Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 34, Number 5, 1 May 2017 — Pinky Thompson docu- mentary airing on PBS [ARTICLE]

Pinky Thompson documentary airing on PBS

As Hōkūle'a nears the end of its Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage, "Pacific Heartbeat" on PBS will present a documentary on Myron "Pinky" Thompson, who served as

the Polynesian Voyaging Society's president for nearly two decades. It was Thompson's early vision that the traditional voyaging eanoe would circumnavigate the globe. Airing May 6 at 8 p.m. on PBS Hawai'i, "Visions in the Dark: The Life of Pinky Thompson" is a full-length feature from filmmakers Ty Sanga and Vince Keala Lucero about a beloved civic leader. Thompson, who died in 2001, was a social worker and a key figure in several Native Hawaiian organizations, including Kamehameha Schools, Alu Like, Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center and Papa Ola Lōkahi. Pinky Thompson's son, Nainoa, a master navigator and president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, is leading the Hōkūle'a's worldwide voyage. "Pacific Heartbeat," whieh is broadcast nationally, begins its sixth season this month. The series of critically acclaimed documentaries offer a glimpse into the Pacific Islander experience. Visit the Pacific Islanders in Communications website at piccom.org to find out about other upcoming films.