Kupuna Video Project Update!
The Kupuna Video Project began in May 2015, from the vision and inspiration of then board members Sunny Jordan and Judy Mertens. The vision was to recount the unique history of upcountry Maui as told by elders who lived, worked, raised families, and experienced the profound change that has overtaken life as it was a generation earlier.
After original film maker Robert Stone passed away, Jordan and select members of the Museum Board began looking for someone who could take over as film maker. They were introduced to an extraordinary young man from Molokai, Matt Yamashita.
Matt Yamashita is an award-winning, freelance filmmaker from the island of Molokai. With a BFA in Film Production from Chapman University, Matt has been working in the film/TV industry since 2001.
Over the past 2 decades, Matt has dedicated the focus of his work to telling Hawaii’s stories through a local lens. Among his list of notable, award-winning productions are: “Sons of Halawa” a nationally and internationally broadcast feature documentary about the history of Molokai’s Halawa Valley; and “The Roots of ‘Ulu” a nationally broadcast 30min documentary about breadfruit in Hawaiian culture, narrated by Jason Scott-Lee.
Since 2016, Matt has also been working on international projects focusing on themes of environment and culture including profile films for Emmy Award winning series “The New Environmentalists” narrated by Robert Redford, and documentaries for Conservation International and Save the Waves Coalition.
In his personal life, Matt is a passionate surfer, fisherman, soccer coach, community volunteer, and family man who cares deeply about humanity and our planet. He continues to live and work from his home island of Molokai.
Quazifilms is the production company that Matt Yamashita owns and operates. Catering to the needs of creative content producers, businesses, and non-profits. Quazifilms offers complete pre-production, production, and post-production services.
Matt is very excited to be working with the Makawao History Museum on this documentary. Growing up on Molokai, Matt spent a lot of time with his grandparents and hanai uncles, listening to their stories of the old days. Throughout his childhood, he was surrounded by paniolo, pineapple fields, plantation towns and country lifestyle. The stories that are shared in the Makawao documentary interviews remind him of old Molokai.
The Kupuna project is being supported thanks to grants and a portion of the funding from;
Grant-in-aid from Hawaii State Legislature
County of Maui, Office of Economic Development
Fred Baldwin Memorial Foundation Grant
Atherton Family Foundation
Alexander & Baldwin Foundation
