Kumu Hina

Overview

Kumu Hina is a film that shows parts of Hawaiian culture we often miss out on as outsiders. Hawai’i is famous for being the favoured spot for American vacations, the ultimate playground for bronzed surfers and a setting for three cheesy films starring Elvis. The real Hawaii lies beneath the tiki cocktails and the souvenir shirts, and there is no better representative of it than Hina Wong-Kalu. Hina is a respected teacher in her community and she also happens to be mahu (transgender). The film traces her journey to becoming a powerful, beautiful and strong-spirited woman and the challenges she meets in maintaining a marriage to her Tongan husband.

Kumu Hina embraces and embodies traditional Hawaiian values, teaching aroha and respect. During the course of the documentary, she acts as a mentor to Ho’onani, a spunky tomboyish girl who aspires to lead the school's all-male hula troupe. Together, teacher and student, both occupying in-between spaces—spaces were they fit best—work hard to bring an impressive end of year performance to the community. Kumu Hina is an eye-opening insight into Hawaiian culture and the traditional place of respect reserved to mahu people, people who embody a balanced combination of feminine and masculine traits.