Indian Ambassadors Hele Mai Molokai

Native Americans and Hawaiians might be separated by thousands of miles of land and sea, but both cultures have a lot in common. Over the past week a group of 18 indigenous ambassadors traveled from North America to meet up with their Hawaiian cousins to explore their indigenous kinships.

From hard labor in Molokai’s fishponds and taro patches, to enlightened discussions on sovereignty and sustainability, the group, known as Americans for Indian Opportunity (AIO) spent the week immersed in Hawaiian culture.

For many of the ambassadors, removing invasive mangroves from Ka Honua Momona’s Ali`i Fishpond was a highlight of the trip.

“I got really into it, I didn’t want to stop,” said Chrissie Castro, a Navajo from Los Angeles who works with Native American children.

“The ancestors were very smart and environmentally conscience. It makes you want to restore things to that natural way,” she explained.

Beyond physical labor, the ambassadors met with local practitioners and community leaders who discussed sovereignty and sustainability issues among other indigenous concerns.

Uncle Moke Kim, a local Hawaiian practitioner, asked ambassadors to recite their genealogies as a way of connecting with ancestors before leading the group through Molokai’s makahiki grounds in Naiwa. Many did so adding their own Native American twist by reciting genealogies in their native tongue and making offerings of tobacco in the process.

The AIO group spent time at the Hawaiian Learning Center in Keawanui, and in the taro patches of Halawa Valley with Lawrence Aki. They also met with Malia Akutagawa of the Rural Development Program, Kammy Purdy of Ahupua`a o Molokai, Ted Takamiya of Queen Liliuokalani Children’s Center, and Hui Malama o Mo`omomi’s Mac and La`a Poepoe and Kanoho Helm.

Mervin Dudoit, board member of Ka Honua Momona, served as the group’s host kupuna chaperoning the ambassadors throughout their stay.

The public got its chance to mingle with the Native Americans on Wednesday evening during a community reception at Ali`i Fishpond. Over 125 people came out to welcome the ambassadors and share in the cultural exchange.

Marc Deese, from the Tuscarora tribe of North Carolina, performed a tribal song for the group. Deese borrowed an authentic rattle from Molokai resident Patricia Chow who is also Tuscaroran.

Darold Joseph, a Hopi from Arizona, played mesmerizing tunes blowing his wooden flute.

“It is not written or rehearsed, because it comes from the heart; so what I am playing tonight… I get from being here with this beautiful island and enjoying this community,” he said.

The ambassador program actually has roots with Molokai that go back to 2003 when local boy Hanohano Naehu became the first native Hawaiian to participate in AIO. In 2006, Molokai transplant Noelani Lee became the second Hawaiian to enter the program.

Ambassadors serve a two year term in the program at which time they graduate. It was Lee who lobbied to have the program’s final gathering and graduation on Molokai. Lee hopes to gain AIO support for her vision of a similar Hawaiian project – what she is calling the Advancement for Hawaiian Opportunity (AHO).

“I want to start AHO because Hawaiians can benefit from an ambassador program like AIO.” Lee went on to explain that a similar project in Aotearoa was also inspired by the AIO group when they visited New Zealand in 2002.

Through AHO Lee hopes to establish a program that will network young Hawaiians with other indigenous communities throughout the world.

Lee, who was among the students who graduated from the program last Saturday night, said she has thoroughly enjoyed her time as an ambassador with AIO.

“You are a window that allows other people to see into your culture,” she said.

AIO’s American Indian Ambassadors Program, a landmark leadership development initiative, assists early to mid-career Native American professionals develop their own unique leadership style and their ability to improve the quality of life, well-being and growth of their communities. Today over one-hundred and fifty established Native American and two Hawaiian leaders are a part of AIO’s international network of Indigenous leaders.

Photos by Chris Hammond and the American Indian Opportunity.