An audio documentary project about US empire and grassroots movements for peace and liberation. Season 1, "Mākua: Piko of Peace," shares voices from the movement for the return and restoration of Mākua Valley from U.S. Army occupation, produced in collaboration with Mālama Mākua.
In episode one, Mālama Mākua board members Uncle Sparky Rodrigues and Uncle Vince Dodge share the backstory of how Mālama Mākua formed out of the convergence of two streams of activism: the anti-eviction struggle at Mākua Beach and the peace activists organizing against the environmental impacts of military activity in Mākua Valley. To learn more about Mālama Mākua, visit www.malamamakua.org.
An excerpt from He Moolelo Kaao o Hiiakaikapoliopele from the Hawaiian-language newspaper Ka Hoku o Hawaii, published on November 23, 1926. Read by Kenji Cataldo. In this excerpt from the epic tale of Hiʻiakaikapoliopele, Hiʻiaka arrives at Mākua by sea and witnesses a girl die after striking an unfamiliar rock at the community’s usual cliff jumping spot. Hiʻiaka recovers her body, pulls her to shore, and revives her. For an English translation of the story of Hiʻiaka at Mākua by Kepā Maly, visit www.malamamakua.org/hiiaka.
In episode two, we enter Mākua Valley with Mālama Mākua and hear the story of how Mālama Mākua fought to protect the valley, reconnected with the ʻāina through cultural access, and brought about an unlikely end to live-fire training. To learn more about Mālama Mākua, visit www.malamamakua.org.