Welcome
Dr. Matt Hamabata, Executive Director, The Kohala Center (TKC)
The health of human society is tied to the health of the natural world. The ability of human society to produce and distribute resources equitably depends on the diversity of the natural world. Natural diversity ensures for resilient abundance to sustain human society.
Health is at the core of TKC’s work. We are an independent center of research which began as an outgrowth of a public health project in 1999 and 2000. The dreadful reality of human health on this island—where diabetes, obesity, and domestic violence were rampant—was symptomatic of a society in trouble, a society with great income disparity, and a society which could not sustain its residents. Our friends in the field of public health asked what would make us into a healthier community. The community response was to create greater employment and educational opportunities by enhancing this island’s spectacular natural resources. This was not a cure based on treating the symptoms of illness, but rather a call for a fundamental shift in the way we live as island people. In many ways, it was a call to remember our past.
TKC is a research center inextricably linked to the health of this island and its people. We recognize the value of our island and our community not as objects that are available for human exploitation but as a source of human knowledge. And, through our efforts, we can help to generate solutions for communities around the world.
Dr. Darlene Martin, Education Strategy Project Manager, Keauhou-Kahalu‘u Education Group, Kamehameha Schools
It is with great humbleness and excitement that I welcome you to this place and this space on behalf of Kamehameha Schools and the families of Kahalu‘u. Our kūpuna thank you for the work you are embarking on to restore our seed.
We and our partners are working together to try to restore this very sacred place you are in, Kahalu‘u and Keauhou. Kamehameha Schools owns a lot of space in these two
ahupua‘a, which Bernice Pauahi bequeathed to us as a precious gift. Consider the meaning of the place names: Kahalu‘u—to dive or immerse, and Keauhou—a new era, a new current to push the rest. Lots of springs used to exist here, which are returning with our recent restoration work, and many of the species that were dependent on these springs are now returning. When we take better care of our environment with the guidance of our elders who have been here longer than we have, we lay a foundation for the future.
The words of our chants remind us of the very deep ancestral wisdom that comes from generations of living in a place. As you engage with each other, you foster intentions for mindfulness in living. This is more than just talk—it is about taking action to restore our seed. Mahalo.