Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument: Managing a Marine Protected Area as a Sacred Natural Site and Integrating Indigenous Perspectives on Spirituality as a Cultural Ecosystem Service

Abstract

Much of western culture sees value in landscapes and the preservation of terrestrial ecosystems. Meanwhile the sea, being out of sight to an extent, is less valued in some ways. In Hawaiian culture and understanding of the natural world, the sea- not the land- is the origin of all life. To Hawaiian people, vast extents of the ocean are as much ‘home’ as their islands. Management of marine protected areas globally has not always shared this understanding of home, despite ‘sense of place’ and ‘spiritual values’ being included in all cultural ecosystem service (CES) frameworks. However, western science does increasingly recognize the value of the marine environment. Were it not for that recognition, we would not have a growing system of such protected areas. Where apparent divergence between these systems or cultures occurs may in fact be in the degree of integration of spirituality as a basis for guiding principles for management. This can exacerbate exclusion in a place like Hawaiʻi, where historic tension between cultures has driven a wedge between cultures. The opportunity for us now is to recognize and acknowledge this history, as well as the fundamental similarities in our value systems (even though they are expressed quite differently), and do our best to integrate them. In this chapter, I reflect on how the effectiveness of characterizing spiritual values is thwarted by not allowing the context of human-nature spirituality to influence the ecosystem service (ES) framework and proceed to highlight the role of Papahānaumokuākea as a sacred natural site and marine protected area in conveying relationships between lived spiritual values and the discourse around the CES framework as a management tool. It further shares some challenges and opportunities the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) is currently facing in striving to adapt characterization of CES, and the ES framework overall, to better reflect Indigenous perspectives. The chapter concludes with suggestions and reflections for improvement by “talking story” about how the author navigates such an important journey.