Native birds and the artwork produced from their feathers are the subject of this program hosted by John Dominis Holt.
Hawai‘i’s rare, endangered and extinct birds are featured both in wildlife footage and in the artwork of Ipo Nihipali.
Dennis Kanae Keawe makes a feather cape and Mary Lou Kekuewa demonstrates the construction of kāhili.
Sarah Kawailima sews a lei hulu, or feather lei.
Hālau ‘o Mililani, led by kumu hula Mililani Allen, dances a hula that tells the story of the ‘ō‘ō bird, captured for its beautiful yellow feathers and then set free.
NĀ MAKA O KA ʻĀINA
We are Joan Lander and Puhipau (1937-2016) of Nā Maka o ka ‘Āina (“The Eyes of the Land”), an independent video production team that, since 1981, has focused on the land and people of Hawai‘i and the Pacific.
We exist to document and give voice and face to traditional and contemporary Hawaiian culture, history, language, art, music, environment and the politics of independence and sovereignty. Our over 100 documentary and educational programs have been seen on PBS, Hawai‘i public and commercial television stations, public access cable channels, and broadcast/cable networks in Canada, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Japan, Mexico and Europe.
Our award-winning productions have been used by teachers and scholars in classrooms in Hawai‘i and throughout the world, and our iconic footage of the Hawaiian sovereignty movement has been featured in numerous documentaries by other producers.
