Konawaena student’s film on food sustainability selected for international film festival

Growing up in Kona, Jade Onaka said her parents instilled in her a love for aina and a passion for food sustainability. Whether it was her uncle bringing home fresh fish for dinner or growing his own vegetables, food always brought the Onaka family together after a long day.

The Konawaena High School high school student built on that passion to create a film, in collaboration with Teach for America, about her family history and the sustainability of Native Hawaiian food. His six-minute film, “Ohana and ‘Aina: connecting family, agriculture and freedom, ”Was selected as a finalist at the Zensa Media International Film Festival last month in Montreal.

“My last name is something I wear with respect and dignity. Food sustainability has always been in my life and a standard thing for me, ”said Onaka, 17. “The goal was to bring this conversation to a wider audience. Food affects everyone. The response is amazing and I couldn’t be more grateful.

Onaka, who is of Hawaiian, Japanese, Portuguese and Korean descent, said the project started last year when she was invited to speak at a Teach for America panel with other Indigenous students. on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joel Serin-Christ, studio production manager at One Day, a Teach for America affiliate program that produces multimedia stories, said he remembered Onaka speaking about his passion for food sovereignty in Hawaii. He said he found the topic interesting and decided to contact her.

What started as an idea quickly turned into a documentary about the history and love of Onaka and her family for conservation and the land. Onaka comes from a long line of breeders, starting with his great-great-grandfather in 1914. The sides of his mother and father of the family preached conservation, and one of the memories of Onaka’s childhood is of her and her family testifying against the eradication of sheep on Mauna Kéa.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Onaka, who plans to pursue a college education in communication, said she decided to find out more about the relationship of native Hawaiians to food and aana. She said she was shocked to learn that Hawaii imported the majority of its food.

“I never tire of talking about the Hawaiian people and food sustainability,” she said. “It could be an indication of what I would be happy to do and what would make sense to me. With this project, it makes me rethink all the roots of my passion.

Onaka said she was stunned and elated when she learned of the film festival‘s selection, adding that she never thought so many people would take the time to watch her video.

Karina Hernandez, Onaka’s advisory teacher, said the teenager had always been outspoken and passionate. She said the Onaka film is an example of her determination to seek solutions to problems.

“She’s always the type to say, ‘Let’s make it better. When we were watching the video we were all like, ‘Wow, that is so beautiful,’ Hernandez said. “I was just amazed but not surprised either. When there are opportunities there, the students check them out. Many of them are brave enough to do it, and great results follow. The students have a lot of talents and ideas to promote.

Serin-Christ said the Onaka film has been submitted to several other local and national film festivals. He said Onaka was involved in every step of the filmmaking process, from animation to directing.

“The selection of films is exciting, but more than any award what is most inspiring to me is that this is seen by people from different countries,” he said. “It’s a really inspiring video. And part of the really inspiring play is this vision of a youth and what she hopes might be different in the future. This is the guiding goal for us, to continue to find ways for Jade’s story to make an impact and inspire others to think.

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Jayna Omaye covers ethnic and cultural affairs and is a member of the body of Report for America, a national service organization that places reporters in local newsrooms to cover undercover issues and communities.