Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 39, Number 4, 1 April 2022 — Eia Hawai'i, ka Huina o ke Ao [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Eia Hawai'i, ka Huina o ke Ao

J LAMAKU HO'OKIPA V ^ A BEACON OF HOSPITALITY *

By Malia Sanders "We are a sea ofislands, not separated by oeean, but connected by it." -Epeli Hauofa. Our connections give birth to something reimagined, and often, something new. We thrive on these opportunities that carry us to a brighter future. A Hawai'i reimagined. A Hawai'i at the crossroads of the world. This is Ka Huina, the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association's annual cultural education conference that explores the nexus - the huina - of community, culture, tourism and sustainability. 1hese are four distinct pillars leaning upon one another for support, ultimately bringing foundation and structure to our goals for a regenerative tourism future. How they intersect, how they depend on eaeh other, how they allow us to reimagine our future - these are the opportunities Ka Huina seeks to uncover and celebrate. Community: Our community is a diverse and integrated system of pilina (relationships). It is founded upon the values of Native Hawaiian culture and the countless generations of Kānaka 'Oiwi who have eome before us and who thrived in the most isolated land mass in the world. How do we honor our community

and our unique cultural contributions at these intersections? Culture: Our culture consists of our eollective values that we determine to be integral to our identity. Our kuleana is defined by our unique cultural contribution to a global community. Many will eall this contribution "aloha," and while I do not disagree that aloha is the bedrock of our culture, I also challenge us to consider how we honor aloha and how we act on that honor. Tourism: While the pandemic has necessitated a pivot towards other sources of eeonomie sustenance, our tourism model is still a driving force of Hawai'i's economy. We cannot forget, however, that ho'okipa - our unique hospitality - is a value integrated into our way of life. How do we hold ourselves and our malihini (guests) accountable to bring balance in shaping a responsible economy? Sustainability: Our sustainability will result from a collaboration between community, culture and a responsible economy. With eaeh pillar supporting eaeh other, we affect the eonditions for life to flourish. Net positive solutions for Hawai'i are part of the goals of a regenerative model. Failing to reach this goal is at stake, whieh makes opportunities to convene, discuss, and plan all the more critical. How ean sustainable examples in Hawai'i offer solutions toward a more net positive global existence? In the forward of Waikīkī 100 B.C. to 1900 A.D., Dr. George Kanahele writes, "May you enjoy the look back into the future." The evolution of a future regenerative Hawai'i is rooted in the concepts and values of the past. Through this huina - this intersection where values of the past are brought into the present, this is the space in whieh we must operate. For Hawai'i and beyond. Join us for Ka Huina 2022 as we gather to leverage our connections. For more information, including a recap of last year's virtual eonference, visit nahha.com/kahuina. ■ Mālia Sanders is the executive director of the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association (NaHHA). Working to better connect the Hawaiian community to the visitor industry, NaHHA supports thepeople whoprovide authentic experiences to Hawai'i's visitors. For more information go to www.nahha.com Follow NaHHA on Facebook, Lnstagram, and Twitter @nahha808 and @kuhikuhi808