The Isle of Tabu

Duration: 800 ft.

Year Published: 1940

Complete Record: 1940s musical love story between a Hawaiian chief’s son and a young woman who is cursed and the fear that such superstition brings: Tropical island shots, volcano erupting, woman with baby talks to a holy man, who is worshipping native gods, he tells her baby is cursed; women in native dresses, one singing, Aliha, then another woman comes and tells the others that they are not supposed to be there and not to be with her; two men approach Aliha, talk to her, she tells them to leave before the priest catches them, the man called Tamichi tells the other, Kaneloah, that she is taboo; Tamichi leaves, talks to others; Kaneloah stays with her, she tells him to leave, but he kisses her, she swims away; different day, he sings to her, then she tells him that he must go but he says they should leave together to his people’s island where he is the son of a noble chief, even though she is worried about what they would be afraid of her; another day, there is a celebration with hundreds of people, who are cooking their food and cutting open coconuts, one woman hula dances to another man’s singing; Tamichi tells the others that she is cursed,one says that she is being honored, but Tamichi tells them that they should only honor the volcano god and that they should get rid of her before destruction hits and while another mentions that a man falling in love with her would bring about such destruction, one is concerned for the life of Kaneloa, who would defend her, Tamichi tells him that it doesn’t matter because Kaneloah has betrayed them, another asks Tamichi if he is doing it for the people or for himself; Aliha sings to Kaneloah and his father and is joined in a dance by the other women; Kaneloah asks for Tamichi and is concerned about any trouble that may come about, one man speaks out and the young woman leaves and Kaneloah follows her and tells her to not worry because Tamichi is just immature; wedding ceremony is about to begin but Tamichi arrives with the other men, he tells them that they are all fools and points out that the volcano is angry as it begins to erupt, the people scatter, Kaneloah fight off Tamichi, who tries to kill Aliha, they are locked in battle, Tamichi falls on his own knife and dies; the flame that had just flared up, dies and the volcano goes back to sleep, the others see it, they think that nature changed but Kaneloah tells them that taboo is a human superstition; finally, the wedding begins and everybody celebrates