The new Apple TV+ series “Chief of War,” starring Jason Momoa, is more than just a television show — it’s a breakthrough for Hawaiian storytelling and representation. For the first time, authentic Hawaiian history is being told on a major streaming platform,

His contemporary was Kamehameha I (played in Chief of War by Kaina Makua), who would eventually become known as Kamehameha the Great. Like Kaʻiana, he was probably born in the 1750s, and came from the Big Island. And his aristocratic lineage, though questioned, cemented his future as a strong leader too, according to National Geographic.

In an interview with PEOPLE, Jason Momoa opens up about his new show 'Chief of War' premiering in his native Hawaii 27 years after his debut at 19 in 'Baywatch'.