08/11/24 - Dan Taulapapa McMullin

Guest Host Anne Keala Kelly (Kanaka Maoli) speaks with Dan Taulapapa McMullin — an artist and poet from Sāmoa i Sasa'e (American Samoa) and an expert on the subject of the colonization of Pacific cultures. Keala and Dan spend time talking about American exploitation via tiki bars, a subject that Dan explored in his film, “100 Tikis.” “100 Tikis” is a 45-minute film/video appropriation art piece, part of an ongoing installation of works on the intersection of tiki kitsch and indigenous sovereignty. “100 Tikis” looks at Hollywood, colonialism, gender, militarism, and activism, through films, cartoons, songs, paintings, photographs, television shows, tourist ads, military propaganda, pornography, tiki bars, activist videos, home movies, and social media.

Dan’s artist book “The Healer's Wound: A Queer Theirstory of Polynesia” (2022) was published by Pu'uhonua Society and Tropic Editions of Honolulu for HT22 the Hawai'i Triennial. Their artwork has been exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Native Art, Metropolitan Museum, De Young Museum, Musée du quai Branly, Auckland Art Gallery and Bishop Museum. Their film “Sinalela” (2001) won the 2002 Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival Best Short Film Award. “100 Tikis” was the opening night film selection of the 2016 Présence Autochtone in Montreal and was an Official Selection in the Fifo Tahiti Film Festival. Dan's art studio and writing practice is based in Muhheaconneock lands / Hudson, NY, where they live with their partner, and Lenape lands in Hopoghan Hackingh / Hoboken, NJ.

More about Dan and links to his writing, films (including “100 Tikis”), paintings and sculpture/performance works: https://www.taulapapa.com/.

For copies of “The Healer's Wound” (2024 2nd Edition) go to: https://tropiceditions.org/The-Healer-s-Wound-2

Production Credits:
Tiokasin Ghosthorse (Lakota), Host and Executive Producer
Anne Keala Kelly (Kanaka Maoli), Guest Host
Liz Hill (Red Lake Ojibwe), Producer
Karen Martinez (Mayan), Studio Engineer, Radio Kingston
Tiokasin Ghosthorse, Audio Editor
Kevin Richardson, Podcast Editor

Music Selections:
1. Song Title: Tahi Roots Mix (First Voices Radio Theme Song)
Artist: Moana and the Moa Hunters
Album: Tahi (1993)
Label: Southside Records (Australia and New Zealand)

2. Song Title: Pe A E Silva
Artist: Pacific Soul
CD: Pacific Soul (2012)
Label: Pacific Dream Records

AKANTU INTELLIGENCE
Visit Akantu Intelligence, an institute that Tiokasin founded with a mission of contextualizing original wisdom for troubled times. Go to https://akantuintelligence.org to find out more and consider joining his Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/Ghosthorse