LAHAINA (HawaiiNewsNow) – The award-winning documentary ‘Lahaina Rising‘ is showing at United Nations Headquarters this week.
The documentary tells the story of the August 2023 wildfire that devastated Lahaina and highlights longstanding issues of indigenous sovereignty, access to water, and land stewardship.
Film shared at UN forum
The story is being shared at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City on Friday.
“It’s surreal, for sure. I don’t take this kuleana lightly at all,” Paele Kiakona said.
Kiakona, representing the Nation of Hawaii and featured in the film, spoke at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues on Tuesday, drawing connections between Lahaina and indigenous communities worldwide.
“Many know our homeland as the 50th state of the United States, but we know it as the Nation of Hawaii,” Kiakona said. “I’m here today to represent my hometown of Lahaina, which in August of 2023 was devastated by wildfire. Lahaina, once the Capitol of the Hawaiian Kingdom, now has the reputation as the place where the deadliest wildfire in recent U.S. history took place.”
By his side was De Andre Makakoa, a filmmaker who lost his home in the inferno.
Makakoa said the film is a call to action.
“Nobody should be waiting until disaster strikes to be engaged in trying to make their community a better place,” Makakoa said. “They should be building community and engaged with community from the beginning, because like we saw in Lahaina, and like we’re seeing now after the floods, it’s community that’s gonna rise up and have each other’s back at the end of the day.”
Executive producer Moses Goods, the Native Hawaiian actor and storyteller featured in Chief of War, is joining the delegation on Wednesday.
“This is something that I think needs to be seen by everyone, and it’s not just the film itself, it’s how the film is told,” Goods said. “Extremely powerful and extremely emotional but it also shows the resiliency and the ability for that community to come together, a message that the world needs right now, how we can come together as a community to kakoo, to support each other and help each other move forward.”
The events this week can be watched here.
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