Building the Beloved Community: Reflections in Understanding Relationships to Food for Native Hawaiians.

Abstract

Health disparities within the Native Hawaiian community have been well-documented for many years. Innovative, culturally relevant, and community-generated approaches are required to truly change the trajectory and impact of chronic illnesses for Native Hawaiians. This article describes the experiences of residents from Wai'anae and Waimānalo who were trained in a process called Building the Beloved Community, and facilitated group sessions for a community-based participatory research (CBPR) project around 'ai pono (eating healthy), seeking to understand Native Hawaiian community residents' perceptions of current and historical influences on eating. Community facilitators and observers engaged 40 residents to better understand peoples' life experiences around food. The community facilitators identified key principles derived from their training and facilitation experience, important elements for effective discussion circles, and the transformative outcomes experienced by all involved. By sharing these experiences, they hope to encourage use of a similar process to promote lifestyle changes in communities.