Year after year, Hawaii has welcomed multitudes of visitors drawn to its magnificent, verdant splendor from every corner of the globe. Many a motion picture and television series has taken advantage of its captivating, exotic settings, frequently alluding subtly to ideas of ohana and the aloha spirit. However, within Chief Of War, K?naka Maoli Jason Momoa and Thomas Pa’a Sibbett have skilfully unearthed an often overlooked chapter of their forebears’ past, the echoes of which reverberate through countless subsequent generations. Funded and curated by Momoa and Sibbett, this lavish new historical series features the latter as Ka’iana, a Hawaiian militia leader who tirelessly launches a massacre to consolidate the combative dominions, defending them from impending colonialism in the late 18th century.
Momoa has expressed that he has long yearned to narrate the unifying history of Hawaii throughout his adulthood. Utilizing his globally recognized reputation and influence amassed from starring in internationally acclaimed film franchises, Momoa has wholly committed to this project in order to convey an essential narrative that, albeit grand in magnitude, is deeply personal. Truth be told, the inaugural season mainly emphasizes less on the immediate ramifications of colonization and instead revolves around the unfortunate violence that heralded the consolidation of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
The narrative unfolds with Ka’iana, offspring of the most formidable war chief hailing from Maui, begrudgingly agreeing to join forces with the troop he previously deserted, with the objective of dominating O’ahu. Ka’iana, however, resists being manipulated in Kahekili’s power games, and upon attempting to elude Kahekili’s forces, finds himself stranded at sea, where he is ultimately saved by a crew of English merchants and explorers.
Given that they were likewise escaping from the island, Ka’iana is left with no option but to acclimatize to living amongst the Englishmen for an indefinite period. Thus, Ka’iana becomes the first warrior to depart from the islands, concurrently exposing himself to the dreadful reality of European colonization. During an excursion to the Spanish West Indies, for instance, he becomes a horrified witness to the atrocities of the slave trade and the trafficking of lethal weaponry, where wealth is revered above all else.
Not only is this in stark contrast to his own roots that hold gods in great esteem and prophecies in the highest regard, but it leaves a lasting impression on him. Consequently, upon his return to his homeland, Ka’iana voices a grave warning regarding the potential devastations of a European incursion. Taking on this role granted Momoa a unique chance to demonstrate his extensive skills as not only a dramatic performer but also a visionary director.
Frequently placed at odds between contrasting realities, Ka’iana finds himself torn: he is a K?naka Maoli torn between his indigenous beliefs and Western ideologies, a religious follower and a skeptic, a speaker fluent in both Hawaiian and English, and a warrior equally adept in hand-to-hand combat and firearm usage. Momoa skillfully embodies all of Ka’iana’s complexities, painting an enthralling image of a desperate leader bound by commitment and self-sacrifice.
Bolstering the show is its backbone – an ensemble cast comprised predominantly of Polynesian actors. Accompanying Morrison, who portrays the ambitious Kahului, Cliff Curtis assumes the role of the competing ruler Keoua, an adversary resolute on reclaiming what he perceives is rightfully his. Te Ao o Hinepehinga enacts Ka’iana’s formidable wife Kupohi, who is haunted by the thought that the man who reappeared in Hawaii is fundamentally different from the one she wed.
Though the characters forming Ka’iana’s immediate kin might have benefitted from a more intensive focus following his unanticipated exit early in the season, the development of their relationships ultimately culminate satisfactorily in the concluding three episodes, in a manner that is equally rewarding as it is anguishing. The paths of all characters eventually converge at ‘The Black Desert,’ the grand finale of the season.
In his dual roles as director and actor in an epic final battlefield scene set on an expansive lava terrain, Momoa adeptly encapsulates the savage severity of that age through fight sequences that challenge viewers to divert their gaze. While some are inclined towards assimilation for self-preservation, others opt for employing English to transact business and conduct political matters, and yet others rebuke the necessity of mastering ‘the white man’s’ language.
Like other indigenous groups, numerous Hawaiians have been forced to abandon their cultural traditions, including their language. However, Momoa and his team belong to a generation of descendants actively working towards recovering lost fragments of their heritage. Particularly at a time when historical narratives are being systematically erased from educational curricula across the nation, Chief Of War underscores the crucial reminder that the most excruciating aspects of history, particularly indigenous history, are indelible.
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