Joan Lander & Puhipau
We are Joan Lander and Puhipau (1937-2016) of Nā Maka o ka ‘Āina (“The Eyes of the Land”), an independent video production team that, since 1981, has focused on the land and people of Hawai‘i and the Pacific.
We exist to document and give voice and face to traditional and contemporary Hawaiian culture, history, language, art, music, environment and the politics of independence and sovereignty. Our over 100 documentary and educational programs have been seen on PBS, Hawai‘i public and commercial television stations, public access cable channels, and broadcast/cable networks in Canada, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Japan, Mexico and Europe.
Our award-winning productions have been used by teachers and scholars in classrooms in Hawai‘i and throughout the world, and our iconic footage of the Hawaiian sovereignty movement has been featured in numerous documentaries by other producers.
Our list of major documentaries include:
Act of War – The Overthrow of the Hawaiian Nation Mauna Kea – Temple Under Siege PIKO – A Gathering of Indigenous Artists Mālama Hāloa – Protecting the Taro Stolen Waters The Tribunal Kaho‘olawe Aloha Āina Ahupua‘a, Fishponds and Lo‘i E Ola Ka ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i (May the Hawaiian Language Live) Islands at Risk – Genetic Engineering in Hawai‘i Mākua – To Heal the Nation Kalo Pa‘a o Waiāhole – Hard Taro of Waiāhole Faces of the Nation Pele’s Appeal Kapu Ka‘ū Mākua Homecoming The Caretakers of Ka LaeMost have aired on broadcast television in Hawai‘i. In addition, Mauna Kea – Temple Under Siege, Act of War, Stolen Waters, Pele’s Appeal and Mākua Homecoming were broadcast on PBS stations throughout the U.S.
National Film Registry
Mauna Kea – Temple Under Siege has been named to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. The film was among 25 added to the registry in 2020 as “America’s most influential films.”
AWARDS
Silver Maile Award • Hawai‘i International Film Festival Special Jury Award, Hawai‘i International Film Festival Silver Award • Corporation for Public Broadcasting Hawai‘i Filmmakers Award, documentary category • Hawai‘i International Film Festival Documentary award • Berkeley Video & Film Festival Best Documentary Under 30 Minutes • Dreamspeakers • Alberta, Canada Best Global Indigenous Award • Dreamspeakers • Alberta, Canada Best of Festival, documentary • Berkeley Video & Film Festival Best Political Film of the 1990 Hawai’i International Film Festival • Political Film Society CINE Golden Eagle We Are Sovereign award • Two Rivers Native Film and Video Festival • Minneapolis New Visionary Award, Mother Earth/Father Sky category • Two Rivers Native Film & Video Festival • Minneapolis Bronze Plaque • Columbus International Film Festival Winner, Farming, Pesticides and Soil category • Earthvision Int. Environmental Video Festival • Santa CruzHONORABLE MENTIONS, NOMINATIONS
Nomination: Golden Maile Award • Hawai‘i International Film Festival Honorable Mention: Documentary Category • Hawai‘i International Film Festival Nomination: Inuwuk Award, Best Global Indigenous category • Dreamspeakers • Alberta, Canada Nomination: Best Cinematography • Dreamspeakers • Alberta, Canada Honorable Mention • Earthvision International Environmental Video Festival • Santa Cruz Finalist • EarthVision ’98 • Santa Cruz Nomination: Best Global Indigenous category • Dreamspeakers • Alberta, Canada Nomination: Alanis Obomsawin cateogry • Dreamspeakers • Alberta, CanadaBROADCAST, CABLECAST
PBS PBS Hawai‘i Aboriginal Peoples Television Network • Canada Maori Television • Aotearoa (New Zealand) KHON-TV • Honolulu KFVE • Honolulu KGMB • Honolulu Public access channels, Hawai‘i – ‘Ōlelo; Nā Leo o Hawai‘i; Akakū; Hō‘ike ‘Ōiwi TV • Hawai‘i First Americans Network Free Speech TV Community Channel • Sydney, Australia Televise • Samoa TV Stop • Denmark CityTV • Santa MonicaFILM FESTIVALS & SCREENINGS
‘Ōiwi Film Festival • Honolulu Academy of Arts American Film Institute video festival • Los Angeles Aotearoa Film Festival • New Zealand Arizona International Film Festival Asian American Film Festival • Washington, D.C. Berkeley Video & Film Festival Berlin International Film Festival • Germany Best of the Hawai’i International Film Festival tour Beyond Sustainability • Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Black International Cinema • Chicago, New York, Berlin Brisbane International Film Festival • Australia Cinema Paradise • Honolulu Davis Film Festival • California Diet for a Small Island Film Series • Honolulu Earth Summit • Brazil East Maui Taro Festival Especially for Kids, National Museum of the American Indian • Washington, D.C. Festival du Film d’Amiens • France Festival International du Nouveau Cinema e de la Video de Montreal Festival of the Dreaming • Sydney FIFO – Festival Du Film Oceanien • Tahiti Fifth Festival of Pacific Arts • Australia First Nations Film & Video Festival • Chicago GAFFERS Film Festival (Global Art Film Festival) • Sacramento Global Green Indigenous Film Festival • Santa Fe Hawai‘i Film Hō‘ike • Hilo, Hawai‘i Hawai‘i International Film Festival Human Rights Film Festival • Fiji IMAGeNATION, Aboriginal Film & Video Festival • Vancouver ImagineNATIVE • Toronto International Society of Ethnobiology International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs • Sweden Kahilu Theatre • Waimea, Hawai‘i Kanu Hawai‘i Eat Local Campaign • Kaua‘i Kennedy Center • Washington D.C. Kumu Kahua Theatre • Honolulu Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film & Video Festival Lund Film Festival • Sweden Margaret Mead Film Festival • New York Maui Film Festival MauiFEST Media study collection, National Museum of the American Indian Museum Für Völkerkunde • Berlin National Geographic’s All Roads Film Festival • NYC, Santa Fe, Los Angeles National Museum • Copenhagen National Museum of the American Indian • NYC, Washington, D.C. Native American Film & Video Festival, National Museum of the American Indian • NYC Native Americas International Film Exposition • Santa Fe Native Spirit Festival • London New Pacific Film Forum • Berlin North American Association for Environmental Education Environmental Film Festival Other America Film Festival • San Antonio Pacific Island Images Film Festival • Hawai‘i Pacific Islanders in Communications • 1994 Asia Pacific Film Tour Pacific Islands Taro Festival • Hawai‘i Pacific Rim Film Festival • Santa Cruz, California Pasifika • NYC Physicians for Social Responsibility conference • Moscow Rainbow Film Festival • Oregon Roshd International Film Festival • Iran San Francisco Asian American International Film Festival San Francisco International Film Festival Seattle Human Rights Film Festival Shades of Power Festival 2001 • San Francisco Smithsonian Institute • Washington, D.C. South Seas Cinema Fest • Hawai‘i Spoleto Fringe Festival • Australia The Asia Society • New York City Two Rivers Native Film and Video Festival • Minneapolis United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues • NYC United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Peoples • Geneva, Switzerland Vancouver International Film Festival Vermont International Film Festival Video America Indigena (Video Native America) • Mexico Videoscape, Asian Cinevision • New York City Wellington Film Festival Winnipeg Aboriginal Film & Video Festival • Canada World Community Film Festival • Vancouver World Islands Film Festival • Jeju island, Korea WYNC Human Rights Film Festival • New York Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival • JapanHAWAI‘I COMMUNITY AWARDS
1994 Hawai‘i House of Representatives Resolution honoring Nā Maka o ka ‘Āina, on the occasion of the screening of Act of War at the Berlin Film Festival, for bringing national and international recognition and understanding to issues of vital importance to Hawai‘i. 1995 Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs Resolution commending Nā Maka o ka ‘Āina for their perseverance and contributions to the Hawaiian people 2001 Hawai‘i People’s Fund Honoring Nā Maka o ka ‘Āina for their body of work 2008 Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation Native Hawaiian Advocate Award Recognizes outstanding individuals with a track record of advocacy and personal contributions to the Native Hawaiian community. This award also honors those who champion Native Hawaiian rights and demonstrate strong leadership ability. 2008 Hawai‘i Film Office Film in Hawai‘i Award Awarded to Joan Lander and Puhipau of Nā Maka o ka ‘Āina for their significant contributions in promoting the local film industry 2011 Pacific Islanders in Communications Honoring Puhipau & Joan Lander of Nā Maka o ka ‘Āina for a lifetime of dedication to documenting and preserving the Hawaiian culture on film. Presented at Deep Waters Pacific Film Series, UH-Mānoa. 2012 Maoli Arts Month 7th Annual MAMo Award Honoring Puhipau and Nā Maka o ka ‘Āina for years of devotion, labor and commitment promoting Native Hawaiian visual arts through film and documentation. 2014 Kahilu Theatre Ka Nu‘u Award Presented to Nā Maka o ka ‘Āina as part of the Kūkulu Ola Hawaiian Filmmakers Series 2017Nā Mamo Makamae o ka Poʻe Hawaiʻi – Living Treasures of the Hawaiian People
Office of Hawaiian Affairs
Honoring Puhipau as a master practitioner and knowledge keeper in the field of videography and documentary
Ka ʻAhahui Hawaiʻi Aloha ʻĀina – Hawaiian Patriotic League
Resolution honoring Puhipau, Hawaiian Patriot and Hawaiian National
2019
Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea Honolulu – annual honoree
Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea – Sovereignty Restoration Day
Honoring Abraham “Puhipau” Ahmad and Kelii “Skippy” Ioane
FOLLOW US ONFacebook YouTube visit our Mauna Kea informational website