Focus Hawaii Special Cy Bridges

Authors

• Lance Chase
• Cy Bridges

Files

Description

Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Cy Bridges, Vice President for Cultural Presentation at the Polynesian Cultural Center and a respected kumu hula, in a fascinating exploration of Hawaiian origins, genealogy, and cultural tradition. Drawing on oral histories, ancestral genealogies, chants, and comparative cultural evidence, Bridges discusses the complex question of where the Hawaiian people originated, presenting the view that Hawaiians are likely a multicultural people shaped by migrations from several regions, including Southeast Asia and possibly the Americas. He reflects on traditional Hawaiian genealogies that link ancestral figures to ancient flood narratives, temple rituals, and migration patterns, and explores parallels between Polynesian traditions and Latter‑day Saint teachings about Hagoth and the Lamanites. The conversation highlights the importance of oral tradition, chant, and hula as vehicles of historical memory, emphasizing how cultural knowledge has been preserved across generations and continues to inform identity, belief, and community understanding among Native Hawaiians. Note: this episode survives as audio only; no video recording is available.

Length of Video

00:26:46

File Size

105.3MB

Archives Call Number

22.FH

Air Date

1986

Keywords

Lance Chase, Focus Hawaii, Cy Bridges, audio only, no video, Hawaiian genealogy, Polynesian Cultural Center, Hawaiian origins, Hagoth migration, Lamanites, Polynesian traditions, oral genealogy, Hawaiian chants, mele and hula, kumu hula, cultural history Hawaii, Polynesian migration theory, indigenous knowledge, Hawaiian identity, Pacific anthropology.

Disciplines

Arts and Humanities

Recommended Citation

Chase, Lance and Bridges, Cy, "Focus Hawaii Special Cy Bridges" (1986). Focus Hawaii. 27.
https://digitalcollections.byuh.edu/focushawaii/27