Act of War (1993) Reaction

Growing up with a Hawaiian background in Hawaii, I thought I had grasped the basic knowledge of how our islands were illegally stolen by the hands of American businessmen. I wasn't right, but I wasn't wrong. A Hawaiian History course at Hawaii Pacific University provided a deeper analysis surrounding the overthrow and the struggles Hawaiians have faced since contact with Captain Cook, missionaries, and businessmen.

Act of War - The Overthrow of the Hawaiian Nation is a 1993 documentary delivers an powerful portrayal of the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian nation, a historical event almost unknown to many Americans. The year, 1993, also marks the centennial anniversary of the event--an appropriate year to detail a significant point in Hawaiian history.

The documentary begins with vibrant and stunning imagery of Hawaii's natural beauty--fresh cascades of bubbling lava; overbearing waves crashing into black rocks; sparkling stream of water flowing and mingling between the stalks of taro. What's most fascinating with the introduction is that in between these shots is the juxtaposition of "ancient" Hawaii and a modernized vision of the state with icy-blue cocktails, golf courses, buildings, and crowds of tourists. This introduction was a powerful portrayal of what Hawaii used to be--flourished land and balance care between nature and people, and what it is now: Hawaiian land damaged and exploited to maximize profits and economic interests that leave the Hawaiian people with limited gain.

Seeing footage of Native Hawaiian protests during the early '90s was a refreshing look to the past that left me feeling surprised at how real and present it was--as if it were happening now. The quality of these shots indicate that the events occurred more than 20 years ago; however, if it were enhanced, then I might have assumed that it could be dated to the early 2000's.

I enjoyed the discussion surrounding racism and the portrayal of Hawaiian people and Queen Lili'uokalani in political cartoons. This isn't dialogue that I have encountered while exploring Hawaiian history, so this particular section was really interesting and insightful. There was a brief connection to Native Americans and I enjoyed the recognition made between two cultural histories. The only criticism I have about this section was that I wish this theme was further explored and expanded.

I appreciated that the purpose of Act of War was to provide the details behind the illegal overthrow of Hawaii and the struggles of the Native Hawaiian people. It's a strong piece that tells our narrative and depicts why our culture is the way it is today. It's symbolic and doesn't allow our history to be forgotten or erased because of our status as a U.S. state. However, the film edged very close to being biased.

I was familiar with much of the information historians and experts gave throughout the film, but I couldn't help but question where were they getting their information from. If they had been citing their references more consistently, then I might not have interpreted the documentary as being partial. The tones and voices of the film were powerfully driven by emotion, which is understandable, but it left me feeling unsettled with the delivery. I'm not trying to invalidate the struggles of Native Hawaiians from the past and the present, but improvements could have been made in keeping the film more impartial.