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Kumu Hina Named One of Hawaiiʻs “Women of the Century” - USA Today
- Posted on 14th Aug
- Category: news
Surfing Champion, Hula Masters, Educators and Advocates on Hawaii Women of the Century list
by Lindsay Schnell, USA TODAY - August 14, 2020:
Is this a mana wahine?
In Hawaiian, mana wahine translates to “powerful woman,” and as a panel of experts worked to select Hawaii’s Women of the Century, they kept coming back to this phrase.
Did this woman motivate and inspire others to be courageous? How has she given back to Hawaii and its people? Is she committed to keeping Hawaiian traditions and stories alive? Those are the characteristics of a mana wahine, and it was crucial that every woman on the list fit them.
This year, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, when American women won the right to vote, the USA TODAY Network is naming 10 women from every state, plus the District of Columbia, as “Women of the Century.” These women have made significant contributions to their communities, states and country with documented achievements in areas like arts and literature, business, civil rights, education, entertainment, law, media, nonprofits and philanthropy, politics, science and medicine, and sports. The women had to have been alive during the last 100 years -- 1920 to 2020.
Hawaii has a long history of powerful women, the most notable being Queen Liliʻuokalani, Hawaii’s only queen regent and the last sovereign monarch, who ruled from 1891 until the overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom in 1893. She is revered across the state, with numerous hula events held in her memory, and various centers and events named in her honor.
Queen Liliʻuokalani, however, did not possess one important piece of criteria for the Women of the Century project: She hasn’t been alive since 1920, the year the 19th Amendment passed (she died in 1917).
But her legacy lives on in many of the women on our final list, matriarchs of their families who fought to ensure that the Hawaiian language and traditions would not only survive in the modern era, but thrive. Most of the women on this list are Hawaii’s Hulu kupuna, highly prized elders who possess an inspirational spirit and wisdom that’s cherished on the islands. Some of the younger women on the list, like 27-year-old surfer Carissa Moore, aren’t yet old enough to be elders – but they’re on that trajectory.
Choosing just 10 women proved to be challenging given the number of amazing women who have called the state home. Some women almost made the list, like former U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, the first Asian-American woman in the Senate and the first woman Hawaiian voters sent to the Senate. Puanani Burgess, a Buddhist priest, poet and cultural translator, who now embraces her role as “community Aunty,” also was a contender. Michelle Wie, the youngest player to ever qualify for an LPGA Tour event, inspired generations of aspiring golfers.
All are worthy choices but in the end, did not make our top 10. The final list is comprised of women who represent Hawaii with honor, pride and aloha, or love. To outsiders, aloha seems like a simple, friendly greeting; but to those who know Hawaii, it is a word rife with deep cultural and spiritual meaning. To represent Hawaii with aloha is one of the highest honors bestowed on a Hawaiian resident.
HINALEIMOANA WONG-KALU
Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, also known as Kumu Hina, is a Kanaka Maoli, or Native Hawaiian, teacher, Kumu Hula (hula master), filmmaker, cultural practitioner, community leader and a modern transgender woman. She was the founding member of Kūlia Nā Mamo, a community transgender health organization established in 2003 to help improve the quality of life for māhū wahine, a traditional third gender person who exists between male and female.
Kalu spent 13 years as the Director of Culture at Hālau Lōkahi Public Charter School in Honolulu, and was one of the first transgender candidates for statewide political office in the U.S. Previously, she served as the chair of the O’ahu Island Burial Council, which oversees the management of Native Hawaiian burial sites.
She now serves as community advocate for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, where she helps Native Hawaiian inmates prepare to be productive members of society. Kalu co-directed and produced the film, "Lady Eva," and a feature documentary, "Leitis in Waiting," about the struggle of the Indigenous transgender community in Tonga. Both won awards at several film festivals and have been broadcast on stations across the world.
Her latest film, Kapaemahu, an animated short she co-directed with her longtime collaborators Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson, premiered at Tribeca, and has qualified for an Academy Award nomination.
See full list HERE.
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13 FASCINATING MOVIES THAT CELEBRATE THE RICHNESS OF THE TRANSGENDER EXPERIENCE - RVA Magazine
- Posted on 30th Nov
- Category: news
November 29, 2019:
In Introduction to Transgender Studies, published in February 2019 by academic LGBTQ publisher Harrington Park Press, author Ardel Haefele-Thomas explores the historical and political contexts of transgender lives. They also share intimate personal stories and essays by trans people from around the world, and celebrate transgender people’s contributions to the worlds of art, literature, and culture.
The inclusion of “Films and Television of Interest” lists at the end of each chapter was an attempt to make sure that the book, which is the first ever introductory textbook for undergraduate-level transgender studies, is able to have an impact beyond “Transgender 101” courses in LGBTQ or gender studies departments.
“I have often found that students experience a good deal of anxiety, trepidation, and confusion when studying issues pertaining to sex and gender, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation,” stated Haefele-Thomas. “I wrote this book to create a safe space for the full spectrum of undergraduate students, ranging from those who have never thought about gender issues to students who identify as transgender, trans, nonbinary, agender, and/or gender expansive. In short, the language and the artwork in this book are meant to be welcoming.”
In this article, Haefele-Thomas recommends 13 films about transgender people and featuring transgender subjects and themes. If you feel less familiar with the transgender experience than you’d like to be, this list is a good place to start.
1: Southern Comfort
This teaches beautifully. And, it is one of the most perfect documentaries. The filmmaker is incredibly respectful of the community she is filming. And although the subject matter is heavy – a trans man dying of ovarian cancer because clinics refuse to care for him because he’s trans – the film itself is so full of love, simplicity (not in a bad way), and beauty.2: Georgie Girl
Another documentary – this one about Georgina Beyer, the first trans member of Parliament in the world. As an out Maori trans woman, this documentary is wonderful to use for discussions of the continuing effects of colonization, and for discussions on intersecting identities.3: A Place in the Middle
A PBS short film that explores a middle school student who is Mahu (third-gender people highly regarded within indigenous Hawaiian culture). This is a perfect film for in-class and for discussion.4: Leitis in Waiting
A wonderfully complex documentary that looks at trans people in Tonga. This film shows the effects of incoming evangelical missionaries who are calling for the eradication of the Leitis (trans women). A beautifully researched and filmed documentary.5: Two Spirit People
This film is quite old now, but it still beautifully explains third-gender identity (sometimes fourth- and fifth-gender identity) in Indigenous cultures of the Americas.6: Mulan: Rise of a Warrior
The original title was Hua Mulan – such a beautiful film from China that is a meditation on war and on the legend of General Mulan. It is really interesting to compare this to the Disney version, where the “gender reveal” is what is sensationalized. This Chinese film, though, is complex and rich as it looks at the fluidity of gender.7: Still Black: A Portrait of Black Trans Men
Outstanding documentary that looks at intersecting identities and the stereotypes around Black masculinity.8: Rocky Horror Picture Show
So, once this book was finally “put to bed,” the first thing I wanted to watch was the scene with Tim Curry coming down the lift in those fishnet hose, tapping his heel. Is the language outdated? YES! But this film continues to empower gender outlaws in their small towns, where they cannot be out – but they can go to the midnight show and feel at home for a couple of hours. I still have students tell me this film changed their lives. It sure changed this trans and queer Okie’s life when I saw it in OKC in 1982!9: Queen Christina
So, Hollywood tried (with the Hays Code), but they could not erase all of the gender slippage in this one! Greta Garbo. Dressed as a man. An amazing film.10: Dream Girls & Shinjuku Boys
I am cheating and putting these two together. But they need to go together to see a fully rounded look at gender diversity in Japan. Both are stunning.11: The Believers
This is a documentary about a trans choir in the San Francisco Bay Area. They are an incredibly diverse group of trans people who have come to a progressive Christian church, where they and their choir are welcomed. An outstanding documentary.12: Major!
The iconic Miss Major Griffin-Gracy is featured in this fabulous documentary. The film honors our amazing trans elder – and all of her fight and strength and beauty come shining through in this film.13: Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton’s Cafeteria
Susan Stryker and Victor Silverman’s documentary about the 1966 San Francisco Riot that pre-dates Stonewall by three years is an outstanding look at the trans community in the Tenderloin neighborhood in San Francisco in the late 1960’s. The film beautifully studies the nuances of political difference and disagreement between Vanguard, a radical queer youth group, and many of the trans women in the Tenderloin who were trying to get through each day in the face of racism, transphobia, and police harassment. This film is also really inspirational in an academic context, because it exemplifies the ways that a seemingly small find, hidden in an archive, can lead to a major documentary film and the recovery of a nearly lost history.Ardel Haefele-Thomas is chair of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender studies at City College of San Francisco. Haefele-Thomas’s academic work focuses on the intersection of gender identity and gender expression, sexual orientation, race, and class based in part on frameworks and structures of postcolonial and queer theory. They are the author of Introduction To Transgender Studies and coauthor of the forthcoming book Transgender: A Reference Text, with Aaron Devor.
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"Whose independence? Why some Native Hawaiians don’t celebrate on July 4" - The Christian Science Monitor
- Posted on 3rd Jul
- Category: news
WHY WE WROTE THIS
What does American liberty mean? It depends on whom you ask. While Independence Day is a joyful celebration for many Americans, for some Native Hawaiians, it is a painful reminder of the loss of sovereignty.
This July Fourth, Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu won’t be celebrating American freedom from Britain. She’ll be commemorating the loss of her ancestors’ independence at the hands of Americans.
As Americans gather in backyards and public parks around the United States, Ms. Wong-Kalu will be performing at the ʻIolani Palace, the cultural heart of Honolulu. There, she will be portraying Hawaii’s Queen Liliʻuokalani, who was imprisoned in the palace during the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom by American businessmen and plantation owners. Within five years, the U.S. government annexed the islands, setting the stage for Hawaii to become the 50th U.S. state in 1959.
But Ms. Wong-Kalu doesn’t feel much like an American. She is first and foremost a Kanaka Maoli, or Native Hawaiian.
“I feel a sense of duty and obligation to Hawaii because Hawaii is my homeland,” she says. “It is the heart of my existence. This is the part of my life that is my dominant identity.”
Connecting with that identity has not always been easy for Native Hawaiians. And for some, America’s Independence Day is a reminder of that separation from their heritage.
Today, Ms. Wong-Kalu works to inspire young Native Hawaiians to learn about their cultural roots as a kumu, or teacher.
Kumu Hina, as she is known throughout Hawaii, splits her time between correctional facilities and local schools, where she promotes the Hawaiian values of aloha: love, honor, and respect.
Read Full Story HERE.
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"Ho'onani Hula Warrior" - Kirkus Book Review
- Posted on 3rd Jul
- Category: news
KIRKUS REVIEW
Ho'onani Hula Warrior, published by Penguin Random House
In this picture book based on a true story, a nonbinary youth finds her place as a hula warrior.
Hoʻonani Kamai doesn’t identify with either wahine (girl) or kāne (boy); “she prefer[s] just Hoʻonani.” (Feminine pronouns refer to Hoʻonani throughout.) One day, her teacher Kumu Hina announces auditions for a traditional hula chant the high school kāne will perform. With Kumu Hina’s encouragement, Hoʻonani auditions despite the shock of the kāne. After passing the test, she practices “until Hawai‘i’s history [becomes] a part of her.” Practice pays off, as her chant’s strength and power gain her true acceptance as their leader. Kumu Hina warns that people may get upset that a wahine is leading, but Hoʻonani faces the performance with courage. Through every challenge and doubt, Hoʻonani “[holds] her place. Strong, sure, and steady.” Her strength and bravery lead her to find her place as a hula warrior. Based on the documentary A Place in the Middle, this story brings to light the Hawaiian tradition of valuing those who are māhū, or nonbinary. Teacher and activist Kumu Hina creates a place of safety and acceptance, encouraging her students to treat others with respect. Hoʻonani’s courage to be true to herself and her place in the middle is empowering. Hawaiian words are intermixed, and Song’s illustrations are full of emotion and determination.
Hoʻonani deserves a place on any shelf.
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"Kumu Hina and living in the middle" - The Retriever
- Posted on 7th Dec
- Category: news
by Angelica Mansfield - The Retriever - December 5, 2018:
Our world is consistently being defined by gender. Whether it is in relationships, the workplace or even in religion, there tend to be distinctions between and emphasis on binary genders. However, in Hawaiian culture, people accept that there is a place, called “mahu,” in between genders.
The film “Kumu Hina: A Place In The Middle” tells the story of two mahu. “Mahu” refers to people who have embraced both female and male characteristics and are sometimes transitioning to the gender they identify with. First, there is Hina, a teacher at a Kamehameha Schools in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Hina tells the audience how much she has struggled with personal and social acceptance of herself. She recounts how she was teased in high school and how, even as an adult, some simply do not understand what it means to be Mahu.
Unfortunately, her own husband is one that does not understand. He expects Hina to take on the role as housewife and, according to the audience, verges on abuse. Hina resigns to staying in this relationship because there are very few people who want to be with a mahu, and she is still in love with her husband.
It was difficult for the audience to watch both Hina’s own husband torture her and her frustration with the lack of passion in her students. Luckily, this made it easy for viewers to root for her and experience her joy when she was surrounded by people who loved her.
Her story truly represents the struggle of those who do not identify with their assigned gender. However, Hina works extremely hard to teach the youth at her school the true Hawaiian values of aloha. She constantly stresses the importance of love, honor and respect.
This sets the stage for another mahu, Ho’Onani. Ho’O attends the school where Hina teaches and becomes her mentee of sorts. Although it is unclear what gender this child identifies as, Ho’O is able to find a community at school that is not present at home.
This corresponds with many experiences of transgender youth today. Many kids find it difficult to find support among their family but are completely supported by their peers. The mother of Ho’O made the audience shift in their seats as she completely disregarded the feelings of her own child.
The mother essentially said that her “daughter” must accept that they will always be a girl. This resonates with members of the LGBT+ community. Often, a family can hold antiquated prejudices and project them onto their children, making it hard for the kids to feel accepted and loved in their family.
Luckily, the school Ho’O attended provided a space in which they were able to be themselves. Ho’O becomes the leader of the boys’ hula group and guides them towards an amazing performance at the end of the year.
This movie, although not filled with dazzling pictures or crystal clear videography, provided the audience with something real. It is a story that many can relate to, despite being set in a place that is essentially its own country. Not only that, but it also provides an appreciation for Hawaiian culture. This movie is one that should be recognized and watched to understand, if not to appreciate, those that live on the margins.
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"Influential Kumu Honored as 2018 Native Hawaiian Community Educator of the Year" - Hawaii News Now
- Posted on 9th Oct
- Category: news
by Dylan Ancheta - Hawaii News Now
HONOLULU (Oct. 8, 2018) - A pioneer and strong advocate for the Native Hawaiian community was recognized this week with the honor of being named Native Hawaiian Community Educator of the Year by Kamehameha Schools.
Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, well known as “Kumu Hina,” has served the Native Hawaiian community in various forms as a student, teacher, political voice, rights advocate and role model for more than two decades.
“Today, we honor a leader who is a champion for educating Native Hawaiians of all ages and improving their overall well-being,” Kamehameha Schools Senior Policy Analyst Ka’ano’i Walk said.
“Long before ‘Hawaiian culture-based education’ was a buzz phrase, she blazed a trail for local educators by teaching through a Native Hawaiian lens. A proud graduate of Kamehameha Schools, Kumu Hina is an ‘ōiwi leader with a strong cultural identity that has propelled her into a life of educational leadership and community advocacy.”
She earned her BA in Hawaiian studies and education from the University of Hawaii at Manoa before going onto teach ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i at Leeward Community College.
Add to her extensive resume, Wong-Kalu worked with Ke Ola Mamo Native Hawaiian Health Care System where she focused on improving the health of Native Hawaiians. Much of her time is also spent teaching inmates Hawaiian culture-based skills at local correctional facilities.
“Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to present me with this great honor,” Wong-Kalu said after being presented with the recognition at the 2018 Na Mea Hawai‘i Arts & Culture Award at the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement’s Native Hawaiian Convention at the Prince Waikiki.
Wong-Kalu also is the chair of the Oahu Island Burial Council, which addresses issues of unearthed iwi kupuna, most recently speaking out regarding the discovery of remains at Kawaiha’o Church.
Said to be her most influential work however is her time spent with Hālau Lōkahi Public Charter School as the cultural director from 2001 to 2014. There, she incorporated a rigorous Hawaiian culture-based education program which empowered a whole new generation of scholars.
“I did proclaim 2018 as the Year of the Hawaiian. There’s much more work to be done, but it’s important to stop and celebrate…the Hawaiian language and culture that are thriving,” Gov. David Ige said at the ceremony.
Kumu Hina was honored at a convention in Waikiki, pictured here with Kamehameha Schools CEO Jack Wong and Senior Policy Analyst Ka’ano’i Walk
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Kumu Hina Wins the Lucía Award for Best Documentary at the Festival Internacional de Cine de Gibara in Cuba
- Posted on 10th Jul
- Category: news
Read the full story HERE.
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"Echo, Oregon Councilman Criticized for Gay Slur, Child Porn Resigns" ~ KVEW-TV news
- Posted on 19th Jan
- Category: news
by Galen Ettlin, January 18, 2018:
ECHO, Ore. - A month after a KAPP-KVEW investigation revealed councilman Lou Nakapalau's child porn conviction from 2000, the councilman is resigning.
Echo city manager Diane Berry confirmed Thursday morning the city received Nakaplau's letter of resignation this month.
The agenda for Thursday afternoon's council meeting also included discussing the vacant position. However, the city manager said due to several people calling in sick, the meeting is now canceled.
Berry said at the next meeting on Feb. 15, council members will discuss filling Nakapalau's position soon or leave it vacant until the next election.
Nakapalau was plunged into the national spotlight in October when he used an anti-gay slur on social media to an LGBTQ filmmaker.
An investigation later revealed the councilman and community volunteer had nine felony conviction counts of child pornography in Clark County, Washington from 2000.
A group of about a half dozen community members, including outspoken Echo business owner Pam Reese, have called for Nakapalau's resignation since October.
"I wish the city had done this in the first place, but we can move on from here and go forward," Reese said Thursday. "I think we have a ways to go in regard to transparency and inclusivity. However, we have a good group of folks that have come together to make this a more inclusive town."
The city said it was up to a community petition to recall the councilman.
However, Berry said a petition was not filed and that Nakapalau resigned of his own volition.
According to Berry, the letter reads as follows:
Mayor Jeanie Hampton,
This is my letter of resignation from the Echo City Council effective January 2, 2018.
Louis K. Nakapalau -
CATCH CAAMFEST FILMS ON VIRGIN AMERICA AIRLINE’S SKYFEST INDEPENDENT FILM SHOWCASE
- Posted on 22nd Dec
- Category: news
Will you be flying Virgin America Airlines at all this fall? Catch three films in our CAAMFest spotlight, presented by the SkyFest independent film showcase on Virgin America airlines!
“We’re thrilled to partner with SkyFest again to bring some of the biggest titles from CAAMFest 2016 to the skies,” said Masashi Niwano, the Center for Asian American Media’s Festival & Exhibitions Director. “These films showcase the diversity and depth of contemporary Asian American cinema.”
Kumu Hina | Directed by Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson
Amidst the growing influence of Westernization, a transgender hula teacher strives to keep Native Hawaiian culture prosperous. On a subject rarely spoken of in Hawaii, this documentary pushes the struggles of being “in the middle” to the surface.
Mad Tiger | Directed by Jonathan Yi
MAD TIGER chronicles the relationship between two bandmates, Peelander-Yellow and Peelander-Red, of the Japanese performance-art band Peelander-Z. When Red quits, their friendship is tested and both are catapulted into finding greater meaning in their lives through their art and relationship with each other.
Seoul Searching | Directed by Benson Lee
SEOUL SEARCHING chronicles the shenanigans and personal journeys of a group of Korean teens — from around the globe — who are enrolled in a government-sponsored summer program. Set in the 1980s, it’s nostalgia at its best with a dazzling all-star ’80s soundtrack and painfully accurate costumes. Beyond the puffy pink prom dresses and oversized blazers, what shines is the journeys these characters go through: from an adopted daughter reconnecting with her biological mother to a professor haunted by past mistakes.
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"Run for Office, or you get Child Porn Convict Lou Nakapalau" ~ East Oregonian Editorial
- Posted on 20th Dec
- Category: news
Our view: Run for Office, or you get Child Porn Convict Lou Nakapalau
December 19, 2017
Last year, no one in Echo filed to run for an open seat on the city council.
That left open an avenue for Lou Nakapalau to win the seat with only eight write-in votes in the November 2016 election.
It was later discovered that the councilman had been convicted of multiple counts of child pornography possession in 2000.
Nakapalau has used his time on the council to bring nationwide embarrassment to the small city. He used his Facebook account to tell a gay filmmaker in Hawaii: “When you croak of AIDS (Anally Injected Death Serum) I’ll spit on your grave.”
Media coverage of that comment, and Nakapalau’s unwillingness to apologize for it or even comment on it, brought an understandable backlash from some Echo residents against their city government. That backlash then spurred a backlash of its own, which created division and distrust in the community — from its political life to its downtown commerce to its public schools.
It’s a mess. And it doesn’t appear that mess will get cleaned up soon. Nakapalau has shown no signs of resigning his seat, and city council has no ability to throw him out under Oregon law. It’s up to residents to start a recall petition.
Gaining a seat on a city council or school board without filing for the ballot isn’t uncommon in Eastern Oregon, especially in smaller cities or for lower-profile positions.
In Hermiston, former city council candidate Mark Gomolski won a seat on the Hermiston School Board with just 14 write-in votes. Perhaps he was the best person for the job (and he has certainly done nothing to embarrass the city or school district) but we think it’s undemocratic that such a small percentage of Hermiston voters chose who got that important seat.
As we’ve said before, civic leadership can require a lot of work for very little thanks. It’s not a responsibility that people should take on lightly.
But the moral of the story is clear: If no one runs for important local positions with a desire to improve their city, school district, or cemetery district — you may get someone of questionable values and skills. You will definitely get someone who did not campaign for the seat, and may not be familiar with the issues and how residents feel about them. You will get someone who does not have the support of the majority of the electorate.
The best option, of course, is for many people to run for these positions, so voters can make an informed choice in a competitive race. That’s how a healthy, functioning democracy operates.
But at the very least, someone must run publicly for each seat. A name must be on the ballot, because that gives the electorate enough time to mount a write-in campaign if that name is not to their liking.
The risks are too great otherwise. An unqualified and unfit person can get a few votes and suddenly be misrepresenting your community and making decisions that negatively affect its future.
