Ho‘okahua

The Ho‘okahua Project is newest ʻAha Kāne events created in 2018 and is a 12-month initiative that utilizes Hawaiian thought processes to address the physical, economic and social well-being of Native Hawaiian men. Servicing Waimea, Hilo, Puna and Ka‘ū on Hawai‘i Island, the target kāne are between the ages of 20-35 years old. Forming a cohort, 10 Cultural Practitioners will select a Kāko‘o (assistant) to mentor in their practice. The growth in cultural and professional skill sets will impact the data on Native Hawaiian males’ mental health, earning and occupational disparities. Research for this project has shown that family and community relationships are fundamental to a healthy Hawaiian society. Spirituality, land, and connection to family are foundational to individual well-being and success in Hawaiian culture. Therefore, this project will create a kīpuka (safe space) for our network of kāne to provide access to valuable cultural resources and nurture healthy pilina (relationships) through various cultural perspectives.