MĀLAMA MĀKUA + Shorts

Nestled on the western shore of Oʻahu, Hawai‘i, Mākua Valley is a sacred place where Native Hawaiian creation stories speak of earth and sky deities giving birth to the first people. Once a thriving community rich in natural abundance, Mākua’s fate changed just days after the 1941 Pearl Harbor bombing, when the U.S. Army forcibly evicted its residents. For decades, the valley and its pristine beach were subjected to relentless military target practice, scarring both land and spirit in the name of national security. 

MĀLAMA MĀKUA traces the valley’s transformation from a place of deep cultural roots to a rallying point for grassroots activism. It chronicles the ongoing struggle to restore U.S. military-occupied lands to Native Hawaiian stewardship, connecting this local fight to global movements for peace, demilitarization, and environmental justice. With the U.S. government’s lease set to expire in 2029, the call for Mākua’s return grows more urgent—and more hopeful—than ever.

Presented in Multiple Parts

MADE IN HAWAII SHORTS: HO‘OMAU

Stories that capture resiliency, endurance and unceasing perseverance....

105 min

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MEMORY AS MISSIONARY POSITION

Through the language of poetry and the art of movement, a Pasifika wahine reawakens her connection to the land...

4 min | Brigitte Leilani Axelrode | Hawaiʻi (United States) | HAWAI''I PREMIERE | English | Open Captions (text that is always visible on screen and cannot be turned off, displaying spoken dialogue and relevant sounds for accessibility)

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BACK TO THE LOKO

A group of indigenous Hawaiians come together to not only revitalise a native fish population in their local f...

16 min | Ricky-Thomas Serikawa | Hawaiʻi (United States) | WORLD PREMIERE | English, Hawaiian (‘olelo Hawai‘i) | Open Captions (text that is always visible on screen and cannot be turned off, displaying spoken dialogue and relevant sounds for accessibility)

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