The Myths in the Adventure Formula of Finding ’Ohana (2021)

Abstract

This study analyzes the myths depicted in the film Finding ‘Ohana (2021) and their contribution to enriching the adventure formula. This study employs a qualitative descriptive design with a descriptive-interpretive approach through film analysis. Research data were obtained from selected scenes, dialogues, and visual elements in  Finding ’Ohana (2021), then analyzed using John G. Cawelti’s adventure formula theory and Clyde Kluckhohn's concept of cultural universal, which focuses on knowledge and religious systems. The analysis was conducted by identifying, categorizing, and interpreting the myth representations. The film depicts two interrelated forms of myth:  the sacred place and the ancestral guardian. These myths reflect Hawaiian systems of knowledge and religion, which view nature and ancestors as interconnected with the spiritual world. Within the adventure formula, myths contribute by creating obstacles, generating spiritual consequences, and influencing the characters’ transformation toward symbolic triumph. Supported by narrative and visual elements, the myth depicted in the film enriches the meaning of adventure and positions the journey not only as physical exploration but also as a process of understanding identity, heritage, and the meaning of ohana as belonging and family connection.