THE MYSTERY, THE QUESTIONS
A SEARCH INTO A 95-YEAR-OLD HISTORY
On Sept. 9, 1924, 16 Filipino sugar workers were killed in an explosive incident that became a battle known as "the Hanapepe massacre." Four sheriff deputies also were killed. Nearly 100 strikers were jailed, tried and deported. In the days and years that followed, fearing repercussions or wanting to put this behind their dream for a better life, hundreds of Filipinos fled Hawaii to California or went back to the Philippines. This tragic moment in Hawaii's labor history needs to be told and reexamined 95 years after it happened on the island of Kaua'i.
Amidst a shroud of fear and shame, the mass grave of the sixteen slain strikers was lost to myth and folklore for nearly a century until October 2019 when researchers found the trench where the slain workers were buried.
THE HANAPEPE MASSACRE MYSTERY 1924 film project will set history aright and complete this suppressed history with community accounts from that day. Being produced is a 30-mnute docudrama, island-wide Humanities public forums, and a free, 100-plus page research compendium to be handed out to forum attendees.
Amidst a shroud of fear and shame, the mass grave of the sixteen slain strikers was lost to myth and folklore for nearly a century until October 2019 when researchers found the trench where the slain workers were buried.
THE HANAPEPE MASSACRE MYSTERY 1924 film project will set history aright and complete this suppressed history with community accounts from that day. Being produced is a 30-mnute docudrama, island-wide Humanities public forums, and a free, 100-plus page research compendium to be handed out to forum attendees.
WHO STARTED THE MASSACRE?
The 30-minute short docudrama film being produced will answer this question, based on historical documents and oral history accounts.
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WHAT IGNITED IT?
A 90-minute Community Talk Story Humanities forum with speakers, panelists and discussion will follow the showing of the docudrama. Key questions will be part of what the forums will help illuminate.
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WHO WERE THEY?Who were the sugar planters and what was the world of big sugar? Who were the Filipino strikers and what did they find when they came to labor in Hawaii's sugar plantations? A free research compendium book will be handed out at our community forums.
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This film package of docudrama, forums and the compendium together will address other questions, holes in the narrative that have stood for 95 years, myths that have arisen, theories that need debunking, and shrouded facts. This mysterious and compelling story will be bought to life and shown in 2024 by an EMMY Award-winning filmmaker and teammates, all from Kaua'i.
Solved!
The mass grave mystery . . .
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MEET THE TEAM!
JOIN US! ANGEL DONORS WANTED!
BE WITH US!
JOIN OUR BAND OF ANGELS! Support is needed, help us get the film made.
Angel Donors needed. Angel dust, that's your giving. Flying high, that's us. DONATE HERE |
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OUR TEAM
L-R: Stephanie J. Castillo, Executive Producer/Creative Team Leader; Randall Francisco, Executive Producer/Operations & Finance; Christopher Ballesteros, Co-Producer/Research Team Leader/Finance Team; Leslie Castillo Scales, Production Concierge; Wesley Manaday, finance team member.
All of us are from Kaua'i. |
T E S T I M O N I A L S
Passionate Supporters
Jimmy Gadd Break a leg! This looks like a great project!!! |
