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Articles

Vol. 13 No. 2 (2022)

The Kanaeokana Network: Reflecting on Five Years of Envisioning a Hawaiian Education System and Aloha ʻĀina Leaders

Submitted
June 2, 2023
Published
2022-08-22

Abstract

How might a network approach be used to address issues and goals seemingly impossible for individuals to tackle alone? Established to increase momentum and synergy among multiple organizations through mutual work and shared goals, the Kanaeokana network was forged five years ago and today demonstrates progress toward supportive infrastructure, cohesion and collective strength, member engagement, and reach beyond our primary Indigenous-serving base. Kanaeokana includes more than 80 Hawaiian language, culture, and ʻāina-based (place-based) organizations and schools (preschool through university level), collaborating to develop and strengthen a Native Hawaiian education system. The network’s underlying value of aloha ʻāina, or love of the land, involves a deeply rooted connection and commitment to place, people, and cultural practice. The network fosters cultural knowledge with a community focus and a global reach, notably produced in digital and nondigital spaces, both preceding the pandemic and in response to it. Kanaeokana works at the intersections of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), culture, advocacy, media, community engagement, and education, all toward the unified goal of developing and strengthening a Native Hawaiian education system. In this article, we reflect critically on Kanaeokana’s approach over the past five years, with a focus on network health, adaptability, and social change in practice.