Talking Story and Building Community: A Conversation With Indigenous Program Alumni and Advisor Bryson Chun

by Ianeta Le'i

I honestly don't remember the first time I met Bryson Chun, but what I do know is that it's always fun when we catch up. Chun is best known as the Native Hawaiian (born and raised on the Windward side of O'ahu) screenwriter whose credits include Disney+'s Doogie Kamealoha, M.D. and the upcoming Moana 2, but to me and the Sundance Institute, he's like family, despite graduating from one of my rival high schools, Kamehameha Schools Kap lama.

Not long after we start downloading each other on our kids and work, the conversation naturally veers into Portuguese sausage and the McDonald's breakfast that his dad just picked up for him. This is not an advertisement, but we both agreed that for those of you who have not yet been to Hawai'i, you should know that the McDonald's breakfast menu offers quintessential local fare - Portuguese sausage, eggs and rice, complete with Aloha Shoyu (soy sauce) packets. I don't even eat fast food, but that's not fast food, he says with confidence, over Zoom, and rightfully so.

So, if you want to start your day like an award-winning writer, now you know the secret. A 2021 Native Lab Fellow, Chun's tenure with Sundance Institute actually began in 2016 as a selectee of the Sundance Native Writer's Workshop which was held in Honolulu. He is also an Advisor for the upcoming Indigenous Intensive x Hawai'i, held on O'ahu August 13-15, which provides mentorship, support, and a grant to five Native Hawaiian fellows. The inaugural Intensive is made possible with partnership and support by Linda and Robert Nichols and Creative Industries HI.

To commemorate the Indigenous Program's return to Hawai'i with our newly launched Indigenous Intensive next month, I sat down with Bryson to talk story (chat) about his experience as a Native Hawaiian Indigenous Program alumni.

LINK:	https://www.sundance.org/blogs/talking-story-and-building-community-a-...
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