Hawaiian Voices: Bridging Past To Present

Album Notes

This award winning one-hour documentary pays tribute to the role of the kupuna in preserving Hawaiian culture.

It focuses on the legacies of three respected Hawaiian elders whose lives bridged the transition from older times into the late 20th century. They are Ruth Makaila Kaholoa`a, age 93, of the island of Hawai`i; Lilia Wahinemaika`i Hale, age 85, of O`ahu and Molokai; and Reverend David "Kawika" Ka`alakea, age 78, of Maui.

A special emphasis in the documentary is the power of Hawaiian language as a key to cultural connectedness and continuity. Each of these kupuna speaks Hawaiian fluently, as it was once learned within their families. Each is a living archive of invaluable lore and recollection, a treasure whose stories, memories and perspectives need to be shared as a way of bringing the healing wisdom of the past into the often-fragmented world of the present.