Pili Pono Practice: A Qualitative Study on Reimagining Native Hawaiian Food Sovereignty through MALAMA Backyard Aquaponics

Living in one of the most remote island chains in the world, Native Hawaiians developed sophisticated food cultivation systems that sustained a thriving and robust population for centuries. These systems were disrupted by colonization, which has contributed to the health disparities that Native Hawaiians face today. MALAMA, a culturally-grounded backyard aquaponics program, was developed to promote food sovereignty among Native Hawaiians. This study utilized participant interview and focus group data to identify how participating in the MALAMA program impacts the wellbeing. The findings demonstrate that MALAMA enhanced the participants’ pilina (relationship, connection) to traditional foods, land, cultural identity, family, and community, which contributed to the quick adoption of the program into Native Hawaiian communities. To address food insecurity, it is imperative to seek Indigenous-developed, community-based, and culturally-grounded programs and solutions like the MALAMA program

Kōkua Kaiāulu: Keeping the Native Hawaiian Community in Waimānalo Fed

Recent data suggest that similar to other minority communities in the US, Native Hawaiians are more likely to contract and suffer from COVID-19, exacerbating health and social disparities. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant disruptions in employment and economic insecurity, both of which are intertwined with food insecurity. This paper describes the efforts of Ke Kula Nui O Waimānalo, a grassroots Native Hawaiian organization, to meet both the immediate and long-term needs related to food insecurity in the Waimānalo community. Numerous organizations from multiple sectors collaborated to provide over 24,000 prepared healthy meals and 3,550 fresh produce boxes as well as seeds and plant starters to over 6,500 Waimānalo families and community members who are vulnerable to food insecurity. In addition to meeting the immediate needs of the community, community resilience is being built by creating permanent areas of food sources in the community to teach community members a variety of ways of growing their own food. Using a land-based and community-driven approach, Native Hawaiian worldview of health and healing need to be the foundation of promoting health and resilience in Native Hawaiian communities

Waimānalo Pono Research: Indigenizing Community-Engaged Research with a Native Hawaiian Community

Native Hawaiians, or Kānaka Maoli, the first people to arrive and settle on the Hawaiian Islands, developed an ecologically sustainable food system that sustained the health of up to a million people on the islands. Colonization disrupted this system as well as the healthy lifestyle and cultural practices of the Indigenous people of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Today, Native Hawaiians face pervasive health and social inequities. To build research processes that can meaningfully and sustainably address these inequities, the Waimānalo Pono Research Hui was borne from the vision and priorities of community leaders and members of Waimānalo. Using qualitative data from the annual survey conducted with Waimānalo Pono Research Hui members, the purpose of this study is to illustrate how community engagement and community-based participatory research has been operationalized within a Native Hawaiian community to yield meaningful research. Five themes emerged from the analysis related to the ʻāina (land), pilina (relationships), consent, equitable resources, and data sovereignty. These findings demonstrate the importance of imagining, creating, and implementing research processes that are shaped by community voices

Reconnecting Rural Native Hawaiian Families to Food through Aquaponics

Food insecurity is a pressing issue in Hawai‘i as the vast majority of available and accessible foods are imported. To address this issue, a backyard aquaponics program was implemented from 2010 to 2016 to offer additional avenues to food sovereignty in a rural predominantly Native Hawaiian community. Aquaponics provides a contained and sustainable food production system that models Native Hawaiian principles of land and water stewardship. The purpose of this community-engaged study was to identify the outcomes and resources needed to continue sustaining the backyard aquaponics systems. The researchers began building a relationship with the community by helping to build several aquaponics systems. The researchers and community partner co-developed the interview questions and participants were interviewed in-person. The outcomes of the study revealed multiple benefits of having a backyard aquaponics system, including increased access to vegetables and fruit, improved diet, low maintenance cost, and enhanced family and community connectedness. Participants reported a renewed connection to Native Hawaiian values, especially land stewardship. Challenges included leaks and breakages with the system, overproduction of fish, complications in water temperature, and vulnerability to unpredictable weather. These findings suggest that backyard aquaponics systems have the potential to provide multiple benefits including alleviating barriers related to food security

A Report on the Ke Ola O Ka ‘Āina: ‘Āina Connectedness Scale

Optimal health from a Native Hawaiian worldview is achieved by being pono (righteous) and maintaining lōkahi (balance) with all our relations, including our relationships as Kānaka (humankind) with ‘Āina (land, nature, environment, that which feeds) and Akua (spiritual realm). The purpose of this study is to explore the role of ‘Āina connectedness in Native Hawaiian health and resilience to inform the development of the ‘Āina Connectedness Scale. Qualitative methods were conducted with 40 Native Hawaiian adults throughout Hawai‘i. Three themes emerged: (1) ‘Āina is everything; (2) Connection to ‘Āina is imperative to health; and (3) Intergenerational health, healing, and resilience are reflected through intergenerational connectedness with ‘Āina. Qualitative findings, supplemented with a scoping review of land, nature, and cultural connectedness scales, led to the development of the ‘Āina Connectedness Scale, which examined the degree to which people feel connected to ‘Āina, with implications for future research. ‘Āina connectedness may address concerns related to health disparities that stem from colonization, historical trauma, and environmental changes and better our understanding of Native Hawaiian health by fostering stronger ties to land. Resilience- and ‘Āina-based approaches are critically important to health equity and interventions that aim to improve Native Hawaiian health