Jason Momoa don finally drop ein superhero act for sometin wey dey far more powerful: einsef. For Chief of War, di new Apple TV+ historical epic, di 45-year-old actor no just star, he create am. He write and direct am. And, as he put am, he don finally get chance to show di world who he really be.
Chief of War na di result: a nine-part drama wey dey set for 18th-century Hawaii, wey dey follow di true story of Ka’iana, a fierce warrior wey dey battle to unite di islands before colonization arrive. E be like love letter to Hawaiian history: Bloody, beautiful and entirely on Momoa ein terms.
Di series no dey pull punches. E dey open with two episodes entirely for Ōlelo Hawai’i, di indigenous Hawaiian language, a bold move for a big-budget Western streamer. But for Momoa, e no be optional. “You couldn’t not do am,” he dey talk. “Our language dem ban am from us, and we dey get am back. I just want make people embrace am.”
Who be Ka’iana?
Di Hawaiian warrior Ka’iana dem born am around 1755 into a noble family. He for get privileged upbringing, dem dey teach am di art of war from young age. By di time he reach adulthood, English captain John Meares write say, he be “six feet five inches for stature, and di muscular form of ein limbs be of an Herculean appearance”.
Temuera Morrison Talk About Di Film
Temuera Morrison, wey dey play Chief Kahekili, talk about how e take learn how to say ein lines for ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, and also wetin e mean to am to be part of production by, about, and starring Polynesians.
He talk say e bin dey scared at first say he no go fit learn di language and make good job of doing am well, and saying am like fluent Hawaiian speaker. But Jason Momoa encourage am say dem be di same people.
- Di film dey show di struggle to maintain indigenous identity against growing American and European influence.
- Ka’iana be central to di history of Hawaiian unification.