Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 1, 1 January 2021 — Leadership Lessons from Mailikukahi [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Leadership Lessons from Mailikukahi

j THEVOICEOFNATIVE w > HAWAIIAN BUSINESS r

By Summer Keliipio Mailikukahi was born around the fifteenth century at Kūkaniloko on the island of O'ahu to Kukahiaililani and Kokalola. Mailikukahi was an ali'i nui (high chief) and his leadership was known for innovations and change that made O'ahu prosperous and well-governed. Turbulence characterized life and governanee on O'ahu prior to Mailikukahi. As such, Mailikukahi instituted many reforms that would ealm the turmoil and establish mueh needed order. He thoroughly surveyed the entire island and created the moku, ahupua'a, 'ili kūpono, 'ili 'āina, and mo'o 'āina we still know today. Eaeh new land division had a steward who was responsible for the resources on that land, thereby creating clear roles, or kuleana, for both ali'i and commoners that prevented the disputes eommon before Mailikukahi's time. Mailikukahi also took all firstborn males into his care to be educated and shown the ways of this new land management system, helping the system to succeed well beyond his tenure. Under Mailikukahi, O'ahu became prosperous, populous, and more peaceful. We find ourselves, as Hawaiians, in a new time of tumult with questions about how to create a post-COVID-19 Hawai'i that extends and protects the prosperity of our ancestral home. We need both new leaders to pursue

systems that promote equity, safety, and prosperity, and new leadership from existing leaders to huli their thinking. Like Mailikukahi, we need leadership with good sense, humility, and a willingness to make small but worthy improvements that may not show immediate success. We need new leadership and new vision that creates a system of equitably distributed prosperity for Hawaiians that will last for centuries. The Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce is committed to supporting Native Hawaiian-owned businesses that ean envision and act, not only to create prosperity today, but prosperity for generations to eome. The chamber has adopted a new mission statement, updated its infrastructure, and focused on increasing member benefits to better support kānaka-led enterprises. As business owners and leaders, we rely on a chamber of commerce that is grounded in Hawaiian values and dedicated to a path forward rooted in Hawaiian wisdom. Our chamber of commerce brings us together as 'ohana who live the same values, share similar stories, and devote ourselves to our lāhui and its potential to create goodness - both here and beyond our shores. With these tools and inspiration from all our ali'i, including Mailikukahi who pulled O'ahu from an age of disorder into an age of sustained prosperity, we, as kānaka, ean huli our modern systems to create greater abundance for all. As new and renewed kānaka leaders who lived through a devastating heahh, eeonomie, and social crisis, we not only ean create a better tomorrow, we must. ■ Summer Keliipio is a kanaka leader and new member ofthe Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce. Summer is a social entrepreneur and systems change leader dedicated to creating a Hawai'i that is a beacon ofhopefor the world. She is the owner ofMo 'o Strategies LLC, and managing partner of 'A 'ali 'i Allianee. Summer has a master 's in publ ie affairs from Princeton University and bachelor's degree from Pitzer College. Summer was born and raised on 0 'ahu and currently lives in afour-generation household in Kāne'olie.