Latest news with #HawaiʻiLGBTLegacyFoundation
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- General
- Yahoo
Locals played volleyball, made history: New historical marker honors Hawaiʻi's history
HONOLULU (KHON2) — A new historical marker will be unveiled at Queen's Surf Beach in Waikīkī on Wednesday, June 4, at 4 p.m.; and it will mark more than just a moment in time. It will reclaim decades of queer memory, honor māhū history and reignite the spirit of what some say was once the most visible LGBTQ+ gathering space in the islands. 'It's a free and open to the public event,' said Dean Hamer, co-founder of Lei Pua ʻAla Queer Histories of Hawaiʻi Project. 'It'll be hosted by the mayor because it's a public park of the city of Honolulu, and they've been our strong partner in developing this.' This will not be a quiet occasion. Expect chants, memories, music and food. 'Starting at 4 p.m. at Queen's Surf Beach,' Hamer continued, 'there'll be an unveiling of a brand-new historical marker. It's mounted on a big stone, and it's got a QR code and some really beautiful, amazing pictures from that time because by then people were snapping photos.' Joe Wilson, also a co-founder of Lei Pua ʻAla and Hamer's partner in life and filmmaking, added, 'We're really proud to be partnering with the Hawaiʻi LGBT Legacy Foundation in this effort. They have this younger group of folks that are trying to reclaim and reactivate that place.' That group is called The Māhūi. They've taken up space on this beach in monthly gatherings and the annual Pride picnic to bring continuity to a site that once buzzed with volleyball, hula, friendships and fierce queer joy. 'It was a gay beach. It was out in the open, but everybody was welcome,' said Hamer. 'Apparently, there were a lot of big volleyball competitions; and one of the favorite things that Bill Char talks about is how they would invite the firemen over and then give them a good game.' Queen's Surf Beach was never just about sunbathing. In the 1970s, it became a central spot for Hawaiʻi's LGBTQ+ and Māhū communities. It was a rare public space where people could connect freely, out in the open, without hiding. 'Come on down and have a little party at the beach,' Hamer added. 'It's still that kind of place.'The energy of those early gatherings is at the heart of the new historical marker being unveiled June 4 in collaboration with the Hawaiʻi LGBT Legacy Foundation and the City and County of Honolulu. Hamer said the idea for the marker began with community conversations, especially one with a kūpuna who described 'the magical environment' of the 1970s beach scene. 'She talked about this incredible place near the aquarium in Waikīkī, on the shoreline there where people just hang out on the weekends,' Hamer revealed. 'You didn't have to go to a dark bar. You weren't going to out-of-the-way places. This is in the middle of the biggest, most beautiful public park in Honolulu. And everybody would be there, like under the tree and, you know, doing hula or playing volleyball and just connecting in different ways.' Wilson said those stories shaped how they approached the marker's meaning and purpose. 'I think our imagination was really sparked by this,' he said. 'We've been having casual conversations with, you know, cops and just people across our communities here for a long time to talk about how to bring hidden stories forward.' The unveiling event is more than a ceremony. It's a community celebration, with a blessing by Kumu Patrick Makuakāne, an ʻawa ceremony and a beach picnic hosted in partnership with The Māhūi. 'As Dean mentioned, they have this younger group of folks that are trying to reclaim and reactivate that place,' Wilson said. 'They were so generous in offering to help host this picnic and really use it as a way to kick off the month with a big celebration.' Following the dedication, the celebration continues at 6:30 p.m. with The Return of Kapaemahu at the Kūhiō Beach Hula Mound. It's a hula and mele tribute to the legendary māhū healers and stones. The performance is part of the Lei Pua ʻAla Queer Histories of Hawaiʻi project World Pride celebrations for the month of June. 'The aim of our work is to make the lives and experiences of LGBTQ+ and Māhū folks, who have always been part of Hawaiʻi's story, more visible,' Wilson explained. 'Because being seen and understood increases possibilities for being accepted and valued in the place you call home.' For Hamer, that visibility carries urgency. 'We had no idea we'd be doing this work at a time when queer lives, and queer stories, are quite literally being erased from the public record,' he said. 'We're fortunate to be living in a place where our government is working with us instead of trying to eliminate us or pretend we don't exist.' You can click here and for more information on the LGBTQ+ history of Queen's Surf Beach. You can click for more information on the specifics of the event. Queen's Surf Beach is being remembered not for nostalgia but for its relevance. Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHON's morning podcast, every morning at 8 Wilson remarked that the significance of Queen's Surf in Hawaii's LGBTQ+ history meant that you didn't have to go to a dark bar' to be safe an accepted. 'You weren't going to out-of-the-way places. This was in the middle of the biggest, most beautiful public park in Honolulu. Everybody would be there, under the tree, doing hula or playing volleyball and just connecting.' And on June 4, they will again. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival to celebrate māhu stories
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Hawaiʻi LGBT Legacy Foundation unveiled the schedule for their 36th Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival, built around the theme of 'Where Stories Take Root.' The festival will take place at the Doris Duke Theatre from June 27 to June 29, and the public is invited to buy tickets for the 'unforgettable celebration of queer storytelling, culture and community.' Polynesian Cultural Center to host free show in Lahaina Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival is one of the longest-running and esteemed queer film festivals in the nation, and will feature local, national and worldwide films. 'Queer storytelling and representation in media is so important for members of the LGBTQIA+/MVPFAFF+ community,' said Brent Anbe, the director of the festival. 'It fosters pride in authenticity, helping others to embrace their identity while reminding them that they are not alone.' The Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival schedule is as follows:June 27 at 7:30 p.m. 'SEAT 31: Zooey Zephyr,' a short film directed by Kimberly Reed, explores character Zooey Zephyr's expulsion from the Montana House of Representatives for defending transgender medical care, and her acts of resilience following her expulsion. 'Heightened Scrutiny,' the opening night feature film directed by Sam Feder, will follow character Chase Strangio, an ACLU attorney and the first openly transgender person to argue a case before the Supreme Court as he fights to overturn a ban on gender-affirming car for queer youth. June 28 at 1 p.m. 'Paradise of Thorns,' a matinee feature film directed by Boss Kuno, follows a queer individual coping with the loss of his partner and his fight to reclaim their home. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news June 28 at 4 p.m. 'GiGi,' an animated short directed by Cynthia Calvi, follows the gender transition story of a mermaid. 'First Comes Love,' a short film directed by Kanaka director Sayla Uʻilani Whalen, is a coming-of-age romance between two teenage girls. Whalen will be in attendance at this showing. 'Sisters,' the centerpiece feature directed by Susie Yankou, follows two girls who discover one of them actually has a long-lost sister. Following the discovery, their relationship begins to strain. An actor from the film will be in attendance. June 28 at 7 p.m. 'The 7th Moon,' a short film directed by Hawaiʻi resident Tony Dia, reimagines the Filipino myth of Bakunawa and the seven moons as an allegory for abuse. Dia will be in attendance. 'Queens of the Dead,' a feature film directed by Tina Romero, follows drag queens and club kids as they battle zombies during an undead outbreak at a Brooklyn drag show. Kīlauea's eruptions uncover secrets of volcanic activity June 29 at 11 a.m. 'EKG,' a short film directed by Allan Q. Brocka, will follow an emergency room doctor coping with guilt and fear following his coming out. Brocka will be in attendance. 'Velvet Vision: The Story of James Bidgood and the Making of Pink Narcissus,' a documentary directed by Bart Every, follows visionary James Bidgood who was a prominent figure in 1960s queer art. Every will be in attendance. June 29 at 2 p.m. 'Just Between Us,' a short film directed by Zac Hug, follows a queer couple in an open relationship. The lead actors will be in attendance. 'Riley,' the festival's closing feature film directed by Benjamin Howard, follows a high school athlete as he faces conflict between his queer identity and societal standards. Howard and the lead actor will both be in attendance. VIP passes, as well as tickets for individual screenings and events are available to buy online, with discounts for students an kūpuna. To purchase tickets, visit Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
