Papa Ola Lōkahi, the Native Hawaiian health board, is embarking on a nationwide listening tour entitled “He Alo a He Alo” to engage with Native Hawaiians living in Hawaiʻi and across the United States. The tour will visit every state, inviting participants to share perspectives on what it means to be Hawaiian, and the advantages and challenges to maintaining one’s cultural identity. This initiative aims to gather valuable insights and experiences to better understand and support Hawaiians in all communities throughout Hawaiʻi and the United States.

If you wish to participate in this project, you will be asked to take part in a talk-story session with no more than nine other Kānaka. The conversation will take about two hours. We are seeking Native Hawaiian adults (18 years of age and older) to share their mana‘o.

To mahalo participants, you will receive a makana for your time and effort. We want to assure you that there is minimal risk involved in participating in this project. While we may discuss sensitive topics during the focus group, we will always maintain a respectful and safe environment. If at any point you feel stressed or uncomfortable, you have the option to skip a question or take a break. You may also choose to withdraw from the project altogether.  We expect the utmost respect from all participants and Papa Ola Lōkahi staff involved.

We want to emphasize that your participation in this talk-story is entirely voluntary. You can choose whether or not to be part of the discussion sessions, and you can change your mind at any time. If you decide to stop, there will be no negative consequences or loss to you. We sincerely hope that you will consider being part of this exciting project, as your unique perspective and experiences are invaluable to Papa Ola Lōkahi better understanding our lāhui.

For more information or to sign up to join the talk-story session, contact Papa Ola Lōkahi at kanakaconnections@polhi.org.

Listening Tour Schedule