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A free public screening of "Hawaii: A Voice for Sovereignty" will be held at 6 p.m. Friday in the Von Holt Room of the Cathedral of St. Andrew in honor of the annual "Feast of the Holy Sovereigns."
The feast, held by the Episcopal Diocese of Honolulu, celebrates the founders of the Anglican Church in the islands: King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma.
The documentary tells the story of the Hawaiian people’s effort to be recognized as sovereign people and their goal of re-establishing Hawaiian culture before the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893, according to a news release.
Producer-director Catherine Bauknight said in the release, "I have witnessed firsthand what happens when a small, sustainable society is separated from their land, fresh water and ocean resources and then converted for profit by Western powers."
She continued, "Today, with over 8 million tourists a year, crowding their small and ecologically fragile islands, the Hawaiians are disconnected from their own land and suffer some of the highest rates per capita of poverty, homelessness, health issues related to diet, and incarceration in the state. My goal is to continue to share this tragic story to assist the Hawaiians’ ongoing struggle for sovereign rights and their efforts as stewards of the land to protect what’s left from further destruction."
After the 83-minute screening, a panel of local leaders will discuss issues presented in the film and possible resolutions.
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