Field Education Office

Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that this ‘āina is part of the larger territory recognized by Indigenous Hawaiians as their ancestral grandmother, Papahānaumoku. We recognize that her majesty Queen Lili‘uokalani yielded the Hawaiian Kingdom and these territories under duress and protest to the United States to avoid the bloodshed of her people. We further recognize that Hawai‘i remains an illegally occupied state of America. 

We appreciate with reverence each opportunity to breathe her air, eat from her soils, drink from her waters, bathe in her sun, swim in her oceans, be kissed by her rains, and be embraced by her winds. We further recognize that generations of Indigenous Hawaiians and their knowledge systems shaped Hawai‘i in sustainable ways that allow us to enjoy these gifts today. For this we are grateful. 

We seek to support the varied strategies that the Indigenous peoples of Hawai‘i are using to protect their land and their communities. We commit to dedicate time and resources to work in solidarity with and in support of kanaka maoli. 

(Adapted from: University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Land Acknowledgement)