Schatz Secures $1 Million In New Federal Funding To Support Native Hawaiian Community, Cultural Education For Educators
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today announced that eight Native Hawaiian organizations working to preserve and share Native Hawaiian culture and traditions with visitors will receive $1 million in funding from the U.S. Department of the Interior to implement the NATIVE Act, 2016 legislation authored by Senator Schatz to help empower Native communities through cultural tourism.
“These grants are making sure Native Hawaiian organizations have federal resources to integrate Native Hawaiian culture into visitor experiences and drive sustainable tourism opportunities throughout the state,” said Senator Schatz, chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
The new funding, part of the Interior Department’s HO‘IHI grant program, will support a number of educational programs for visitors, in turn helping to create jobs, increase living standards, and expand economic opportunities for the Native Hawaiian Community. The full list of Native Hawaiian organizations receiving funding include:
- Hana Arts, for the Hana No‘eau: A Native Hawaiian Arts & Culture Education Program, which will create inclusive educational opportunities targeting the students of Hana High School and Elementary School as well as the wider community
- Hawai‘i Land Trust, for the Hawai‘i Land Trust Cultural & Ecological Preservation & Education programs, which will increase resident and visitor connection to four community preserves
- Hi‘ipaka LLC, for Ho‘ihi no Waimea, which will engage visitors in authentic, interactive cultural activities providing an enriched understanding of and appreciation for Native Hawaiian culture
- Holani Hana, for Kahea a Ka‘uiki, which will grow the community’s understanding of Ka‘uiki’s cultural, spiritual, environmental, and social significance while building a strong foundation for community-led tourism interventions in Hana, Maui
- Kako‘o ‘Oiwi, to conduct workshops at the He‘eia, O‘ahu farm site engaging visitors and community in experiences in hands-on loi management activities and workshops on Hawaiian agriculture and ‘aina management
- Malama Loko Ea Foundation, to provide a variety of culturally informed visitor experiences including community and visitor workdays, hosted community events, and virtual tours to allow visitors to immerse themselves in the rich history, culture, and life of Loko Ea fishpond in Hale‘iwa, O‘ahu
- The Kohala Center, to enhance resilience at Kahalu‘u Bay, Hawai‘i by increasing respectful engagement of the nearshore reef area by community and visitors
- Waimea Hawaiian Homestead Association, to celebrate Hawaiian culture, language, arts, and traditional Hawaiian customary practices by engaging in several island-wide events and contests
###
