Aloha movie title raises heckles of Hawaii natives

A movie filmed in Hawaii has drawn criticism from Native Hawaiians.

Oahu, Hawaii. Image by www.bluewaikiki.com / CC BY-SA 2.0

Some Native Hawaiians, including the state’s film commissioner, have taken issue with the title, Aloha. They say using the Hawaiian word is a disrespectful misappropriation of culture and simplifies a word that is rich with meaning. Aloha stars Bradley Cooper, Rachel McAdams and Emma Stone.

The disapproval is based largely on a trailer that depicts a military themed love story. Sony Pictures did not comment on the concerns but pointed the Associated Press to a behind-the-scenes feature online to show the film’s Hawaii connection. It shows Stone’s character using the Hawaiian word mana, which can mean power. There are shots of hula and interviews from a Native Hawaiian sovereignty activist who appears in the movie.

(Press Association)