Understanding how to protect Hawai’i Nei
is to first understand its history, its culture, its land use knowledge, and the Hawai’i State Constitution around;

Native Hawaiian Traditional and Customary Rights

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Ahupua’a

Hawai'i State Constitution was put forth by King Kamehameha III, Kauikeaouli, who developed a system of codified laws, which incorporated protections for ancient Hawaiian customs and usage. The Māhele, a process that took place between 1845 and 1855, transformed Hawaiʻi’s traditional land tenure system into a property regime that incorporated western concepts of private property rights. All land grant awards during the Māhele were intended to be made subject to the rights of native tenants, through either an explicit or implicit “kuleana reservation.”. This LAW protects natural resources, cultural landscapes, and practices. 

Under Hawai‘i law, the State and its agencies are obligated to preserve and protect the exercise of traditional and customary Native Hawaiian rights. Hawai‘i courts have made clear that traditional and customary practices for subsistence, cultural, and religious purposes “must be protected to the extent feasible” under the Hawai‘i Constitution. 

Those that are Native Hawaiian, lineal descendants of a challenged use of land and water, and cultural practitioners of Native Hawaiian traditions hold the hopeful torch of PRESERVATION within our Hawai’i State Constitution.

YOU can advocate and protect the very balance in our ecosystem and help navigate our laws to reflect indigenous knowledge and practices that quantifiably measures as REGENERATIVE. A future ALL living beings can count on.

HULI PAC is not an expert in this law, we are here to raise and empower awareness.