Aloha, come out and join us and see the First Landing trailer premier with our ohana. Members of the Kahoolawe Nine will be there to speak plus producer, Woody Vaspra will also be greeting everyone to thank you all for your support in the film.

Who
Walter Ritte, Steve K. Morse, Ian Lind, Emmett Aluli, Kimo Aluli and Producer, Woody Vaspra to speak.

When
Sunday, november 4, 2012
2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Where
Kualoa Beach park (Kitchen complex near campground A)
49-479 Kamehameha Hwy
O’ahu, hi 96744

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What
Come join us for the premier of the First Landing movie trailer. We ask you to please bring a dish or beverage item and we’ll provide some poi, lomi salmon, squid luau, haupia, rice, and macaroni salad.

Mahalo. See you there.

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When Captain Cook stumbled upon the Hawaiian Islands in 1778, the islands were already relatively densely populated by an estimated 350,000 to 1,000,000 native Hawaiians.

In 1795, Kamehameha united all of the main islands except Kaua’i and tiny Ni’ihau and in 1804 King Kaumuali’i of Kaua’i capitulated to King Kamehameha and Kaua’i and Ni’ihau became, nominally, under the suzerainty of Kamehameha.

By 1805 the total population of Hawai’i was documented to be 264,160 and at the time of the first census in Hawai’i, the actual population count was 130,313, a decline in population of somewhere between 60% to 87% from 1778. The reasons for the decrease were primarily diseases and vices introduced as a consequence of Western contact. Influenza, typhus, smallpox, tobacco, alcohol, and others cut down native Hawaiians by the scores. Oftentimes more than one epidemic at a time would tear through an area so that diseases which normally did not have a high mortality rate turned into killers.

By 1890, just three years before the overthrow of the monarchy, native Hawaiians were numbered at 40,000 souls, and for the first time were outnumbered by the non-Hawaiian population. In 1893 pro-American businessmen overthrew the monarchy and placed Queen Liliu’okalani under house arrest. Most aspects of Hawaiian culture were subsequently suppressed; for instance, students were no longer permitted to speak Hawaiian in school.

The incoming waves of immigrants rapidly overwhelmed the dwindling Hawaiian population and by the late 1920s Hawaiians lost their primacy in the Territorial legislature, never to be regained.

By the early 1960s, Hawaiians placed at or near the top in almost every measure of societal misery. Rates for alcohol abuse, drug use, tobacco, home ownership, obesity, chronic disease and incarceration plagued the Hawaiian people just as the earlier epidemics had plagued their ancestors.

In a land that was once 100% owned by native Hawaiians, the vast majority of Hawaiian families could not afford their own house.

Something had to change…

By

Roy R. Thompson

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In January 2012, Woody took on the position as Producer for First Landing, a book written by his friend, Stephen Kāne-A-ʻI Morse, which recounts how the occupation of Kaho’olawe Island on January 4, 1976 by nine individuals inspired by the Spirit of Aloha, began a chain of events that not only stopped the bombing of the island, but also reignited the now thriving movement to revitalize Hawaiian culture.  This film will share their untold true story, and reveal the real Spirit of Aloha (love) and stunning beauty of the Hawaiian people, their islands, and their indomitable ancient culture.   Woody is also co-founder of Living Wisdom Media, a subsidiary of the World Council of Elders 501(c)(3) educational organization.  Living Wisdom Media’s mission is to use film, print and use electronic media to record, preserve and share stories and teachings carried by living wisdom-keepers of the world’s original peoples.

In his capacity as Elder Liaison for World Council of Elders, Woody has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Central and South America and Australia meeting with traditional indigenous wisdom-carriers of many, many native cultures.  As a native Hawaiian, Woody is readily accepted by members of other indigenous communities, and is especially qualified and uniquely suited to work with them toward WCOE’s goal of creating a worldwide organization of traditional indigenous wisdom-keepers and spiritual leaders.  The vision of the World Council of Elders is to restore a world in which all people cherish and care for the Earth, one another, and all life.  Toward this vision, World Council of Elders is establishing a World Wisdom Council or a “spiritual U.N.” of indigenous wisdom-keepers from across the globe coming together to counsel, unite and educate humanity toward world peace.  The members of this traditional council will contribute their wisdom to re-establish and co-create within each one of us an awareness where all peoples will live in peace, harmony and love through compassion, understanding, respect and community.  Because of this vision, Woody was selected by Lakota Elders to be the Leader of the International Sundance that is being held around the world to bring the peoples of the four directions together.

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The episode will premier on May 15 and repeat on May 22, and 29 at 10am and can be seen online below after the premier anytime after that at http://www.olelo.org/

Mahalo!

First Landing Production Team
Aloha Occupies Us All!

Lynette Cruz | Issues That Matter: The Kahoolawe Story | First Landing Movie

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https://www.facebook.com/FirstLandingMovie

Hapa- He’eia

Olomana- Ku’u Home O Kahalu’u

Dennis Pavao ” Mele O Kaho’olawe ”

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The Dalai Lama brought his message of peace and compassion — and his trademark humor — to Hawaii, celebrating the coming together of two native cultures. Similar to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the indigenous culture of Hawaii has its own inherent spirituality.

“He calls it compassion. We call it Aloha,” said one participant at the events.

The Dalai Lama’s visit marks the launch of a new initiative entitled Pillars of Peace Hawai’i with the goal of “building peace on a foundation of Aloha”.

Pillars of Peace and the visit of His Holiness is sponsored by Hawaiian residents Pam Omidyar and her husband Pierre Omidyar, the founder of eBay. In 2009, the Omidyars gave the Hawaii Community Foundation $50 million, believed to be the largest single gift from a living donor in the state’s history. The investment established the Omidyar ‘Ohana Fund, which, among other philanthropic efforts, aims to bring global peace leaders to Hawai’i to exchange ideas about the many forms of peace that exist at home on the islands and around the world.

In the Dalai Lama’s only public appearance during the two whirlwind days of events, the topic for his talk to 9,000 high school and college students was “Advancing Peace Through the Power of Aloha.”

He admitted that at first, the word “aloha” didn’t have meaning. “It was just the sound, ‘aloha, aloha.’ But now I learned the deeper meaning of aloha,” he said.

He shared his views on the importance of educating their hearts and nurturing their compassionate natures. Students later talked about the ways they intend to practice peace and spread compassion in their own lives.

Watch the videos from the events, from Pillars of Peace, below.

(READ about his public speech in Hawaii News Now)

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