: Part 2 of 3
10/27/11 Thu FOCUS Channel 49 12 noon to 2:11 pm
11/1/11 Tue 2:30 pm to 4:41 pm
11/8/11 Tue 1:00 pm to 3:11 pm
11/17/11 Thu 6:00 pm to 8:11 pm

Native of Owhyhee: Part 3 of 3
10/27/11 Thu 7:00 pm to 9:11 pm
11/3/11 Thu 9:00 am to 11:11 am
11/10/11 Thu 9:00 am to 11:11 am
11/18/11 Fri 12:30 pm to 2:41 am

Those broadcasts can be viewed anywhere in the world during their broadcast times using the 'Olelo TV livestream for Channel 53 (no software downloads needed), thus providing another way for viewers to see the film in addition to the "on demand" link mentioned earlier. For livestream viewing during broadcasts on Channel 53 with no download needed (be patient for about 10 seconds while the broadcast hooks up and gets buffered), go to:
http://tinyurl.com/27rntwz

Speakers & Narrators in order of first appearance:
(Many appear on several occasions)

Rebecca Cann
Nicholas Bellantoni
Rubellite Kawena Kinney Johnson
Lilikala Kame’eleihiwa
Jerome Feldman
Jocelyn Linnekin
Akoni Akana
Sam Ka'ai
Ke'eaumoku Kapu
Lono
Serge Kahili King
Thor Heyerdahl
David Kapaku
Kalani Po'omaihealani
Tanya M. Na’ehu
Raylene Kawai'ae'a
Charles K. Ka'upu (+)
Peter Mills
DeSoto Brown
Kawehi Kanui
Lei'ohu Ryder
Ka'ipo Kaneakua
Hanohano Na'ehu
Makahiwa N. Thompson
Anthony Natividad
Bill Garcia
Jeffrey Lyons
Harold Teves
Kimo Alameda
Douglas Warne
Mark McEachern
Patricia Wolfinger
Kenneth Minkema
John Lombard
Caroline Bond Davis
Judith Schiff
Ann Schillinger
Yolanda Smith
Jill Bryant
Roxanna Laughlin
Anna Ramirez
Michael Gannett
Lucretia Bingham
Henry Boshard
Thurston Twigg-Smith
Mary N. Zwiep
Anne Finlay-Chamberlain
James Rumford
Albert Schuetz
Papa Sylvester Kepelino (+)
Lois Stokes
Earl Stokes
Robert Midkiff
Mary Fragas
George Naope (+)
Susan Pa'iniu Floyd
Kim Kindersley
John Keawe

Narrators:
Noella Negrillo
Kolina Akau Mokiao
Larry Noa Kawai
Christopher Carter
Kalapana Kollars
Kalani Au
Moses Goods
Tauari’i Nahalea Marama
Kananilehua Conner
Wailana Simcock

Some webpages in order of relevance to the film "Native of Owhyhee"

Quick biography of Opukahaia:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgibin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=14564528

Major list of resources about Opukahaia, including full text of his memoirs, and a collection of published accounts from the 19th century describing Opukaha’ia’s influence on the American Protestant missionary movement
http://www.obookiah.com/Obookiah.com/Welcome_to_Henry_Opukahaia_Collection.html

Webpage by Ken Conklin:
Henry Opukaha'ia (Obookiah) -- Native Hawaiian Travels to New England in 1809, Converts to Christianity, and Persuades Yale Divinity Students to Come to Hawai'i as Missionaries in 1820
http://tinyurl.com/ygfnxh

Webpage by Ken Conklin
The role of religion in Hawaiian history and sovereignty. How the ancient native Hawaiian religion is being revived to serve the political goal of establishing race-based sovereignty. How the native religion and Christian religion shaped culture and politics in the Kingdom of Hawaii. Compilation of selected webpages and books.
http://tinyurl.com/yjyn9b5

Webpage by Ken Conklin
Hawaii Statehood -- straightening out the history-twisters. A historical narrative defending the legitimacy of the revolution of 1893, the annexation of 1898, and the statehood vote of 1959.
http://tinyurl.com/n2zzeo

Webpage by Ken Conklin
Historical Issues Related to Hawaiian Sovereignty -- Revolution (Overthrow of monarchy), Annexation, Statehood, Indigenous Status, Hawaiian Language Ban, Ceded Lands, Etc.
http://tinyurl.com/3323rz

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Personal note from Ken Conklin:

Shorter versions of the film were rejected in two different years by the Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF), probably because it portrays the missionaries in a positive light. This is the same HIFF which, in a recent year, gave its award for "best documentary" to a rabidly anti-American propaganda film "Noho Hewa" [Illegal Occupation] about the alleged U.S. "military invasion" of Hawaii in 1893 and continuing allegedly belligerent military occupation of Hawaii to this day. The "Native of Owhyhee" film is thus "politically incorrect" in today's atmosphere of sovereignty activism where America is blamed as an invader and occupier of Hawaii, the missionaries are portrayed as people who "came to do good and did very well indeed", and the ancient religion is being revived as a political weapon in an effort to push out European, American, and Asian religious and cultural influences.

The filmmaker was diligent to avoid having her film shaped by major Hawaiian institutions with sovereignty political agendas, such as OHA, Kamehameha Schools, and Pacific Islanders in Communication. It is a truly independent film by Jo Danieli, a woman of deep spirituality, who divides her time between Maui and her native Austria. Co-producer and post-production editor Robert C. Stone, of Stoneman Productions in Makawao Maui, has produced several other documentary films portraying native religions and cultures. Another film co-produced by Mr. Stone -- "When The Mountain Calls: Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan" -- will show on Maui the weekend of November 5, 2011 and on O'ahu and Kaua'i the weekend of November 11. That film's website is at
http://www.whenthemountaincalls.com/

"Native of Owhyhee" is still seeking funding to be able to acquire all rights for theatrical release and/or DVD release for educational purposes; a copy can be obtained in exchange for a fee; contact Ms. Danieli or Mr. Stone. The Bishop Museum holds a copy as well as the Hawaiian Historical Society.

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Send comments or questions to:
Ken_Conklin@yahoo.com

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