The Wind & The Reckoning

Based on historical events as told through the memoirs of Pi‘ilani, the film takes place in 1893, a time when the monarchy has been controlled by foreign interests and leprosy leads to a widespread epidemic in the Hawaiian Islands. The new government orders all Native Hawaiians suspected of having the foreign disease banished permanently to a remote colony on the island of Moloka‘i. When a local cowboy named Ko‘olau (Jason Scott Lee) and his young son Kalei (Kahiau Perreira) contract the dreaded disease, they refuse to allow their family to be separated, sparking an armed clash with brutal white island authorities that will make Ko‘olau and his wife, Pi‘ilani (Lindsay Watson) heroes for the ages.

The film stars actors Jason Scott Lee, Lindsay Marie Anuhea Watson KSM’13, Henry Ian Cusick and newcomer Kahiau Perreira. Among the film highlights is that 80% of the film is spoken in ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i and in the Ni‘ihau dialect. Currently on the film festival circuit, “The Wind & The Reckoning” has been sweeping up awards. Most recently in Honolulu, the film received the Hawai‘i International Film Festival’s Made In Hawai‘i Award for Feature Film, and in Hollywood, was honored with the Ambassador of Culture award from the Garifuna Indigenous International Film Festival. Additional awards bestowed on the film include the Audience Choice Feature Award and the Kumeyaay Award (usually reserved to recognize Native American films) at the San Diego Film Festival. It also won eight awards at the Boston Film Festival, including Best Film, Best Screenplay (John Fusco), Best Director (David L. Cunningham), Best Actress (Lindsay Anuhea Watson), Best Cinematography (Scott Lee Mason), Best Story/Best Editing (Kyle Gilbertson), and Best Ensemble Cast.

Wainani Young Tomich KSK’87 served as co-producer and first A.D., and the film’s musical score features the Kamehameha Schools Children’s Chorus.

www.windandreckoning.com and more. Kaliko was invited to help moderate the panel on climate change which brought to stage Len Necefer, the founder and CEO of Natives Outdoors, a B-Corp working to empower Indigenous communities through storytelling for a sustainable world, and Bryan Newland, the assistant secretary for Indian Affairs.

2020s

Kira Lee KSK’21 recently participated in a three-week medical mission trip in Nepal and returned through South Korea. Despite flight cancellations, threat of missiles during flight over Korea, treacherous roads and an invasion of giant cane spiders, thousands of people in need were treated and prayed over. Grateful for the safe return of our New Hope Mānoa Mission Team and for an abundant harvest through the seeds planted by this team. Blessings.