HNL News Crews, Eyes on Hawaii photo club and a number of print and digital outlets made the trek to La’ie on Friday and Saturday, August 19-20, 2022 to cover a Hukilau reenactment for “Shaka, A Story of Aloha” documentary. A Hukilau is an ancient Hawaiian communal fishing activity that hundreds participate in pulling a net around a large body of water to harvest fish.

Hamana Kalili’s Hukilau

The Hukilau of La’ie was the most well-recognized. This is the Hukilau for which Jack Owens in 1948 wrote the famed “Hukilau Song.” The event ran as a fundraiser from 1948-1964 to rebuild the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints chapel that had burned down. The relevance to the film is that the master fisherman of the Hukilau was La’ie Shaka Man Hamana Kalili. Through this story, Kalili rose above his disability to become the reef sustainability expert and a leader of his community.

Other Versions of The Shaka

This is but one version of origin stories presented in the film. We continue to research all avenues and invite submissions via our Contact Form »

Press on the Hukilau

For details on this slice of La’ie life shot, see the following stories: