In April 2020, as the world sheltered in place and in honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we began streaming all four "Standing on Sacred Ground" films online for free and hosted interactive conversations via Zoom Webinars. This is a recording of the conversation that followed the screening of the fourth episode in the four-part series, "Islands of Sanctuary."
Sacred Land Film Project Director, Christopher "Toby" McLeod spoke from his home in Berkeley with three Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners and activists from the Protect Kaho`olawe Ohana (PKO) who are featured in the film.
From her home on Moloka`i, Professor Davianna Pomaika`i McGregor provided an update on the ongoing efforts to heal the island of Kaho`olawe and establish it as a sanctuary for Hawaiian cultural practice. Dr. Emmett Noa Aluli joined us between seeing patients at his community clinic on Moloka`i to share reflections, history and the PKO's ongoing and evolving vision. And Hawaiian cultural practitioner Luana Busby-Neff grounded the conversation in the Hawaiian values of aloha aina and kapu aloha and offered chants and perspective from her home on the Big Island.
During the discussion, Emmett talked about hosting 20 sacred site guardians from around the world on Kaho`olawe in 2016 as part of the IUCN World Conservation Congress. Watch our film "Guardian of the Sacred" about their journey and ceremonies here: • Guardians of the Sacre...
For more information about the Protect Kaho`olawe Ohana: www.protectkahoolaweohana.org/
Original airdate May 15, 2020