Lehua Films

American Aloha: Hula Beyond Hawaiʻi

For Hawaiians, the hula is not just a dance, but a way of life. Yet while most Americans know only 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 Hawaiʻi. American Aloha: Hula Beyond Hawaiʻi 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 continental United States 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 Hawaiʻi's past, American Aloha is a proud reminder of the power of reclaiming tradition for communities creating a home away from home. Featuring Kumu Hula Sissy Kaio and the dancers of Hula Hālau ʻO Lilinoe Nā Pua Me Kealoha (Carson, CA), Kumu Hula Mark Kealiʻi Hoʻomalu and the dancers of Nā Mele Hula ʻOhana (Oakland, CA), and Kumu Hula Patrick Makuakāne and the dancers of Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu (San Francisco, CA). American Aloha: Hula Beyond Hawaiʻi is a co-production of American Documentary (POV), the Independent Television Service (ITVS), and Lehua Films, LLC and a presentation of Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC) with funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Directed and Produced by Lisette Marie Flanary. Originally broadcast on the P.O.V. series 2003-2004. ©2003 Lehua Films, LLC.