Under a Jarvis Moon
Thursday, August 25 at 8:30 and 11:00 pm
The broadcast premiere of Under a Jarvis Moon will air on Thursday, August 25th, at 8:30 p.m. This amazing one-hour documentary, produced by Bishop Museum, covers a forgotten chapter in Hawaii's history. The film tells the true story of over 130 young men from Hawaii who, from 1935 to 1942, were sent by the U.S. government to occupy the remote Pacific islands of Howland, Baker and Jarvis. The initial wave of "colonists" were native Hawaiian alumni and students from Kamehameha Schools. The federal government's rationale behind selecting Native Hawaiians was that they believed Hawaiians might be better suited than other races to withstanding the harsh living conditions on these islands. The purpose for the project was at first unclear, but it soon became evident that the claiming of these islands was integral to the United States' military strategies of the time.
While on the islands, the young colonists collected specimens for Bishop Museum, mapped the islands, cultivated coconuts and vegetables, and prepared a landing field for Amelia Earhart, who was expected to make Howland Island one of her last stops on her round-the-world flight. Through it all, they endured rats, sharks and ultimately, enemy fire. The project ended tragically when two of the colonists on Howland Island were killed in a Japanese air attack, one day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The film shares many of these stories in the colonists' own words, using interviews, photographs, log book entries and government documents.
From the log entries, audiences will discover just how intelligent, poetic, romantic and funny these young men were. The film's title refers to a song penned by colonist George Kahanu Sr. and his desert island companions. The song expresses their longing for their loved ones back home. George, now 93 and one of the last surviving colonists, opens the film with his rendition of the song.
George happens to be the grandfather of documentary co-producer/director Noelle Kahanu, a project manager at Bishop Museum. How Noelle discovered this chapter in Hawaii's history is as intriguing as the colonists' story itself. A co-worker knew of the log book entries of a young George Kahanu in the museum's archives and asked Noelle if she was related. Upon reading her grandfather's entries, she discovered a story that he had never shared with her.
This led to more research and, eventually, a Bishop Museum exhibit called "Hui Panala'au: Hawaiian Colonists, American Citizens." In the course of her research, Noelle recorded oral histories with the surviving colonists. Fortunately, the recording device was a video camera. These extensive interviews with colonists, many of whom have since passed away, laid the groundwork for the documentary film.
A work-in-progress version of Under a Jarvis Moon played at the 2010 Hawaii International Film Festival to sold-out crowds. PBS Hawaii realized that this was a story that needed to be told to a broader audience. As part of its mission to ensure that the public at large becomes aware of important Hawaii stories, Hawaii's only public television station provided the project with finishing funds to bring the film up to PBS Hawaii's standards for journalistic objectivity, story clarity, and production values. The re-scripted, re-edited version has a new musical score and additional images of the colonists on the islands.
Under a Jarvis Moon is made possible with funds from the Education through Cultural and Historical Organizations project, Office of Innovation and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education and by PBS Hawaii. The film was produced by Noelle Kahanu, Heather Giugni, and Lisa Altieri; directed by Noelle Kahanu and Heather Giugni; and edited by Lisa Altieri.
