In the 1970s, Hawaii began a period of renewed interest in native history, language, crafts, music, dance and spirituality that became known as the Second Hawaiian Renaissance. As a result of this resurgence came enormous social, cultural and political activity and excitement, which continues to this day. Inspired by his first visit to Hawaii in 1986, filmmaker Robert Mugge produced a documentary on Hawaiian music primarily shot on the Island of Oahu. The resulting film, HAWAIIAN RAINBOW, examines traditional chants, percussion, ukulele, slack-key and steel guitar, male and female falsetto, and lush vocal harmonies, which are accompanied by authentic Hawaiian dance styles.

“Mugge clearly felt some of the magic, and the mystery – the mana – that gives Hawaiian music its spine.” –Honolulu Star-Bulletin

DIRECTED BY ROBERT MUGGE
UNITED STATES | 1988 | ENGLISH LANGUAGE