Educational Media Reviews Online

Ku Kanaka/Stand Tall is a compelling film about self and collective empowerment. The main focus of the documentary is Terry Kanalu Young, an indigenous Hawaiian, who becomes paralyzed at the age of 15 after a diving accident in the 1960s. As Kanalu navigates living life as physically disabled, his initial anger and trauma gradually transform into hope and resilience as he learns the truth about Hawaiian history. Throughout the film, viewers are taken through Kanalu’s journey of spiritual healing and political activism as he uses his voice as a catalyst for native Hawaiian chanting, teaching and advocacy.

Filmmaker Marelene Booth masterfully weaves together footage of interviews, photographs, documents and testimonies from mentees, colleagues, friends and relatives, which capture Kanalu’s inspiring spirit, influential leadership, and life-long passion for speaking up about the history and issues of the Hawaiian people. Smoothly edited with diverse primary sources, the film successfully demonstrates the parallels between Kanalu’s personal path towards self-empowerment as a disabled indigenous Hawaiian and that of the native Hawaiian collective desire for self-sovereignty. The power of the film is in the sincerity of interviewees and their emotional connections with Kanalu. Through their stories viewers are able to better understand the true impact Kanalu had on many lives in the communities he served.

A compact, coherent film, Ku Tanaka/Stand Tall provides plenty of thought-provoking discussion points for those teaching and studying topics on disabilities, political activism, Native cultures and U.S. imperialism. Ku Tanaka/Stand Tall is highly recommended particularly for history, political science, and courses examining issues of Indigenous rights, history and culture.