Is Chief of War historically accurate? Exploring the facts vs. fiction in the Apple TV+ series

It is truly interesting to see how the creators of Chief of War strive to depict a historically accurate story with such precision. The story of the Chief of War is based on the real history of the Hawaiian unification, which cost much more than an arm and a leg.

Through the battles and the struggles of the people, the eventual unification of Hawai'i is the main story of Chief of War. However, unlike the focus being on Kamehameha like in history, the focus in this series is on Ka’iana.

Historical accuracy of the Chief of War

Though much of Chief of War is yet to be released, up until the fifth episode, there are numerous historical aspects that have been accurately depicted in the series. It should be noted that the production team was meticulous in bringing forth a historically accurate storyline that would be able to depict the story in an authentic manner. Even the soundtrack of the show incorporated traditional Hawaiian instruments.

Jason Momoa, who was born in Hawaii, made Chief of War as his passion project. In an interview with Town & Country, Natalee Kēhaulani Bauer, a Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) scholar and an assistant teaching professor of race, gender, and sexuality studies at Northeastern University in Oakland, spoke about how Chief of War will be able to change the perspective of others on Hawaii. She says,

“In a lot of regards, this is a continued attempt to reclaim the films and stories and the ways that Hawaii is portrayed. I really am excited for kids in Hawaii and even elders in Hawaii to see this and go, ‘Oh my god, this is our history on the screen. This is a major production. This is a major actor. That’s the more important part of it.”

The creators of Chief of War ensured the historical accuracy of the narrative by bringing in cultural advisors. The war vessels that can be seen in the series were made using real materials and traditional techniques to maintain authenticity.

In the fifth episode of the series, we see that Jason Momoa’s character, Ka’iana, has to go through a difficult competition to join Kamehameha’s inner council. They race in a traditional Hawaiian sled referred to as hōlua.

Though the series is based on a real story, it is not a documentary. Hence, creative liberties will definitely be present in the series to make the show entertaining.

In an interview with Town & Country, Chief of War star Moses Goods says,

“This is television, this is Hollywood. This show takes artistic license… But what we’re trying to do in this show, and what I think the show accomplishes, is what actors do: We bring out the human part of who these [people] were. You can read about them in a history book; we delve into their lives as human beings. This is not a history lesson.”

He also presents a new way of approaching the concept of "truth" within the Chief of War, where he acknowledges that a set narrative cannot be claimed to be right or wrong since there are multiple perspectives to a story.

The manner in which the show tries to maintain its authenticity truly resonates with the viewers. It depicts their commitment to bringing out the untold story of Ka’iana to a global audience.

In an interview with The Wrap, Jason Momoa speaks about how significant the accuracy of the story is,

“This is not just us working our day job. This is our heritage. I’m not playing a fictitious character or a superhero. These are my ancestors. If I f—k any of this up, we’re not coming home.”

He also added,

“People come here from far and wide to get married, they make great memories here and then they go home. Now, they’re going to sit in the comfort of their own homes and see what actually happened here, on this land, and they’re going to see it made, performed and directed by Hawaiians.”

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