Tourism is a major economic driver that has long been experienced by the Native Hawaiian community as extractive and transactional. NATIVE Act funding equips Native Hawaiian Organizations (NHO) across Hawaiʻi with additional resources to change that experience in ways mutually beneficial to visitors and the islands’ original stewards. A sustainable and equitable tourism model recognizes that an enriching visitor experience depends on thriving local communities with deep pilina (connection) to and aloha (love) for Hawaiʻi’s natural and cultural resources.
Core Principle of the HŌʻIHI Grant Program
The Hawaiian value of hōʻihi (to treat with reverence and respect), reflected in the ʻōlelo noʻeau (Hawaiian proverb) “E hōʻihi aku, e hōʻihi mai,” meaning “show respect, get respect” represents the core principle of the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations' program. Through showing respect, visitors can then be welcomed as guests with a shared kuleana (responsibility) in perpetuating the values and importance of Native Hawaiian traditional knowledge and cultural practices. This ʻōlelo noʻeau serves as a foundational guide for ONHR’s HŌʻIHI Grant Program to aide in actions that:
Additional Information
Previous (Closed) Opportunity
Pre-application information session presentation; Questions and Answers (May 12, 2022)
2022 Notice of Funding Opportunity (Closed: June 7, 2022)