For Hawaiians, the hula is not just a dance but a way of life. Yet while most people only know the stereotypes of ‘grass skirt girls’ from old Hollywood movies and tourist kitsch, the revival of the ancient art of hula tells of the rich history and spirituality of Hawai‘i. American Aloha: Hula Beyond Hawai‘i discovers a renaissance of Hawaiian culture through music, language and dance as it continues to grow in California. Following three kumu hula, or master hula teachers, the film celebrates the perpetuation of a culture—from the very traditional to the contemporary—as it evolves on distant shores. With more Native Hawaiians living on the US mainland than on the islands, the hula is a living tradition that connects generations far from home to their heritage. Revealing the challenges of cultural survival through the struggles of Hawai‘i’s past, American Aloha is a proud reminder of the power of reclaiming tradition for communities creating a home away from home.
Featured Kumu Hula and Hālau:
- + Sissy Kaio and Hula Hālau ‘O Lilinoe Nā Pua Me Ke Aloha of Carson, California
- + Mark Keali’i Ho’omalu and Nā Mele Hula ‘Ohana of Oakland, California
- + Patrick Makuakāne and Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu of San Francisco, California.
Nationally broadcast on the P.O.V. series on PBS in 2003 and 2004. Co-presented by the Independent Television Service and Pacific Islanders in Communications. Winner of a Cine Golden Eagle in 2003.
Additional funding for this program was provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the National Initiative to Preserve America’s Dance, the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council for the Arts, the Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation, the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation, and the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation.
Please visit www.pbs.org/pov/pov2003/americanaloha/ for the official PBS website for American Aloha.
If you would like to purchase a copy of American Aloha, please visit www.CustomFlix.com/205033.
Selected Festival Screenings and Awards for American Aloha:
- + Visual Communication’s Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film & Video Festival
- + Pacifika: The New York Hawaiian Film Festival. Opening Night Feature
- + Maui Film Festival
- + Asian Cinevision’s New York Asian American International Film Festival
- + Hawai‘i International Film Festival
- + Native American Film and Video Festival
- + Chicago International Television Festival. Winner of the Silver Hugo
- + WorldFest Houston. Bronze Award in Cultural Documentary
- + World’s Fare, Reel World Film Festival, Toronto, Canada
For a downloadable press kit, click here.
Promotional stills:
