Behind the honeymoon hotels, the made-for-tourists luaus, the hula girl fantasies, and all the other popular mainlander misconceptions of the Hawaiian Islands, there exists another Hawai‘i, unseen by most visitors -- a Hawai‘i rich in native history yet struggling under outside influences that threaten its vulnerable environmental and cultural landscapes.

Some Hawaiians are striving toward the indigenous peoples‘ concept of Pono, "righteousness," a way of living that lies at the center of Toward Living Pono, a documentary that chronicles the efforts of actor Jason Scott Lee and other island activists, from all walks of Island life who believe the survival of their culture and the vitality of their environment hinges on honoring their centuries-old traditions and their respect for their ‘aina, their land.