Kumu Hina

Everyone including children should watch this

"Kumu Hina" is a lovely film and one of my favorite documentaries. It follows the story of Hina Wong-Kalu, a mahu, who in addition to being a person who embodies both the masculine and feminine aspects of the gender spectrum, is also a preserver of Hawaiian culture and the traditional dance of hula. We see Wong-Kalu at her best and her worst moments, from dealing with teaching hula to the students at her school, to the ups and downs of her relationship with her husband, Haemaccelo, who hails from the Philippines. We also see one of Hina's students, biologically a female, dealing with her identity and the thought she may be a mahu as well. With a gorgeous animated introduction and a dance performance at the end, this is a treasure of a film that anyone would enjoy.

I love how this documentary talks about the effects of colonialism on the Hawaiian people and their culture. I feel like I learned a lot about Mahu and I'm grateful to Hina for opening her life to the public eye for this video. Watching it felt like a very real peek into her daily life with its highs and lows.Mahalo Hina!

I have been telling many about this powerful documentary. It is

Hawaiians have respected and honored Transgender Individuals as part of their culture since the beginning of time. The Hawaiian language term is Mahu. The Mahu were so highly valued that they were designated as the Keepers and Teachers of Hawaiian Hula. They are still to this day entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining and teaching Hula. The heart of this story encompasses the struggles a Mahu Child faces in Western influenced Hawaii today and the much needed support he receives from his Hula Teacher, Kumu Hina. This movie was so heartfelt on many levels along with being culturally educational that it is one of my favorite documentaries to this day. I would recommend this movie for adults, children, and better yet to sit down as a family and experience this very personal and beautiful story.

Loved all the cultural factors associated with this story. This is most notable in understanding how often folks from dominant culture have and continue to outlaw cultural traditions and practices which are deemed "outside the norm." Kumu Hina tells the powerful story of a soul unbound by stereotypes and misconceptions that often foreclose on opportunities for authenticity. Instead, telling the real and raw story of one person within the context of one's own cultural experience where nuance is not only welcomed but encouraged.

Would recommend for anyone interested in Hawaiian culture.

Very moving, and beautiful story of Kumu Hina; and the sub-story of her student encountering her journey through “the middle” was amazing, too