Tuesday Stuff

i had an excellent interview today with palani vaughn on why he didn't support the filming of the life of princess kaiulani now taking place at iolani palace. he had been asked, originally, to play the part of kalakaua, and this was months ago. he asked then to see the script, but none was provided until earlier this month. what they did give him was a couple of lines to look at. when he finally got a copy of the script and read it through he thought it was pretty bad and suggested some revisions to the writer and director. he shared several emails with them over the months, but to no avail. they weren't interested in changing the script. apparently (and i say this because i haven't read it myself) the script calls for sanford dole to be the champion of the princess. he advocates on her behalf because she favors annexation to the u.s. she's greatful for the willingness on the part of the usurpers to grant hawaiians the right to vote (like hawaiians didn't have it already), and dole opposes lorin thurston who does not support, on this issue. he becomes her champion. never mind there were these two great petitions in opposition to annexation of hawaii to the u.s. that part gets left out of the story. never mind that the princess supported the queen against the annexation, against the takeover by u.s. military. supposedly the writer (who researched for 10 years, by golly!) knows his stuff. never mind everybody else in hawaii, including hawaiian academics, who have a difference (and documented) take on what really happened in hawaii's history. 'it's just a film' is the stock answer. 'it's just a story'. and, according to palani, they did consult with hawaiian experts--who?

palani made a good case about kuleana--whose responsibility is it to see that things are done properly? whose responsibility was it ever? ours, all ours. who stands behind the princess, in her line? kalakaua, lili`u, their kupuna back to the beginning of time? ua hala lakou--must be all our responsibility now. palani's argument was simply to be pono. that seems to have no place in our lives today. most people think such issues are irrelevant, that the purpose of life is to make money and to do it in every way possible at the least cost to oneself. but there's something to be said about speaking up. so he did. he maika`i loa kela.

it's not as if hawaiians don't have enough crap to deal with, enough loss. after a while, depression sets in and sometimes people don't even know why. i'm back to kawika liu's explanation about self-determnation (or lack, thereof), and what happens when a family, a group, a lahui gets hit time and again. they get tired. no one listens. no one believes. people turn them off. and after a while, they stop talking. hawaiians aren't quite there yet. they're still talking :-)