Indigenous Struggle Of Hawaiian People Honoured

Mana Wairoa Award Recognised Indigenous Struggle Of Hawaiian People

Press Release: Nuhaka, Wairoa District, Aotearoa New Zealand, Tuesday June 8th 2010

THE WAIROA MAORI FILM FESTIVAL honoured the native people of Hawai'i yesterday with the awarding of a new award category at the event. The MANA WAIROA AWARD is a new category that recognises films that contribute to the advancement of the human rights of indigenous peoples all around the world. The Award is to tautoko (support) and motivate the recipient community in its efforts to advance their goals of realising the potentialities inherent in their values and belief systems that spring from their unique whenua (land), moana (sea) and ranginui (sky) context on Planet Earth.

The inaugural MANA WAIROA AWARD was presented to HAWAII A VOICE FOR SOVEREIGNTY by Catherine Bauknight and the Native Hawaiian people. The Award was presented over LIVE SKYPE VIDEO from the newly anointed DIGITAL MARAE at Kahungunu Marae, Nuhaka.

Festival Director Leo Koziol (who is of Rakaipaaka tribal descent) and Festival Chairperson Huia Koziol (who is a Trustee of the marae) spoke by video with Director Catherine Bauknight, and also via live phone connection with representatives from the Hawaiian indigenous movement who are profiled in the film. Also present at this special event -- and participating in the SKYPE VIDEO -- were kaumatua and Trustees of the marae, guest Maori film makers present at the festival, and members of the general public who had just had the privilege of watching the New Zealand premiere of the film.

One of the goals of "Hawaii A Voice For Sovereignty" by filmmaker Catherine Bauknight and the Native Hawaiian people, is to enlighten the world of the truth of Hawai'i Nei. It was one year ago June 4th, that the film was released at a private screening at the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. On June 21st 2009 it had its public premiere at the Maui Film Festival, and was awarded the Audience Award, Best Hawai'i Film. "Hawaii A Voice For Sovereignty" has also screened at venues in Hawaii, NY City, Canada, Los Angeles, and Santa Cruz, CA. These screenings have contributed to achieving the important goal of enlightening the world about the truth of Hawai'i Nei.

The links below and the stories that follow contain some of the significant developments since the release of the film.

Trailer of Film/Pasadena Cultural Event/Panel Discussion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRJ-WO51xn4

KPFK radio interview http://www.ukespot.com/

Spokesperson Kiowa Gordon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tEwTtktm_U&feature=related

Hawaii Public Radio http://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/hpr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4093&Itemid=99999999

LA Talk Radio http://www.latalkradio.com/images/Grand-051310.mp3

The MANA WAIROA AWARD was launched at the fifth annual Wairoa Maori Film Festival (website address is www.manawairoa.com) just prior to the Poroporoaki after which film makers from across the country returned home. It is hoped to hold screenings of HAWAII A VOICE FOR SOVEREIGNTY at other locations around the country, including Murupara, Auckland, Levin, Masterton and Wellington.

Authorised by: Te Roopu Whakaata Maori I Te Wairoa Inc.

© Scoop Media