Those who have gone before

Jul 12, 2003

Saw the fabulous New Zealand film Whale Rider last night, and I’ve been listening to all the Hawaiian music I can – Makaha Sons of Niihau, Hapa, Israel Kamakawiwoole, Kealii Reichel (while the movie is about the Maori, Hawaiian is a related language and culture). This was a spiritual movie about tradition, ancestors, leadership and responsibility. See it if you can, and take tissue for the tears that will fill your eyes when you see the connection between the heroine Paikea and the whales that come ashore to teach her grandfather an important lesson.

UPDATE: Just learned from the Hapa website that they’ll be in Virginia and Maryland in February, and I’m absolutely making a road trip to catch them there for all three shows. Care to join me?

UPDATE 2: Erin reminded me that in February we’ll have an infant in addition to a very active 2-year-old Anna, and that three nights away might be a little difficult. So maybe we’ll roadtrip for a night to catch one show, and prevail upon our capital-area friends and relatives to babysit for a few hours.

UPDATE 3: See the trailer for Whale Rider.

Anton Zuiker ☄