This subcollection contains the production materials and raw footage for the documentary The History of the Sons of Hawaiʻi. Some of the leading voices of the Hawaiian cultural renaissance, which began in the early 1960s, were musicians and singers. Their songs carried feelings that were yearning to be expressed throughout the island chain. Among the most influential groups of that era was the Sons of Hawaiʻi, led by Eddie Kamae, already famous for his ʻukukele styling, and by the great vocalist and slack-key guitar virtuoso, Gabby Pahinui, together with bassist Joe Marshall and the brillant young steel guitar player David "Feet" Rogers. This 80 minute feature length documentary, the seventh in the Kamaes' award-winning Hawaiian Legacy Series, tells the story of a charismatic band. Spanning forty years of Hawaiʻi's rich musical tradition, the film offer an intimate look at a unqiue group of performers and composers, their songs, their humor, their devotion to a sound that continues to convey something essential about the Hawaiian spirit. Directed by Eddie Kamae; Produced by Myrna Kamae and Rodney A. Ohtani; directed by Rodney A. Ohtani; written by James D. Houston; and narrated by Kaʻupena Wong.

For more information about this title and the materials associated with it, please contact the archive.