Native Hawaiians Getting Back to Mālama ’Āina

Abstract

Historically, traditional Native Hawaiian values and survival were rooted in the practice of mālama ’āina – caring for the land. Urbanization and development of the land over time, however, have disconnected Native Hawaiians from their traditional practices and land. In an effort to get back to mālama ’āina, Native Hawaiians are incorporating cultural history and identity into addressing environmental problems by taking responsibility to reclaim and restore the ’āina for future generations. Once such example is the Ka Wai Ola O Wai’anae project in which the Wai’anae Coast community is using federal funding to build capacity to understand and take effective actions that mitigate pollutants in the environment, with the goal of getting back mālama ’āina.