GOVERNANCE
In Hawaiʻi, living on islands requires everyone to work in harmony with each other and the ‘āina. Here, community is all of us; government is all of us: our ‘ohana, our neighborhoods, our places of work, our government, our institutions, our visitors and guests, and those who have left the ‘āina but are still connected to this place. For our people to live and thrive, the ‘āina must be sustained, grounding us with a sense of place and a sense of belonging.
We envision a Hawai‘i that embodies a culture of kuleana, where our people and guests live responsibly with our beloved ‘āina, respond to one another with aloha, connect with their neighbors, feel a sense of belonging, and where our reimagined systems respond to and empower our communities.
For Hawaiʻi to be a place where every person has an equitable opportunity to thrive, with access to the resources they need to pursue their best lives, our systems and structures must foster a culture of kuleana, with governance systems and structures focused on all and allowing for self-determination, supporting community networks, and encouraging increased mutual stewardship and collective responsibility.
EXPLORE THE DATA
How We Can Make Change Together
By rooting actions in our relationship to place, connecting our communities with respect and aloha, uplifting our stewards, and advocating for responsible governance, we will foster a culture of kuleana and systems that are responsive to the needs and priorities of our communities.
Kuleana is a gift that is available to all. When we think of the best moments in our lives, it likely involves the discovery or fulfillment of kuleana: by you, for you, with you.
– Andrew Aoki, Islander Institute