About Project Mōkiha

Project Mōkiha is rooted in the sacred relationship between kānaka, people or humankind, and wai, fresh water. This project centers wai, fresh water, as the center of life and the foundation of mauliola, optimal health and wellbeing.

On Maui and Moloka‘i, the most ancient waterways are safeguarded under the guardianship of Mo‘o and Kiha, with families sanctified through the kaku‘ai ritual to uphold their kuleana of protection.

Guided by a Hawaiian worldview, health is understood as being holistic, extending beyond the individual to include spiritual, familial, and ecological connections with ‘Āina, kai, and wai. This worldview continues to shape our collective work in health and social justice, centering the protection of water, land, and iwi kūpuna (ancestral bones) as vital to healing for generations of past, present, and future generations to come.

Project Mōkiha uplifts ancestral knowledge and community strengths as pathways to protect Hawai‘i’s resources and to ensure thriving health and wellbeing for all.

Guiding Research Question 

How can we build community capacity to protect land and water resources to enhance overall health and wellbeing of Hawaii and its communities at large? 

Project Activities and Collaborations

Capacity Building through: 

• Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Health Summer Health Academy 

• Trainings and development of toolkits 

• Webinars and conference presentations

WAI Symposium 

• A symposium that took place in March 2025 to gather student, scholars, community, and knowledge holders to strengthen pilina, honor wai as the source of life, and strengthen our collective kuleana to protect ‘Āina, wai, and overall mauliola for our past, present, and future generations.

'AINABACK Summit 

• CONVENED BY MOLOKA'I HERITAGE TRUST: The ʻĀina Back Summit gathered participants from across Hawaiʻi to learn from each other’s ʻāina-based initiatives and build deeper relationships rooted in shared purpose. Together, we explored emerging strategies, honored place-based knowledge, and connected our local efforts to global movements for ʻāina justice.

Acknowledgements and Funding

We would like to express our mahalo, aloha, and deepest gratitude to: 

• ‘Āina Ho‘opulapula Communities of Hawai‘i Nei

• 'Āina and Wai Kia'i 

• All of our community partners 

  • Moloka'i Heritage Trust 

  • Sustainable Moloka'i 

• Supporters and attendees of the WAI Symposium and 'ĀINABACK Summit 

• Our coalition and mōkiha of scholars who continue to grow capacity to protect and advocate for 'Āina and wai 

• This project is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Interdisciplinary Research Leaders Program Cohort 07.