(Flickr)

Finding Ohana may seem be similar to the 1980s The Goonies or Indiana Jones., but is not just another rip-off of those classic movies. 

Pili (Kea Peahu), and her brother Ioane (Alex Aoine) are Native Hawaiian, but identify as New Yorkers. Upon finding a journal that belonged to sailors on a quest for gold, Pili takes on the role of a treasure hunter as they explore their Hawaiian heritage. 

The film sounds like a dull sounding adventure storyline that is overdone, and it is just that at the beginning. But about 20 minutes in, viewers cannot help but be enraptured with the risky antics and hilarity that ensue. 

Cast with Native Hawaiians, Asians, and Pacific Islanders in the roles of the characters of that descent, this film has no whitewashing characters as we see in popular movies. Hawaii is not treated like an exotic destination, but rather a dive into the cultures of its indigenous people– for those who are clueless about the island’s culture and history. 

Rated PG and  part of Netflix’s Representation Matters Collection, Finding Ohana runs about 2 hours.