Kapu: Sacred Hawaiian Burials

Director Keoni Alvarez and Uncle Palikapu will be in house for Q&A!

Over  twenty years ago, a native Hawaiian named Keoni Kealoha Alvarez found  his calling when he stumbled upon on a secret cave in the woods near his  ancestral home. Inside this cave were iwi, the sacred bones of native  Hawaiians from generations past. At only eight years old, Keoni could  not begin to imagine how this discovery would change his life.

For  hundreds of years, Hawaiians have fought a battle for ownership to the  rights of native Hawaiian burial grounds, keeping the sacred bones of  their ancestors safe. In 2002, Keoni’s district became the target for  developers who sought affordable property on the island.

Faced  with a powerful, wealthy outsider who threatened to plow through the  cave near his home, Keoni found himself in the position of David against  his own version of a seemingly unconquerable Goliath.

The  story will take viewers along Keoni’s journey in realizing his  identity, heritage, and ultimately his legacy within the tradition of  protecting his land for his people. Until Keoni knows what will happen  to the property, he will remain the keeper of this cave to prevent this  burial ground from going under.

Until  he can be convinced that the lands and the history they contain are  safe, Keoni will not relinquish his responsibility as keeper of the  cave. He guards something that, for his people, is more valuable and  much more precious than gold: the resting place of the iwi of his  ancestors.