Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 37, Number 11, 1 Nowemapa 2020 — VISUALIZING A CREATIVE ECONOMY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

VISUALIZING A CREATIVE ECONOMY

/ 'ŌLELO A KA POUHANA V ^ MESSAGE FROM THE CEO r

pa'a.hana (nvs. Industrious, busy, hard-working; workman, laborer, worker, industry) "Ma kāhi o ka hana he ola malaila; Where work is, there is life." Aloha mai kākou,

My great-grandfather grew up on the shores of Ka'ūpūlehu on Hawai'i Island north of Kailua-Kona. He lived there his entire life and, like his father before him, he was a fisherman. My great-grandfather worked hard, fishing for the 'ohana and trading with folks ma uka for fresh produce, flour and sugar. Raised by her grandparents, my mother told me that her kuleana as a child was to gather into kāuna (sets of four) the fish that her tūtūkane had set out to dry. When he traded, he would offer one or more kāuna of fish for the items he wanted. Before currency was introduced to Hawai'i, what 'ohana grew, raised, hunted, fished or made was traded. Our kūpuna had their own eeonomie systems, valuations and measures. For centuries, Hawai'i had a thriving 'āina-based eeonomie system. Poverty as we know it today did not exist. 'Ohana worked hard, side by side, to provide for themselves and their communities. As Hawai'i plans for a post-pandemic eeonomie structure, and as we pivot from a tourism-based economy to something more diversified, sustainable and less dependant, strengthening our 'āina-based eeonomie system and establishing a "creative economy" are viable solutions. A creative economy is generated by innovation, knowledge and information. It includes visual and performing arts, fashion, software, language, architecture and other expressions of Indigenous or regional culture. A creative economy that advances nā mea Hawai'i demands authenticity and authenticity ascribes value. Cheap trinkets made in China or the Philippines cannot compare to handcrafted works of art imbued with the mana of Kānaka Maoli artists and created with techniques and motifs that represent the collective 'ike of generations. Many Hawaiian entrepreneurs are already moving in this direction. Artisans, designers and musicians have established businesses and created jobs whieh help grow our economy while elevating our mo'omeheu (culture) worldwide.

Beyond arts and entertainment, there are other opportunities to use our 'ike to build a sustainable economy. For example, Hawaiian-focused charter schools have developed innovative curricula and instructional methods, while the revitalization of loko i'a (fishponds) eapahle of yielding hundreds of pounds of fish per year offers solutions to address hunger in our pae 'āina and beyond. It makes sense to monetize our 'ike and export it to the world; to enable 'ōiwi to support their 'ohana, perpetuate our mo'omeheu, protect our 'āina and make a global impact in the process. lllip I 111 UIU p»lMWOO.

With this in mind, the November issue of Ka Wai Ola celebrates the diversity of contemporary Native Hawaiian businesses with

stories about the popular Pop-up Mākeke, OHA business loan recipients with thriving businesses, innovative start-ups, and the beloved Kamaka Hawai'i, ine., in business now for more than a century. We eome from a tradition of hard work and innovation, as the businesses featured in this issue testify. This is the kahua (foundation) left to us by our kūpuna. From this kahua we ean reimagine our economy and adopt traditional ways to care for our 'ohana, celebrate our

mo'omeheu and malama our 'aina. ■

Sylvia M. Hussey, Ed.D. Ka Pouhana/Chief Executive Officer