Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 3, 1 March 2011 — Hawaiian culture and conservation in Hawaiʻi [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaiian culture and conservation in Hawaiʻi

By Kevin Chang, Alex Connelly, Koalani Kaulukukui, ^

Sam 'Ohu Gon, Jody Kaulukukui, Ulalia Woodside, Namaka Whitehead, 'Aulani Wilhelm, Nai'a Watson, Chipper Wiehman and Melia Lane-Kamahele Editor's note: This eommu- /j nity forum reflects the views of V the individual writers and do not ^ necessarily reflect the views ofthe * Hawai'i Conservation Allianee.

n August 2010, the Hawai'i ^ Conservation Allianee (HCA) embraced an unprecedented theme for its 18th annual conference, "Paeihe Ecosystem Management & Restoration: Applying Traditional and Western Knowledge Systems." It was successful; attended by the largest and most diverse audience of conservation-minded organizations and individuals yet. Panels included and sometimes blended the views and observations of marine and terrestrial conservation scientists, cultural practitioners, community groups and sustainable agricultural projects. HCA took steps to integrate protocol affirming Hawaiian values and perspectives into the conference format. The process was no longer about the artificial distinctions of science, culture and society but about biocultural resources and cultural approaches to conservation. Running with the concepts and ideas discussed at the conference, in early December, HCA members officially adopted a position paper titled Hawaiian Culture anel Conservation in Hawai'i. The core statement reads: "In Hawai'i, integration of Native Hawaiian approaches and knowledge systems with conventional conservation efforts is essential to achieve HCA's vision of sustainable communities built upon a foundation of Hawaiian values and actively perpetuating thriving lands and seas through active management andrestoration." The statement is bolstered by a list of substantive actions and aspirations necessary to fulfill our collective kuleana to further empower Native Hawaiian communities and apply their traditional ecological knowledge to reverse ecological degradation and re-establish the sustainability and resiliency of ka pae 'āina 'o Hawai'i (the Hawaiian archipelago). Why is integration of traditional Hawaiian approaches and knowledge systems essential

!to HCA's vision? In Hawai'i, as in many places, over time a conceptual gap or disconnect developed as a result of a deluge of transported landscapes, eolonial communities and an ethic shaped by an acute case of

ethnocentric myopia. This dominance resulted in extensive psychic and physical damage to Native Hawaiians, the unique biocultural ecosystems in whieh they thrived, and the ethic and relationship that had been developed between the people and the 'āina. Integrating Hawaiian approaches and knowledge systems is essential to HCA's collective vision because they

bridge the disconnect between the Native Hawaiian ecological ethic centered on the relationship and halanee between people and their ecosystems, and the modern ethic that champions human dominance over nature. Traditional concepts are essential to our survival, our 'ike honua (sense of plaee) and our sense of justice and human dignity. The time tested wisdom of ka po'e kahiko (people of old) is connected to the very habitat we aspire to protect and restore. In this light, the position paper lays out some (not all) of the basic value concepts that align with the conservation cause, such as 'ike, ho'omau, kānāwai, laulima andlōkahi. To be impactful, HCA members delineated a number of activities they will endeavor to implement, including, among others: • Increase efforts to recruit, train and hire Native Hawaiians into their organizations at all levels; • Meaningfully engage with Hawaiian eommunities that are tied to their natural resources; • Reinforce Hawaiian values that build appreciation and responsibility for natural resources; • Actively explore and utilize traditional resource management knowledge and systems for their modern relevance in conservation; • Integrate the use of Hawaiian language, values

and concepts in policymaking and practice (e.g., in traditional plaee names, naming of new species, the creation of job titles and programs). These and many other proactive statements challenge us to go beyond our boundaries especially in the fields of eonservation science and biocultural resource management, requiring meaningful engagement with

the Native Hawaiian eommunity and cultural practitioners. Community input and traditional knowledge is essential to restoring an ethic where human communities are onee again seen as positive members of the ecosystem. The U.N. Declaration of Indigenous Rights, adopted by the United States in December 2010, similarly recognizes "that respect for indigenous

knowledge, cultures anel traditional practices eontributes to sustainable anel equitable development and proper rnanagernent ofthe environrnentV Like the U.N. declaration, the HCA position paper sets no legal standard but carries moral and spiritual weight. It is a mere step, a leap of faith for many of our colleagues and a hopeful one for our entire community. It will go far if we all choose to find ways to breathe life into its meaning as we go about our habitats and the way we inhabit them. The full position paper ean be found online here: www.hawaiiconservation.org/resources/ publications/position_papers. ■ Kevin Chang, Alex Connelly, Koalani Kaulukukui (Offrce of Hawaiian Affairs), Sam 'Ohu Gon, Jody Kaulukukui ( Tlte Nature Conservancy), Ulalia Woodside, Namaka Whitehead ( Kame - hameha Schools), 'Aulani Wilhelm, Nai'a Watson (Naūonal Oeeanie anel Atmospheric Adrninistration), Chipper Wiehman (Naūonal Tropical Botanical Garden) anel Melia Lane-Kamahele (Naūonal Park Service) sen>e as organizational representatives on the Hawai'i Conservation AUianee eouneil anel worked together to draft the HCA position paper Hawaiian Culture and Conservation in Hawai'i.

The ecosystem The habitat, its inhabitants and their habits are an ecosystem unit. The term habitat is reflected in the concept of ethos a Greek term meaning dwelling plaee. To extrapolate, the term ethos, is the root of the term ethics. Ethics - having to do with the proper habits evolved in halanee with and from a long-term relationship with one's dwelling plaee. Since time immemorial Native Hawaiians have developed an ethic more attuned to their ecosystem than we have experienced in the last 200-plus years. This is scientifically aeknowledged.

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KŪKĀKŪKĀ COMMUNITY F0RUM Ua lehulehu a manomano ka 'ikena a ka Hawai'i • Great and numerous is the knowledge ofthe Hawaiians

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