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Understanding indigenous ʻike: the impact on sense of belonging and local identity on Hawaiʻi’s students

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Understanding indigenous ʻike: the impact on sense of belonging and local identity on Hawaiʻi’s students

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UNDERSTANDING INDIGENOUS ʻIKE: THE IMPACT ON SENSE OF BELONGING AND
LOCAL IDENTITY ON HAWAIʻI’S STUDENTS

by
Katrina Abes

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

December 2020

Copyright 2020 Katrina Abes

ii
Acknowledgements
If someone asked my younger self if she ever thought she would dream of receiving a
doctorate degree, she would have said, “You must be out of your mind.” Yet, here we are –
finishing up this chapter of this life-long journey of learning, living, and loving. This journey has
taught me about strength, resilience, grit, compassion, grace, honor, and love. It would not have
been possible without the support and love from my family, those who carry the same blood and
those who I would bleed for.
God: You continue to be my rock and pillar. You have walked alongside me through
everything and carried me through many parts of my life. You continue to show me grace, love,
and mercy when I did not show myself that in this process. I am forever grateful and humbled by
your love and I hope that I am able to emulate the same kind of love and compassion you always
continue to show me.
Our Ancestors: I don’t know all of you by name yet, but I feel your fighting spirit within
me. You have sacrificed and endured so much to pave the way for future generations, like
myself, and it is my responsibility that I continue your legacy – leaving our home better than
when we left it. Thank you for your sacrifices and your spirit. I hope to make you proud.
Mom & Dad: No one has instilled the importance of education more than you have.
Leaving your home country to build a better life was the ultimate sacrifice and I will never forget
how much you continue to endure to remind us of the life we can create for ourselves, our
family, and our community. Thank you for loving the stubborn rebel in me. I carry your names
Recta (right) and Guerrero (warrior) wherever I go. I dedicate this dissertation to you to honor
your sacrifices and your hard work. I hope to always make you proud and carry those names
proudly.
iii
Joel Guerrero, Jaye Agbayani, & Keri Bayan: I could not ask for better siblings. You
have taught me how to be genuine, authentic, and stand in my own truth. You have built me to
not stand down and never take life for granted. This dissertation is a result of your
encouragement and modeling behavior. Thank you!
Federico Abes Jr.: My best friend. You held down the fort for the past four years while I
trudged through the mud and back, multiple times. You knew how to best support me through
these years and have done such an amazing job carrying on the role of partner to me and father to
our children. You have never doubted me and I am forever thankful for your unwavering
confidence in me. I you love.
Aiden, Dylan, & Peyton: You are my greatest accomplishments and my greatest
contributions to this world. You are my greatest teachers and this dissertation is especially
dedicated to you. You are my blue-sky moments and I am excited to see where life takes you.
Continue to always stand in your truth and show the love and kindness that our community
continues to model for you.
My Village (Chris Guinto, Julie Daguio, Mario Villegas, Lore Bumanglag, Albert
Bolosan, Brian Abes, Gilda Abes, Mom Abes, Dad Abes, Jenny Abes, Guerrero Family, Recta
Family, Abes Family, and Hulihia University students): As the saying goes, it takes a village to
raise a child. You have not only helped to raise Aiden, Dylan, and Peyton; you raised me. Thank
you for always holding it together for me. You are my pillars.
Manang Amy: Although you might not have known it at the time, but you have started
me on this path and I am forever grateful. My first lesson from you – “You are getting these
degrees to pave the way for future generations and to walk the path you have set for them.” From
iv
that point, I knew doing this had a greater purpose and I carry this responsibility proudly. Thank
you for paving the way for me to continue your legacy.
HUI Family: When I first took the leap of faith and entered into higher education as a
career, never in my wildest dreams did I think that it would be our shared experiences that
continue to ground me in this career. You have transformed higher education for me into my
home and it was because of your love and light. HUI has got to be one of my highlights in life –
you have helped me discover my passion and purpose and I thank you for your willingness to
always try and be vulnerable. You hold a very special place in my heart. Thank you!
Aunty Puanani Burgess: You emulate and embody what it means to build a beloved
community. You have held space for me even when I could not hold space for myself. You have
given me the permission to create my voice from love and given me agency to use it to build
community. You helped to take away my rubbish and helped me to see the beauty in myself, in
others, and in this world. I am forever learning from you and with you. I dedicate this
dissertation to you – in hopes that we are able to transform our institutions into a place where we
foster and integrate the student’s gifts and our kūpuna’s wisdom into a beloved community. I
honor you for the being that you are and the work that you continue to do. I hope to continue
your work embodying and embracing the same spirit and caring for your work with the same
love and responsibility that you have always modeled for me.
Co-Warriors: (Advising Team, Wela Wāhilani, Kainoa Nahulu, Hōkū Kwan, Puʻu
Zablan, Rouel Velasco, Rebecca Carino-Agustin, Amy Bumatai Fairhart, Jo-Ann Payongayong
& Joe Mareko) When Aunty Pua asks, “What community do you belong to?” – I think of the
each of you. I also think of the type of community we all want to bring to higher education. You
continue to push, support, love, and laugh alongside me and I carry you and your spirit wherever
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I go. We are our ancestors wildest dreams and simply being in places and spaces that was not
designed with us in mind means we are our own revolution. I am so excited to continue building
our aspirational reality together. This dissertation is dedicated to you because you are the
inspiration for this topic. This dissertation is a reflection of your love and our connection. This
dissertation is my attempt to honor you and what I have learned from you and what I continue to
learn from you. What you have shown me is timeless and irreplaceable. Thank you for your
synergy, your love, your light, and your peace throughout this process and beyond.
Dr. Judy Oliveira: Thank you for giving me permission to own and honor my own voice
for myself, for our team, and for our students. You have created space to allow many people,
including myself, call higher education home and call each other family. Thank you for your
love and support. Thank you for giving me the encouragement to always keep stepping forward.
I dedicate this dissertation to you in hopes that in whatever role I serve, I do it with the same love
and support that you have always shown me.
Interview & Focus Group Participants: You are the very reason why this exists in the first
place. I hope that I have honored your voice, your story, and your truth. You continue to inspire
me and I continue to fight for you and with you. Thank you for sharing your most authentic self
and allowing me to write your story here.
USC Hawaiʻi Cohort: It has been some wild times. Thank you for the weekends reading,
laughing, writing, and most importantly, eating. I am excited to see where this takes us and I
hope that we cross paths always and use this knowledge to work together towards creating access
and equity for our students.
USC Professors: Thank you for your wisdom, insight, and perspective as well as your
sacrifice to fly down every other weekend.
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Dr. Tracy Tambascia: Thank you for your patience and encouragement. You have walked
me through every part of this dissertation and I do not know where I would be without your
support and grace. You have taken our entire cohort as your own and I am so grateful that you
have been with me on this journey. You continue to remind us that this accomplishment is only
the beginning of what is to come and I am highly encouraged to continue this path with your
insights and wisdom. In all of my next “life” projects, I take you and your lessons with me.
Dr. Alan Green & Dr. Walter Kahumoku III: Thank you for your willingness to serve on
my committee. I value your knowledge and insight that you have brought to this dissertation and
to my life. I carry your wisdom and guidance in all of my actions.
Hawaiʻi: You have been a place that I have always called home and I am beyond grateful
that you and the ancestors of this land has welcomed my family and me, even when I know we
didn’t deserve it. You have shown us love and acceptance without any judgement and you
continue to give selflessly and nourish all of us with any expectation of appreciation. You
continue to model this and I hope to reciprocate it fully to you and model it to the people that
reside here. This dissertation is dedicated to you in hopes of giving a picture of what this home
could look like once we fully open ourselves to you and the lessons you continue to provide.
Thank you for your continued love and nourishment.
The Institution and the people who serve in it: You have been my biggest supporter and
my biggest heartbreak. I am pretty sure that it was all meant for good intentions, but we must be
willing to acknowledge the impacts as well and be willing to move forward in a new light. I hope
that those that read this can help to embrace the new light to the possibility of what can be.
Overall, I am grateful for the struggles that strengthened me, the lessons that softened me,
the roads that taught me, and the love that continues to always bring me home.
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... ii
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. ix
List of Figures ..................................................................................................................................x
Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... xi
Chapter One: Introduction ...............................................................................................................1
My Moʻolelo ........................................................................................................................1
Western vs. Indigenous Knowledge ....................................................................................1
Statement of the Problem .....................................................................................................3
Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................................5
Significance of the Study .....................................................................................................5
Limitations, Delimitations, Assumptions ............................................................................6
Delimitations ........................................................................................................................7
Assumptions .........................................................................................................................8
Definitions ............................................................................................................................8
Conclusion ...........................................................................................................................9

Chapter Two: Literature Review ...................................................................................................10
Indigenous Knowledge & Practices ...................................................................................11
Hawaiian Epistemology .....................................................................................................13
Integrating Indigenous Knowledge and Practices ..............................................................14
Hawaiʻi Papa O Ke Ao ......................................................................................................17
Theoretical Framework ......................................................................................................19
Cultural Relevant Pedagogy ..............................................................................................23
Sense of Belonging ............................................................................................................32
Conclusion .........................................................................................................................36

Chapter Three: Methodology .........................................................................................................37
Methodology ......................................................................................................................37
Site Selection .....................................................................................................................38
Population ..........................................................................................................................39
Sample ................................................................................................................................40
Indigenous Methodology ...................................................................................................42
Instrumentation ..................................................................................................................43
Data Collection ..................................................................................................................45
Data Analysis .....................................................................................................................47
Trustworthiness ..................................................................................................................48
Role of Researcher .............................................................................................................48
Conclusion .........................................................................................................................49

viii
Chapter Four: Findings ..................................................................................................................50
Participant Profiles .............................................................................................................51
Findings .............................................................................................................................52
Artifacts ..............................................................................................................................69
Summary ............................................................................................................................71
Conclusion .........................................................................................................................73
Chapter Five: Discussion and Recommendations ..........................................................................75
Discussion of Findings .......................................................................................................75
Recommendations for Practice ..........................................................................................81
Future Research .................................................................................................................84
Conclusion .........................................................................................................................85

References ......................................................................................................................................86
Appendices ...................................................................................................................................109
Appendix A: Recruitment E-mail ......................................................................................97
Appendix B: Student Pre-Survey .......................................................................................98
Appendix C: Student Interview Protocol ...........................................................................99

ix
List of Tables
Table 1 Phases of Inquiry in Western and Hawaiian learning .......................................................13
Table 2 Ethnic Breakdown of HU’s Student Population: Fall 2017 ..............................................40
Table 3 Geographic Breakdown of HU’s Student Population: Fall 2017 .....................................40
Table 4 Interview and Focus Group Participant Demographics ....................................................51

x
List of Figures
Figure 1 Theoretical Framework ...................................................................................................20
Figure 2 Tripartite Model of Personal Identity ..............................................................................28

xi
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how Hawaiian practices influenced
students’ experience in higher education. While student diversity in higher education is
increasing and there is a need for diversity courses and activities, there is little research on the
value of Hawaiian practices in students’ sense of belonging and personal identity.
Findings from this study reinforced how cultural wealth and engaging in Hawaiian
values, practices, and knowledge can foster and enhance students’ sense of belonging and
engagement at a university. Two key themes emerged that the participants engaged with and
internalized: pilina, or connections/relationships, which included connection to land (mālama
‘āina), connection to people (ʻohana) and knowledge (ʻike) regarding the continued oppression
and colonization of the host culture. The second theme was sense of responsiblity and sense of
purpose gained through the engagement with Hawaiian ways of knowing. These themes reflected
the significance and importance of integrating Native Hawaiian knowledge and practices in
higher education to not only benefit Native Hawaiian students, but students of all ethnic
backgrounds. Recommendations include institutional funding for Native Hawaiian programs and
support, professional development related to Native Hawaiian knowledge, values, and practices
for all faculty and staff, systematically integrating Native Hawaiian knowledge, values, and
practices in curriculum and co-curricular activities, and developing curriculum and co-curricular
activities for students to explore their identity in the context of the host culture.
Keywords: Native Hawaiian knowledge, sense of belonging, identity, cultural relevant
pedagogy
1
Chapter One: Introduction
ʻAʻohe pau ka ʻike i ka hālau hoʻokahi
“All knowledge is not learned in just one school.”
ʻŌlelo Noʻeau, Number 203 (Pukui, 1983)
Moʻolelo, or stories, are integral to Indigenous communities. It is in stories that lessons
and insights are shared and also creates links from our ancestors to us. The moʻolelo of the
students at Hulihia University are key to understanding how Native Hawaiian ʻike, or Native
Hawaiian knowledge, was perceived in a university setting.
My Moʻolelo
This research endeavor was personal because I was personally transformed through
understanding and engaging with Indigenous knowledge and practices. Born and raised on the
island of Oʻahu, I always thought Hawaiian history was taught in class as merely content to
memorize. In addition, since I was not Hawaiian by blood quantum, I did not feel appropriate or
worthy if I participated in Hawaiian practices. Growing up local, or born and raised in Hawaiʻi, I
always had a desire to participate and engage more in the host culture but felt that I needed
permission. It was not until I taught a student development class at a university and had to
participate in an oli, or chant, with my students that I began to see how inclusive and embracing
it was to connect with my students and to the ʻāina, or land, in this experience. The ʻōlelo noʻeau
described the “aha” moment as the realization that not all knowledge is learned in school,
including different knowledge bases and perspectives.
Western Versus Indigenous Knowledge
All education is culture-based, but many educational institutions adopt a Western
perspective (Kana'iaupuni & Ledward, 2013). Many of the students who come into these
2
educational institutions bring a wealth of cultural knowledge not represented in schools. The
differences between Western and Indigenous knowledge go beyond content and reflect
differences in values, philosophies, and worldviews (Lemus et al., 2014). Some of these
differences are the expert knowledge of cultural elders, a unique approach to learning, and the
integration of the learning spirit into education. These differences may make it difficult for
students to grasp some of the material taught in schools. Because many Indigenous communities
also shared a history of colonization and racialization, one of the goals in integrating Indigenous
knowledge in an educational setting was to decolonize education (Anuik & Gillies, 2012;
Mayeda et al., 2014).
Whether an institution is Indigenous-serving, Hispanic-serving, or historically Black,
there are students who do not fit” the typical enrollment profile. For example, while there may be
Native Hawaiian students attending Indigenous-serving institutions, there are other students who
are not Native Hawaiian, and little is known about how this population experiences these cultural
programs and the campuses. Institutions need to examine how their mission and vision can
include students who are not Indigenous, Hispanic, or Black, and investigate how Indigenous
education can positively impact students of other ethnicities. Understanding the experiences of
non-Native Hawaiian students can also help validate integrating Indigenous knowledge and
practices into more curricular and co-curricular settings. Looking through a lens of cultural
wealth can allow educators and administrators to think about how social reproduction can be
challenged and how students of color can exert their own agency at these educational institutions
(Jayakumar et al., 2013). This lens also offers concrete alternatives to the cultural deficit
perspective and serves to challenge the social injustice in schools (Moeller & Bielfeldt, 2011).

3
Statement of the Problem
Higher education is experiencing increased student diversity. Over the next two decades,
minoritized student enrollment is expected to grow by 40% (Cole, 2007). While there might be
an increase in student diversity, post-secondary institutions still face the challenge of increasing
the persistence and retention of students who are historically marginalized and minoritized.
Much research has focused on academic preparedness as contributing to the gap in these rates
(Burciaga & Erbstein, 2012; Jayakumar et al., 2013; Metz, 2004), concluding that it was the
student’s responsibility to persist. There is growing research, however, on the institution’s
responsibility to foster an environment that is inclusive and engaging to foster student success
(Kana'iaupuni et al., 2010; Kiyama et al., 2015; Ladson-Billings, 2014; McShay, 2017; Museus,
2014). Institutions need to be aware of the hegemony presented to students, the kind of culture it
promotes, and of whether the environment fostered a sense of belonging and promoted
exploration of students’ identities.
Deficit vs. Strengths-Based Lens
Tinto’s theory of student departure depicts how students enter certain rites of passage into
a post-secondary institution, how they navigate through the system and how they acclimate to it
(Metz, 2004). This placed responsibility on the student to adjust, and, if the student failed, the
student would not return to the institution (Metz, 2004). For some, students committed cultural
suicide, or sought to abandon their culture and ethnic identity, with the assumption that the
conforming to the dominant culture ensured academic success. These students, who were often
minoritized, also faced academic challenges and were seen as having deficiencies. This type of
deficit thinking “took the position that minority students and families were at fault for poor
academic performance because: (a) students entered school without the normative cultural
4
knowledge and skills and (b) parents neither valued nor supported their child’s education”
(Yosso, 2006, p. 75).
Common policies and practices in the K-12 arena like tracking, disproportionate
placement in special education, high-stakes testing, and low teacher expectations of students of
color negatively and disproportionally affect Black, Latino(a), and Native American students
(Burciaga & Erbstein, 2012). In higher education, similar policies and practices are placement
exams, financial aid restrictions, and class scheduling that do not consider students’ outside
responsibilities. While research has noted disparities between dominant and minoritized cultures,
it does not help researchers understand the potential contributions of these minoritized
communities to combat these inequalities and facilitate educational success (Jayakumar et al.,
2013).
Indigenous Cultures & Cultural Sustainability
Post-secondary institutions exhibit a Western hegemony in classroom practices,
pedagogy, and instructional materials (Connor & Baglieri, 2009). The unintentional result is the
silencing of multiple voices and perspectives, leaving students either to conform to the standard
or leave the institution (Connor & Baglieri, 2009).
Students who experienced cultural discontinuity found that their school experiences were
incongruent with their cultural background, lowering their potential to learn and succeed in
school (Ragoonaden & Mueller, 2017). Because many Indigenous communities also shared a
history of colonization and racialization, one of the goals in integrating Indigenous knowledge in
an educational setting was to decolonize education (Anuik & Gillies, 2012; Mayeda et al., 2014)
so that these perspectives were shared in and out of classrooms.

5
Sense of Belonging & Identity
Sense of belonging is connected to retention, persistence, and college success in higher
education (Museus et al., 2017; St-Amand et al., 2017). Students with an increased sense of
belonging at their university are more likely to persist and graduate (Museus et al., 2017; Pak,
2018; St-Amand et al., 2017). While studies have not found a correlation between sense of
belonging and other factors such as GPA, its influence on these outcomes are important because
it contributes to an individual’s psychological development and fulfills a basic need that leads
people to build social bonds (Pak, 2018; St-Amand et al., 2017).
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to explore how Hawaiian practices influenced a student’s
experience in higher education. As student diversity increases and there is a need for diversity
courses and activities, there is little research on the value of Hawaiian practices in a student’s
sense of belonging and personal identity. While there is research on the positive outcomes of
integrating Indigenous knowledge for Native Hawaiians, the researcher explored if the same can
be said for students of other ethnic backgrounds. Two research questions guided this study:
• How do non-Native Hawaiians engage in Hawaiian cultural practices in university co-
curricular settings?
• How does it affect or influence their sense of belonging and identity?
Significance of the Study
This study may be valuable for student affairs administrators and professionals. Student
affairs is a critical component in higher education to help students prepare for a lifetime journey
of growth and self-exploration (NASPA, n.d.). Creating learning environments and learning
experiences for students was always at the heart of student affairs work, and professionals in this
6
field encourage that learning happened beyond the classroom (NASPA, 1997). Knowing how
different knowledge bases can shape a student’s experience in higher education is important in
helping to design programs, activities, and learning experiences for students. The moʻolelo told
through the participant’s lens offered an opportunity for faculty and staff to re-evaluate their
curricular and co-curricular programs to be more inclusive and allow multiple voices,
perspectives, and knowledge.
One of the goals for this university research site is to be a “model Indigenous-serving
institution.” Findings from this study would also be helpful for other institutions whose mission
and vision honors aspects of the host culture they serve while also being inclusive.
Lastly, there is a dearth of published research on the influence of integrating Indigenous
knowledge and practices in curricular and co-curricular settings (Anuik, & Gillies, 2012;
Aronson & Laughter, 2016; Dupuis & Abrams, 2017; Feinstein, 2005; Hawaiʻi Community
College, 2016; Johnson et al., 2014; Lemus et al., 2014; Ragoonaden & Mueller, 2017;
Sakamoto, 2013). There is also very limited research examining the sense of belonging,
strengthened sense of identity, and culture-based education among Native Hawaiian children
(Kaʻimipono Kaiwi & Kahumoku, 2006; Kana'iaupuni & Ledward, 2013; Kana'iaupuni et al.,
2010) and even less research on how Hawaiian practices affect non-Native Hawaiians. This
study fills this gap.
Limitations, Delimitations, Assumptions
There were methodological limitations. While the lack of prior research was an
opportunity to conduct this research, it also had posed limitations in helping lay a foundation for
understanding the research problem. Prior research may be limited in helping to frame the
problem. This qualitative study is not generalizable to other institutions and unique to the
7
participants and their experiences. The pre-survey was voluntary; therefore, the sample was
smaller than desired. Convenience or snowball sampling was used to achieve the desired
number. Because the participants were asked to recall past events, the self-reported data, how
they interpreted what happened, and their reflections of how the impact on them in the present
were limitations.
There were also limitations pertaining to the researcher. One of the key components in a
qualitative study is the role of the researcher (Creswell, 2014). The facilitator’s lenses, guided by
theories, beliefs, and perceptions, influenced how this research was conducted and interpreted.
The researcher had a positive bias about Native Hawaiian knowledge and practices and sought to
ensure that it did not influence the interviews and focus groups. Since the researcher approached
the research from an Indigenous paradigm, the researcher was limited in her understanding of the
practices and knowledge. In addition, the researcher is an employee at the study site, so the role
of the researcher was an advantage and a limitation dependent on the relationship to the
participant.
Delimitations
While there were interviews with non-Native Hawaiian students, this study was not
ethnically representative of the site. This study did not include interviews with Native Hawaiian
students, faculty, or staff. In addition, this research did not include interviews with the executive
administration at the university and the task force that developed the university’s mission and
vision. Including the task force members would have been helpful in determining whether the
objectives set out by faculty and staff matched participants’ perceptions. This delimitation was
the result of the constrained time period for this study (Maxwell, 2013).

8
Assumptions
The first assumption in this study was that the participants’ stories accurately captured
and portrayed their experiences. It was also assumed that the researcher had some knowledge of
Native Hawaiian knowledge and practices to help connect the experiences to their sense of
belonging and sense of local identity based on her experiences. Another assumption of this study
was that qualitative research through an Indigenous research paradigm was the best
methodological approach to accurately capture the participants’ experiences as a way to explain
and explore their sense of belonging and identity in relationship to learning Indigenous
knowledge and practices. As a qualitative study, it was also assumed that the findings could not
be replicated and would not yield the same results if a similar study were done (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016).
Definitions
The following are terms and acronyms referred to throughout the study.
CRP is an acronym for culturally relevant pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 2014).
Engagement is a term that conveys the time and energy a student spends participating in
activities as part of the academic experience (Mandernach, 2015).
Indigenous is a term encompassing all those native to their land, including Native
Americans, Pacific Islanders, Maori, and the Ifugao peoples of the Philippines (Wilson, 2008).
Local Identity is a term that has become a symbol of the common identity of people who
appreciate the quality and style of life in the islands (Okamura, 1980). It can also be described as
those who were born and raised in Hawaiʻi.
Native Hawaiian is a Western concept referring to a member or descendant of the
Indigenous Polynesian people who lived in the Hawaiian Islands (Oxford University Press,
9
2018). Native Hawaiians address themselves in various contexts – Kanaka ‘Ōiwi, Kanaka
Hawaiʻi, and/or Kanaka Maoli.
Sense of Belonging is a term that conveys a student’s overall perception of social
cohesion or sense of community at their university (Museus, 2014; Museus & Maramba, 2011;
Museus et al., 2017; Museus, Yi, & Saelua, 2017b).
UH System stands for the University of Hawaiʻi System, which is Hawaiʻi’s only public
state-funded higher education system comprised of three universities, one college, and six
community colleges, and community-based learning centers (University of Hawaiʻi, 2012).
HU, a pseudonym for the study site, is an acronym for Hulihia University.
Conclusion
This introduction provided an overview of the problem statement, purpose, and
significance of the study to help build context for the research questions and understand the gap
that this research sought to fill. Chapter Two discusses the literature on what is known regarding
Indigenous knowledge and practices, cultural wealth, cultural relevant pedagogy, sense of
belonging, and identity.

10
Chapter Two: Literature Review
E hana mua a paʻa ke kahua mamua o ke aʻo aku ia haʻi
“Build yourself a firm foundation before teaching others.”
ʻŌlelo Noʻeau, Number 276 (Pukui, 1983)
Chapter Two provides an overview of the literature on the development of students’
sense of belonging and identity through cultural wealth, culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP), and
Indigenous knowledge and practices. The ʻōlelo noʻeau reinforced the importance of this
literature review as it helped to set the context of this study in a broader sense. This qualitative
study examined how Native Hawaiian knowledge and practices in an educational institution
influenced students’ sense of belonging and identity. While some studies showed the positive
influence of integrating Native Hawaiian knowledge for Native Hawaiian students, there was
very little research on how it impacted students of other ethnic backgrounds. How do students
react to or make meaning of these other knowledge bases, particularly Native Hawaiian
knowledge, during their college experience? This study was important because, while the student
diversity in higher education is increasing, there was little research on the value that Native
Hawaiian knowledge brought to a non-Native Hawaiian’s identity and sense of belonging. Two
research questions guided this study:
• How do non-Native Hawaiians engage in Hawaiian cultural practices in university co-
curricular settings?
• How does it affect or influence their sense of belonging and identity?
This literature review focuses on Hawaiian practices and their impact on students. Then,
it covers the institution’s goal and commitment to integrating Hawaiian ways of knowing into the
curriculum and campus life to contextualize the study. Next, it presents the theoretical
11
framework that integrated Native Hawaiian knowledge, practices, and values, cultural wealth,
identity and sense of belonging to understand how students respond to engaging with Hawaiian
ways of knowing throughout their college careers. This examines the cultural wealth fostered in
the college environment and how institutions help foster that relationship between institution and
student through CRP and culture-based education. This review concludes with the concept of
identity and sense of belonging to help understand those as factors in a student’s college
experience.
Indigenous Knowledge and Practices
Indigenous knowledge is defined as the body of original information, attitudes, skills, and
values of a culture native to a particular place (Anuik & Gillies, 2012). Some communities in
Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, the Northwest United States, and Hawaiʻi
integrate Indigenous knowledge and practices in the K-12 and post-secondary level that honor
the host culture and offer benefits to students (Hawaiʻi Community College [HCC], 2016; Klos,
2006; Lemus et al., 2014; Mayeda et al., 2014; Windchief & Joseph, 2015).
Components
Many Indigenous communities have similar components of knowledge and practices. The
interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit, focus on oral traditions and storytelling, and
connection to land is integral to Indigenous knowledge (Anuik & Gillies, 2012; Aseron et al.,
2013; Kaʻimipono Kaiwi & Kahumoku, 2006). For Indigenous peoples, the Indigenous ways of
knowing, being, and doing in education allow the learning to be transformational and wholistic
(Windchief & Joseph, 2015). Some Indigenous communities view life itself in relationships,
connections, and as a part of the whole.
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Elder knowledge. Indigenous knowledge and practices are highly influenced by
community and cultural elder experts (Feinstein, 2005; Johnson et al., 2014; Lemus et al., 2014;
Windchief & Joseph, 2015). Rather than relying on data and published research, elder experts
share oral traditions about their communities. Because of the knowledge and wisdom in these
stories, they help preserve culture, give meaning to these stories, and provide insight to specific
cultural worldviews and practices (Aseron et al., 2013). Relying on community and cultural elder
experts gives students multiple perspectives and provides an understanding of Indigenous ways
(Windchief & Joseph, 2015).
The learning spirit. Education from an Indigenous viewpoint is wholistic and includes
the sprit in an educational setting. The spirit is not necessarily tied to religion, but more so in
integrating the heart, body, and mind with the content learned (Kaʻimipono Kaiwi & Kahumoku,
2006). This was the hardest aspect to integrate in an educational setting because much of
Western academic work is based on what can be proven and validated through data and research
(Kaʻimipono Kaiwi & Kahumoku, 2006). However, recognizing the learning spirit in students
and allowing emotions to arise with the content allows both the student and teacher to explore
the content more deeply and give it more meaning and relevance (Anuik & Gillies, 2012), which
potentially allows critical thinking, a value in Western thinking.
Approach to learning. The idea of knowing, being, and doing is also evident in how
students learn in the classroom. An example of how students approach learning in an inquiry-
based classroom environment is listed below.

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Table 1
Phases of Inquiry in Western and Hawaiian learning
Western Learning Hawaiian Learning
Questioning Observation and listening
Exploration Reflection
Analysis Doing
Reflection Questioning
Note: Lemus et al., 2014

While both ways of learning involve the same aspects, it is the order in which they are
presented that differs, which explains why students who understand the world through a
Hawaiian approach of learning do not participate in the classroom if a question is posed to start
the class discussion (Lemus et al., 2014).
Hawaiian Epistemology
Indigenous knowledge, practice, and learning hold similarities with many Indigenous
cultures. However Hawaiian epistemology is a distinct strand within the larger field of
Indigenous knowledge and practices. Epistemology is the study of knowledge (Aluli-Meyer,
1998). According to Meyer (1998), “Learning is an active, oral, and experiential process based
on gender, vocation, class, spiritual signs, political context, and environment. Timing, interest,
need, and genealogy all play their role in the what, why, and how of Hawaiian curriculum and
pedagogy” (p. 22). Therefore, knowledge is not solely about content being learned but is linked
to emotions, identity, and relationships to self, others, and the environment.
According to Aluli-Meyer (1998, 2014), Hawaiian epistemology falls into seven
categories: spirituality and knowing, geography and knowledge, cultural nature of the senses,
relationship and knowledge, utility and knowledge, words and knowledge, and the body/mind
question. Learning about Hawaiʻi as a cultural, spiritual, relational, social, and physical place
helps better understand the importance of Hawaiian history, customs, practices, and philosophies
14
(Lemus et al., 2014). Looking through this lens allows the recognition of cultural wealth that
Hawaiian ways of knowing contribute to an educational setting, which makes learning more
holistic and students feel more validated.
Integrating Indigenous Knowledge and Practices
Indigenous knowledge that has been integrated through the curricular and co-curricular
experience enhances a student’s experience at the university, especially for those who are
Indigenous.
Culture-Based Education
According to Bruner (1966), “culture shapes mind, that it provides us with the tool kit by
which we construct only our worlds but our very conceptions of ourselves and our powers
(Demmert, 2011). According to Kanaʻiaupuni (2007),
Culture refers to shared ways of being, knowing, and doing. Culture-based education is
the grounding of instruction and student learning in these ways, including the values,
norms, knowledge, beliefs, practices, experiences, and language that are the foundation of
a(n indigenous) culture (Demmert, 2011, p. ?).
At the heart of culture-based education is teaching through culture rather than about
culture. Culture-based education in Hawaiʻi started from the need to address the disparities
facing Native Hawaiians, and some schools arose to claim back this culture in an educational
setting (Goodyear-Kaʻōpua, 2013). Focusing on how integrating Indigenous curriculum in and
out of the classrooms also reinforced the idea of cultural advantage and cultural wealth rather
than a deficit lens because it gave voice and expertise to the kūpuna, or elders, and other sources
of community and familial strengths (Kanaʻiaupuni et al., 2017).

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Co-Curricular Integration
Post-secondary institutions foster safe spaces for Indigenous students by creating centers
and hiring staff and faculty to help support these students (Mayeda et al., 2014). These counter-
spaces are places where students receive emotional and cultural support (Mayeda et al., 2014). In
addition, universities host celebrations that showcase Indigenous students and communities to
share with the broader university community (Windchief & Joseph, 2015). Other universities
institute practices that emphasize enhancing student support services to help minoritized students
adapt to the university, such as extra counseling, tutoring services, remediation and
developmental courses, special residence options, and bridge programs for incoming students
(Barnhardt, 1994). Through these efforts, students, especially Indigenous students, feel
connected with the university and recognize that the university is invested in their education
(Mayeda et al., 2014).
Outcomes
Integrating Indigenous knowledge and practices yields positive outcomes for Indigenous
students. Not only do they learn about Indigenous knowledge, but they see the benefits of
bridging Western and Indigenous thought (Dupuis & Abrams, 2017; HCC, 2016; Lemus et al.,
2014). Cultural context influences how students learn best, and, by integrating what they grew
up with, this scaffolding technique helps students connect to what they may not know: Western
knowledge (Lemus et al., 2014). In addition, students affirm their cultural pride and sense of self
as well as a sense of belonging to their community, with their classmates, and in their school
(Dupuis & Abrams, 2017; HCC, 2016; Johnson et al., 2014; Kaʻimipono Kaiwi & Kahumoku,
2006; Lemus et al., 2014).
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Cultural pride and sense of self. Indigenous students who take courses that integrate
Indigenous knowledge feel a sense of cultural pride (Feinstein, 2005; Klos, 2006; Lemus et al.,
2014). Students share their own experiences and discussed ways their families involved them in
cultural practices (Lemus et al., 2014). This discussion shows that students find relevance in the
subject and between home and school. It also gives them a positive sense of self (Klos, 2006). By
engaging in Indigenous practices like cultural safety circles, students feel culturally safe in
expressing their practices, beliefs, and values; a sense of cultural competence results in better
understanding each other (Aseron et al., 2013). While students claim pride in their own culture,
they also gain a better understanding of other cultures (Aseron et al., 2013).
Sense of belonging. Integrating Indigenous knowledge and practices creates a sense of
belonging among students (Anuik & Gillies, 2012; Klos, 2006; Mayeda et al., 2014; Windchief
& Joseph, 2015). Some feel a sense of belonging with members of the community (Windchief &
Joseph, 2015) and others feel a sense of belonging to the school because they feel valued
(Mayeda et al., 2014). Lastly, students also feel a sense of belonging to each other because they
built relationships with each other (Anuik & Gillies, 2012).
While research about integrating Indigenous knowledge and practices has been limited to
non-Native Hawaiian students, it shows promise on the type of impact it has on students across
the university setting. Research on other ethnic groups could further look into how it affects their
sense of belonging and identity. In addition, while they are not Indigenous to the community, it
would be interesting to see how students also took part in revitalizing the host culture through
their understanding of its traditional knowledge and practices.

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Hawaiʻi Papa O Ke Ao
In 2012, a group of system-wide representatives and community leaders was formed
under the guidance of the University of Hawaiʻi’s vice president for student affairs and
university/community relations to map out a plan for the University of Hawaiʻi system to
become the model Indigenous-serving institution in the state and the nation (University of
Hawaiʻi, 2012). Hawaiʻi Papa O Ke Ao was created to meet this goal. Because of the involuntary
colonization and the influence of missionary structures and values on Native Hawaiian
education, people Indigenous to Hawaiʻi felt the impact of the loss of identity and displacement
(University of Hawaiʻi, 2012). Hawaiʻi Papa O Ke Ao was a way to help address students
indigenous to Hawaiʻi and their educational needs in higher education as well as to cultivate
Indigenous values and practices that honor the host culture and the place where the university
sits. This plan served as a framework for each campus to create their individual plan that was
responsive to the student population and the communities it serves (University of Hawaiʻi,
2012). Hawaiʻi Papa O Ke Ao set goals and objectives to address these needs. Two of the goals
in the plan were that the university should be responsive to the needs of the Hawaiian community
and, with community input, implement programs to address the needs of Native Hawaiians and
other underrepresented groups and that it should focus and promote Hawaiian culture and
language. The goals that helped achieve the research included leadership development,
community engagement, and Hawaiian language and cultural parity. It was up to each campus to
specifically design how they planned to meet these goals.
Hulihia University
Hulihia University (HU) is part of a 10-campus public university system in Hawaiʻi.
Hulihia translates to “abrupt change” and was chosen as a pseudonym to signify the potential
18
birth of a new type of institution that fully embraces the host culture and its values, knowledge,
and practices. HU opened in 1976 and was one of three 4-year, public universities. Located on
Oʻahu, most students reside on Oʻahu and are primarily commuters to campus.
HU offers a baccalaureate education and six bachelor’s degree programs in 33 areas and
seven certificate programs. The mission of HU is to offer a distinct, student-centered
baccalaureate education that integrates the liberal arts with professional and applied fields. HU’s
goal is to develop life-long learners, enriched and informed by career competencies and
educational opportunities that address state, regional, and international needs. As a diverse and
inclusive Indigenous-serving institution, HU embraces Native Hawaiian culture and traditions
while simultaneously providing an environment where students of all ethnic backgrounds are
valued, respected, and supported. HU’s campus fosters excellence in teaching and learning and
serves the community of Hawaiʻi by providing an accessible and affordable college experience.
As an Indigenous-serving institution, the primary focus of this university is to serve the
Indigenous people of Hawaiʻi.
Institution’s Strategic Plan
Three impact strategies provide the foundation of HU for the next 10 years:
1. Increasing Student Success & Engagement: We will create learning environments that
encourage retention and persistence. By creating a welcoming and culturally responsive
academic home, we will help our students engage the surrounding community.
2. Advancing Dynamic and Integrated Learning Experiences: We will offer a distinct
educational experience that is student-focused, innovative, transdisciplinary, and engages
the community.
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3. Strengthening our Assets and Infrastructure: We will optimize and expand our resources
by designing a culture of prosperity, fostering campus and community relationships, and
advancing our state-of-the-art environment.
This study focused on Impact Strategy 1, as it is the most relevant to the research questions
posed in this study.
Since the strategy aims to strengthen student success and engagement, it was also
important to look at HU’s institutional pahuhopu, or values. HU identified five values: poʻokela,
kaiāulu, hana lawelawe, mālama ʻāina, and waiwai (University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu
[UHWO], 2018). Since students learn Native Hawaiian knowledge in co-curricular settings,
answering the research questions also informed how it met the kaiāulu value, or valuing viable,
healthy communities where everyone feels included, welcomed, and respected.
Theoretical Framework
This qualitative study explored how embedding Hawaiian practices in co-curricular
settings impacted a non-Native Hawaiian students’ experience at HU. Interviews and focus
groups with junior and senior level students who were non-Native Hawaiian shed light on their
sense of belonging to the university and to this sense of place. To explore non-Native Hawaiian
students’ perceptions of Native Hawaiian knowledge and practices in a post-secondary
institution, it was important to lay out some key concepts that guided and inform the research
question, methods, and analysis.
This framework built upon the relationship of student understanding of local identity and
sense of belonging through a cultural wealth approach and Native Hawaiian knowledge and
practices. Below is a visual representation of how the student, represented as an outer circle is
placed in learning environments (curricular and co-curricular settings) that value and
20
demonstrate cultural wealth; therefore, the student adds to the environment’s cultural wealth. The
student, in this environment, engages with Hawaiian values, knowledge and practices, and that
engagement increases their understanding of Native Hawaiian ways of knowing, which fosters or
enhances the development of sense of belonging and local identity.
Figure 1
Theoretical Framework

Cultural Wealth
Many of the previous studies mentioned cultural suicide or an attempt to abandon one’s
culture and ethnic identity. The assumption is that the student must conform to succeed
academically. These low-performing students, who were often minoritized, were seen as having
deficiencies. This type of deficit thinking “took the position that minority students and families
were at fault for poor academic performance because: (a) students entered school without the
normative cultural knowledge and skills and (b) parents neither valued nor supported their
child’s education” (Yosso, 2006, p. 75).
Historical Roots
Bourdieu’s theory of cultural and social capital identifies how privilege and status are
protected and maintained (Jayakumar et al., 2013). These types of capital are often inherited and
passed down from one’s family, thus sustaining the privilege and status of only some students
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(Wells, 2008). Students with high social and cultural capital more likely to persist through school
(Wells, 2008). While social capital theory examines how increased capital influence a student’s
retention and persistence in higher education, many are unaware of the effects of such intangible
privilege and do not take into account the oppressive history minoritized communities endured
that made it more difficult to achieve.
Common policies and practices like tracking, disproportionate placement in special
education, high-stakes testing, and low teacher expectations of students of color have been found
to negatively and disproportionally affect Black, Latino(a), and Native American students
(Burciaga & Erbstein, 2012). While some research found the disparities between dominant and
minoritized cultures that affirmed Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital, it did not help
researchers understand the potential contributions of these minoritized communities in working
to combat these inequalities and facilitating educational success (Jayakumar et al., 2013).
Cultural Wealth
While much of the research focused on how obtaining social and cultural capital
potentially increases individual success, Yosso (2006) argued that the theory of cultural capital
placed value on one culture, and the culture that most closely resembles the norm is seen as
culturally wealthy. Cultural wealth is defined as “an array of knowledge, skills, abilities, and
contacts possessed and utilized by communities of color to survive and resist macro- and micro-
forms of oppressions” (Jayakumar et al., 2013, p. 556). Furthermore, it is a dynamic process that
builds on itself (Yosso, 2006). These forms of capital are fluid; one’s experience reflects multiple
elements at the same time (Burciaga & Erbstein, 2012). Looking through a cultural wealth lens
for minoritized students and students of color changes the way in which faculty and staff view
22
and interact with them as well as affects how the students feel about themselves coming to
college.
While Bourdieu’s theory focuses on the individual and what capital they own and/or
accumulate (Jayakumar et al., 2013), Yosso’s (2006) model placed responsibility on the
institution for these barriers and empowers students of color to respond and exert their agency.
Community cultural wealth helps guide teachers to acknowledge the assets students bring as well
as reassure students that their cultural wealth has value in school (Moeller & Bielfeldt, 2011).
Yosso’s Model Across Communities of Color
Yosso’s (2006) community cultural wealth model is grounded in communities of color
and what they bring to school as assets. Much of the published literature on community cultural
wealth examined African American, Latino(a), or Native American populations. For example,
Moeller and Bielfeldt (2011) discussed Native American populations and community cultural
wealth in teacher pre-service programs.
There are models similar to Yosso’s community cultural wealth for native populations.
Kanaʻiaupuni (2005) discussed the need to look at cultural wealth and built a framework around
a strengths-based model, or Kaʻakālai Kū Kanaka, for Native Hawaiian students. Strengths-based
research promoted and drew upon the strength of individuals and began with the premise of
creating social change (Kana'iaupuni, 2005). Similar to Yosso’s (2006) six forms of capital,
Kanaʻiaupuni drew upon funds of knowledge such as relationships to people and land,
compassion, interdependence and strong families as ways to engage and generate improvements
in higher education for Native Hawaiians (Kana'iaupuni, 2005). By integrating these funds of
knowledge, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students incorporate what they learned at
home, find a cultural fit at the institution, and achieve academic success. There was, however,
23
very little research on the effects that it has on students who identify as local to Hawaiʻi but not
of Native Hawaiian ancestry.
Overall Implications of a Cultural Wealth Lens
Shifting this paradigm of cultural deficit to one of cultural abundance allows post-
secondary institutions to transform their environment and curriculum to allow for multiple voices
and perspectives as well as knew how to best support all students. Rather than looking at
students as dropouts and as disconnected and apathetic people making poor choices, educators
and administrators consider how the institution and their own policies and practices act as
barriers to students of color (Burciaga & Erbstein, 2012). However, this shift does take training
and buy-in from educators and administrators.
Much of the research utilized Yosso’s (2006) model as an input to their own model to
show student success. Letting the cultural context guide theory first is a good initial step to
seeing how Yosso’s model translates to diverse communities (Moeller & Bielfeldt, 2011).
Cultural Relevant Pedagogy
One way to uphold individual’s cultural wealth is to teach through CRP. Pedagogy is
defined as “method and practice of teaching” (Oxford University Press, 2018, para. 1).
Curriculum and pedagogy influence student learning, and this section discusses how CRP
contributes to students’ success as well as its limitations and critiques.
Overview of Theories
Two theories influence culture-based education and are often used interchangeably in the
literature. Culturally responsive teaching (Gay, 2001) examines the cultural knowledge, prior
experiences, and frames of reference of ethnically diverse students to make learning relevant and
effective (Aronson & Laughter, 2016; Han et al., 2014; Ragoonaden & Mueller, 2017; Sleeter,
24
2012). CRP empowers students intellectually, socially, emotionally, and politically using other
cultural knowledge bases to impart knowledge and skills that will help students be successful
(Aronson & Laughter, 2016; Han et al., 2014; Ragoonaden & Mueller, 2017). While the unit of
analysis may differ, both theories focus on cultural strengths and on the classroom as a space for
social change (Aronson & Laughter, 2016).
Components of CRP. CRP includes three components: academic success, cultural
competence, and sociopolitical consciousness (Kana'iaupuni & Ledward, 2013; Sleeter, 2012).
While much research and many educational institutions perceive academic success through test
scores, academic success in CRP refers to intellectual growth and long-term academic
achievement (Aronson & Laughter, 2016; Cole, 2017; Ladson-Billings, 2014).
Cultural competence refers to honoring one’s culture while gaining knowledge of other
cultures to help them succeed in and out of school (Aronson & Laughter, 2016; Cole, 2017;
Ladson-Billings, 2014). Rather than looking at students as objects, students serve as subjects and
affirm what they already know as valuable and connected to new learning (Kana'iaupuni &
Ledward, 2013; Ladson-Billings, 2014; Sleeter, 2012). In other words, students are also experts
and sources of knowledge in the classroom. Sociopolitical consciousness allows teachers and
students to recognize, understand, and critique current and social inequalities in the classroom
and use collective empowerment to solve these real-world problems (Aronson & Laughter, 2016;
Ladson-Billings, 2014).
Influence on other theories and frameworks. CRP made it possible for other theories
and frameworks to emerge. Culturally sustaining pedagogy pushed curriculum and teaching from
learning about racial and ethnic groups to learning from them (Aronson & Laughter, 2016).
Culturally revitalizing pedagogy also asked educators to consider revitalizing languages that
25
were disappearing and how doing so might alter an educational space (Ladson-Billings, 2014). In
addition, CRP also influences how the educational environment beyond the classroom is
culturally relevant and engaging (Museus, 2014).
Cultural Relevant Pedagogy and Student Success
One goal of CRP is to improve student learning and achievement in schools, especially
since there is an achievement gap between minoritized students and their White counterparts
(Cole, 2017). While there were different findings across studies, much of the research examined
academic success and cultural competence. CRP was integrated across different content areas in
both secondary and post-secondary institutions (Aronson & Laughter, 2016; Colvin & Tobler,
2013; Han et al., 2014; Kana'iaupuni et al., 2010; Ragoonaden & Mueller, 2017). Many of the
studies that utilized CRP as a framework noted students’ success in building relationships,
engagement, and socio-emotional well-being.
Building relationships. Students not only felt their learning was relevant, but created
better relationships with teachers and other students in the classroom. Ragoonaden and Mueller’s
(2017) research found the establishment of social relationships and building community within
the classroom was beneficial to students’ intellectual, social, emotional, and academic
development. Students found more connections with each other, and this opened the pathway for
more student engagement.
Student engagement. The influence of student engagement with CRP on curriculum had
was determined to vary. Some students felt they better engaged in the classroom when they could
relate to the subject matter while others did not participate. In promoting cultural competence,
students in every content area that utilized CRP made connections between the academic culture
and their home culture (Aronson & Laughter, 2016). Other students also felt they engaged with
26
their community and felt more of a connection to their community. Kana’iapuni and colleagues’
(2010) research looked at the impacts of teachers who integrated culture-based education and
found that Native Hawaiian students of high culture-based education teachers reported higher
rates of community attachment (Kana'iaupuni et al., 2010). In addition, students in Colvin and
Tobler’s (2013) research felt excited to be a role model in their community and could connect
their content to a real-world audience.
Socio-emotional well-being. Another result of integrating CRP into the classroom was
enhancement of students’ socio-emotional well-being, including increased self-confidence, self-
efficacy, and cultural pride. Students appreciate teachers who acknowledge and recognize their
own culture and tried to incorporate it into the classroom (Sleeter, 2012).
Limitations and Critiques to Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
While there are many successes attributed to CRP, there are also limitations and critiques
to the theory.
CRP in higher education. Much of the research on CRP was conducted in elementary
and secondary institutions. One study examined how to better integrate CRP into higher
education and found it was difficult to articulate an overall framework for doing so (Han et al.,
2014). This was due to the fact that there was a wider variety of courses offered in a post-
secondary institution and more academic freedom for faculty in regards to teaching their courses.
In addition, there was difficulty applying the framework to teaching practices (Cole, 2017).
While the theory may be clear, what it looks like in the classroom is not as clear across all types
of educational institutions.
Although the theory has its critics, it shows promise for all students to succeed in higher
education. It reinforces the idea that students bring cultural wealth to an educational institution,
27
and that knowledge is utilized to bridge the curriculum gaps that students learned in schools and
positively influenced a student’s socio-emotional state thus impacting their success in school.
Not only were students successful in the classroom, they were able to recognize and solve real-
world problems as well as had the ability to live and engage in a diverse society.
Identity Development
Identity development theories examine how one’s identity is formed, and many theorists
looked at identity development through different stages of life. People have an intersectionality
of different identities, such as ethnicity, culture, race, religion, sexual orientation, and gender that
make up their personal identity. Sue (2001) proposed a tripartite model of personal identity
which includes the following levels:
• Individual: each person is unique in genetic makeup, personality, and personal
experience
• Group: basic similarities and differences among individuals
• Universal: characteristics that is shared with all other human beings (Owenby,
2014).
This is illustrated in three concentric circles in the following examples:

28
Figure 2
Tripartite Model of Personal Identity

While each identity development theory has unique stages, many include pre-encounter,
encounter, and integration or achievement. Each type of identity is important, but this review
briefly covers ethnic identity, cultural identity, and local identity which are all part of the group
level of personal identity.
Ethnic Identity
Ethnic identity is defined as a group of people who shared a cultural heritage (Batterton
& Horner, 2016). Focusing on ethnicity and ethnic identity is helpful in building community and
a sense of support among students (Johnston-Guerrero, 2016). While some research focused on
validating one’s ethnic identity through CRP and belonging to ethnic clubs or associations,
others are impacted by interacting with different ethnic and national groups (Batterton & Horner,
2016). Batterton and Horner’s research (2016) found that American students who interact and
live with international students in residence halls found the experience impacted their own
identities. Some students felt empowered to explore and strengthen their own ethnic identity,
29
while others had to negotiate their ethnic identity as they moved into different social contexts
(Batterton & Horner, 2016).
Reflecting on one’s ethnic identity in congruence to the university’s cultural environment
influences a person to examine their own ethnic identity and attitudes (Clayton, Medina, &
Wiseman, 2017). Considering that the current study’s institutional and cultural environment used
Native Hawaiian knowledge and practices as its core principle, these studies offered insight on
the focus of this study on non-Native Hawaiian students and their level of engagement with
Native Hawaiian content and knowledge.
Cultural Identity
In some studies, ethnic, cultural, and racial identity were used interchangeably (Harris &
Smith, 2017), while other research used those terms differently (Rosa, 2000; Savage, 2005). In
one perspective, culture differs from ethnicity, as it broadly defines the processes by which
individuals learn and share the norms, attitudes, and behaviors of various groups (Sodowsky,
1995, as cited in Savage, 2005). Cultural identity is a combination of social, ethnic, and racial
identity, and transcends where one is from ethnically and racially to include social contexts and
other social groupings.
While much of the research examined identity as part of self-exploration (Batterton &
Horner, 2016; Case & Hernandez, 2013; Daniels & Brooker, 2014; Johnston-Guerrero, 2016),
some research looked at how cultural identity helps develop intercultural sensitivity (Turniansky
et al., 2009) or the bicultural self whereby individuals experience and celebrate their culture as
well as that of others (Dey et al., 2017). Especially in Hawaiʻi where one celebrated and labeled
oneself as an ethnic group such as Filipino, the same person also celebrated and appreciated
other cultures because of their upbringing in Hawaiʻi, often identifying a local.
30
Local Identity
What makes someone local to a place? In Hawaiʻi, some referred to being local as being
born and raised in Hawaiʻi. However, the term “local” has become a symbol of the common
identity of people who appreciate the quality and style of life on the islands (Okamura, 1980). It
came to represent the inherent value of the land, peoples, and cultures of the islands, which
include the idea of attaining collective goals (Okamura, 1980). A core value is the relationship
with each other and with the land. For those who label themselves as local, it implies that there is
a non-local who represents outside forces without a sense of awareness or concern for Hawaiʻi
(Okamura, 1980). Examples include mainland Haoles, land developers, and big businesses
(Okamura, 1980).
Historical overview. The emergence of local culture and society represents an
accommodation of ethnic groups to one another in the context of a social system between the
Haole planter and other immigrant groups (Okamura, 1980; Rosa, 2000). However, it also
focuses on the blending, sharing, or mixing of the different cultures and the ability to participate
in the mixed culture together (Okamura, 1980). Although different cultures had the opportunity
to mix and blend during the plantation era in the early 1900s, it was not until a strike occurred or
ethnic groups moved off of the plantation that the idea of “local” arose. The term “local”
signifies a historical relationship based on a commonality among working-class people of color
and their difference from Whites (Rosa, 2000, p. 99).
The Massie vs. Kahawai case publicly distinguished locals from the other. In the 1930s,
the wife of a military man was raped, and five men who were part of the working class and born
and raised in Hawaiʻi were put on trial. The inconsistent evidence from the witnesses and the
events of the story resulted in a mistrial. However, two of the accused men faced abduction and
31
death by some of the military men and the victim’s family. One of the men accused of murdering
Joseph Kahahawai was sentenced to one day in prison, and much of that day was spent signing
paperwork. These series of events solidified that a local identity that formed in opposition to a
sense of injustice and after World War II (Rosa, 2000). The term and its significance became
popular (Rosa, 2000).
Settler versus local identity. While there are arguments that being local to Hawaiʻi
allows people to connect to the land, others argue that labeling themselves as local masks the
political unrest of the continued illegal occupation of Hawai’i (Okamura, 1980; Rosa, 2000;
Trask, 2000). Defining one’s self as local due to being born and raised in Hawaiʻi
subconsciously perpetuates the oppression of the Kanaka Maoli, people Indigenous to Hawaiʻi.
Rather than the term “local,” the identity of settler is a different perspective of one’s
cultural identity (Trask, 2000). While individuals do not label themselves as settlers, the term is
defined as a person who did not descend from the Indigenous people of the land that person now
calls home (Puanani Burgess, personal communication, January 23, 2018). While the terms
“local” and “settler” derived from the same idea of being born and raised in Hawaiʻi, the term
“settler” acknowledges the historical oppression of the Indigenous people of Hawaiʻi.
Identifying one’s self as a settler creates a different mindset and actions. The settler’s
code of conduct was a document created by the Institute for the Advancement of Hawaiian
Affairs in 2010 to understand the norms, values, and behaviors of this culture. The code included
the following:
1. Commitment to Awareness - To take effort to become familiar with the history of the
people and the land upon which one now calls home and to understand those forces,
political, economic, social and/or religious, which were factors in the transition of
32
power from the Indigenous or ancestral peoples of the homeland, to the current and
society in power.
2. Commitment to Fairness -To deal in fairness and equity in one’s affairs, recognizing
the patterns of the transfer of power and wealth which has occurred in the homeland and to
respect the integrity of the cultural, spiritual, economic, and societal practices of the Indigenous
peoples.
3. Commitment to Action - to work for the uplifting of the Indigenous peoples to
overcome any injustice suffered as a result of the transfer of power away from them and to
support the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Indigenous peoples (Puanani Burgess,
personal communication, January 23, 2018).
Through this conduct and by understanding the dynamic between labeling one’s self as
local or settler, the researcher was interested in knowing how learning Native Hawaiian
knowledge and practices in a university setting contributed to this understanding and how
students make meaning of what it means to be local.
Sense of Belonging
Sense of belonging is a student’s overall perception of social cohesion or sense of
community at their university (Museus, 2014; Museus & Maramba, 2011; Museus, Yi, & Saelua,
2017; Museus, Yi, & Saelua, 2017b). Sense of belonging is based on the notion that students
from different backgrounds perceive and experience environments and interactions in different
ways (Museus et al., 2017). While many studies cited Hurtado and Carter’s (1997) work as
seminal in defining sense of belonging, there have been several additions to the concept in recent
years.
33
More recent work has studied sense of belonging as being a part of a particular group and
their morale associated with membership in the group (Samura, 2016). Strayhorn addressed
sense of belonging as an experience of mattering and feeling cared about as well as an effort to
maintain that feeling throughout one’s college career (Pak, 2018; Samura, 2016). Lee and Robins
defined belongingness as a subjective feeling of interpersonal closeness within a given social
context (Lee & Davis, 2000; Pym et al., 2011). Each definition of membership carries similar
attributes such as positive emotion, positive social relations, involvement, and harmonization (St-
Amand et al., 2017).
Sense of belonging is connected to retention, persistence, and college success in higher
education (Museus et al., 2017; St-Amand et al., 2017). While studies have not shown a
correlation between sense of belonging and other factors such as GPA, its influence on these
outcomes remains important because it contributes to an individual’s psychological development
and fulfills a basic need that leads people to build social bonds (Pak, 2018; St-Amand et al.,
2017).
Influences on Sense of Belonging
While Tinto’s research regarding social integration focused on the student’s transition to
the university, many of the concepts defined examined the role of the institution and campus
environment in a student’s transition (Kiyama, Museus, & Vega, 2015; Museus, 2014; Museus &
Maramba, 2011; Museus et al., 2017; Museus et al., 2017b). Factors that foster a sense of
belonging at an institution are faculty and peer interactions, the visibility of one’s culture at the
institution, and an engaging campus environment. However, the researcher focused only on
culture and an engaging campus environment as it related to the research questions.
34
Culture. Culture was a theme throughout the literature and played a role in determining
sense of belonging at an institution. For students of color, a sense of belonging more difficult to
attain because of the cultural challenges they faced; therefore, it is important that the institution
respond in a culturally appropriate manner (Museus, 2014). Students find it validating to see
their cultures represented in curricular and co-curricular activities, helping them find the cultural
congruence between their home culture and the campus environment, which leads to an increase
in sense of belonging (Kiyama et al., 2015; Lee & Davis, 2000; Museus et al., 2017; Pak, 2018;
Samura, 2016).
Culturally engaging campus environments. Because culture is a common theme in the
research on sense of belonging, Museus and his research team (2014) created a new survey that
captured how curricular and co-curricular activities create a culturally engaging campus
environment to foster a sense of belonging, especially for students of color. The Culturally
Engaging Campus Environments (CECE) model posits that students who encounter more of
these environments are more likely to exhibit a greater sense of belonging, more positive
academic dispositions, and higher levels of academic and social performance, which lead to
persistence and graduation (Museus, 2014).
The nine indicators in the CECE model are cultural familiarity, culturally relevant
knowledge, cultural community service, opportunities for meaningful cross-cultural engagement,
collectivist cultural orientations, culturally validating environments, humanized educational
environments, proactive philosophies, and availability of holistic support (Museus, 2014). These
indicators helped the researcher in looking for similar factors to address how non-Indigenous
students gained a sense of belonging at the institution.

35
Outcomes to Sense of Belonging
For a moment in time. Many of the studies captured students’ perceptions on sense of
belonging at a moment in time (Lee & Davis, 2000; Museus & Maramba, 2011; Museus et al.,
2017; Museus et al., 2017b; Pak, 2018; Pokorny et al., 2016; Pym et al., 2011). Samura (2016)
discussed how capturing this concept of sense of belonging was a limitation and added to the
definition that sense of belonging should be fluid. For any student, sense of belonging rises and
falls depending on classes taken, life-changing events during the college career, or the
institution’s change in policy and/or practices (Samura, 2016). Using photos and interviews,
students interpreted the environment differently and depending on time of day (Samura, 2016).
Also, interaction with the environment and how students reacted to it influenced their sense of
belonging (Samura, 2016).
Cultural identity. Many of the studies concluded with a discussion on how sense of
belonging influences identity (McShay, 2017; Museus & Maramba, 2011; Museus et al., 2017;
Pak, 2018; Samura, 2016). Students, especially students of color, either chose to commit cultural
suicide and remake themselves or affirmed their cultural heritage and cultural identity (Museus
& Maramba, 2011; Samura, 2016). Therefore, a student’s period of adjustment was a dynamic
process between their identity and the interaction of the campus environment and both
components influence each other.
Overall, these more recent studies portrayed a paradigm shift in research and focus since
some of the older studies focused on the student’s transition to fit into the institution. More so,
these outcomes gave the opportunity for the research questions to look at how sense of belonging
influenced students’ experience throughout their college careers. In addition, many of the studies
that examined cultural identity took place at institutions that were pre-dominantly White and
36
Westernized in all aspects. This research examined whether similar outcomes arose at an
Indigenous-serving institution containing both Indigenous and Westernized aspects.
Conclusion
This review of literature provided an overview of the following topics: identity, sense of
belonging, and Indigenous knowledge and practices as part of CRP to help build context for the
research questions and understand the gap that this research sought to fill. The next chapter
discusses the population used and the methodology used to answer the research questions.

37
Chapter Three: Methodology
“O ke kahua mamua, mahope ke kūkulu”
The site first and then the building.
ʻŌlelo Noʻeau, Number 2459 (Pukui, 1983)

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of Hawaiian practices on students’
experience in higher education. This study was important because, while student diversity in
higher education increases and there is a need for more diversity in instruction, there is little
research on the value of Hawaiian practices and what these bring to a student’s college success
and sense of belonging. There is research on the positive outcomes of integrating Indigenous
knowledge for Native Hawaiians; however, this study explored whether the same can be said for
students of other ethnic backgrounds. Two research questions guided this study:
• How do non-Native Hawaiians engage in Hawaiian cultural practices in university co-
curricular settings?
• How does it affect or influence their sense of belonging and identity?
The ʻōlelo noʻeau for Chapter Three describes that, prior to doing the work and learning about
students’ perspectives, one must choose the proper site. In this case, the researcher discussed the
proper methodology to answer the research questions.
Methodology
This study utilized qualitative methods. Qualitative researchers are interested in
understanding how people interpret their experiences and how they construct their worlds
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The research questions were focused on understanding student
38
experiences, and qualitative methods were best suited for this type of exploration (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016).
This study investigated one institution using a case study approach. A case study is an
“in-depth description and analysis of a bounded system (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016, p. 37).
Furthermore, “the single most defining characteristic of a case study research lies in delimiting
the object of the study: the case and the ‘what’ is a bounded system - a single entity, a unit
around which there are boundaries” (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016, p. 38). Two levels of sampling
were needed to consider this study qualitative. On one level, the researcher selected the case to
be studied, and the next level was the sampling within the case (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). This
research focused on one university that incorporated Native Hawaiian knowledge and practices
in courses, programs, and co-curricular settings, particular Native Hawaiian focused classes and
Title III funded programs that focused on integrating Native Hawaiian ways of knowing.
Site Selection
The selected site was HU, a pseudonym for the institution. This university was selected
because a slight majority of students did not identify as Native Hawaiian, and approximately
87% of the student population were local residents. This university was the best location for this
study because this site provided a potentially large sample considering that the research
questions looked at a specific population. As a diverse and inclusive Indigenous-serving
institution, HU embraces Native Hawaiian culture and traditions while simultaneously providing
an environment where students of all ethnic backgrounds are valued, respected, and supported.
HU’s campus fosters excellence in teaching and learning and serves the community of Hawaiʻi
by providing an accessible and affordable college experience.
39
Hulihia University (HU) was founded in 1976 and is part of a 10-campus, public higher
education system in Hawaiʻi. The university system is comprised of seven community colleges
and three 4-year universities. HU is located on the island of Oʻahu and most students reside on
the island and commute to campus. As an Indigenous-serving institution, an important focus of
this university was to serve the Indigenous people of Hawaiʻi.
HU offered a baccalaureate education for students on Oʻahu and focused on a curriculum
that offered six bachelor’s degree programs in 33 areas and seven certificate programs. The
mission of HU was to offer a distinct, student-centered undergraduate education that integrates
the liberal arts with professional and applied fields. HU developed life-long learners enriched
and informed by career competencies and educational opportunities that addressed state,
regional, and international needs.
Population
The majority of students at HU live and are settled as long-term residents on Oʻahu. This
population helped the researcher understand how Native Hawaiian knowledge and practices were
perceived during their college careers in relationship to their sense of belonging to campus and
their concept of local identity, especially since students had the opportunity to learn about Native
Hawaiian knowledge and practices in their elementary and secondary schools.
In Fall 2017, HU’s total student population was 3,082 undergraduate students (UHWO,
2017). Of them, 527 were first-time students, 611 were transfer students, 51 were students
returning to the university, and 1,893 were continuing students (UHWO, 2017). Ethnically, 38%
of the student population was Asian and 29% was Hawaiian/part-Hawaiian. Geographically,
87% of the students were from Oʻahu, 10% were from the neighbor islands, and 2.7% were from
40
outside of Hawaiʻi (UHWO, 2017). Table 2 describes the ethnic and geographic breakdown of
the students who entered in Fall 2017.
Table 2
Ethnic Breakdown of HU’s Student Population: Fall 2017
Ethnic/ Racial Background Total Number % Distribution
African American or Black 65 2.1%
Amer. Indian or Alaskan Native 12 0.4%
Asian 1,179 37.6%
Chinese 44 1.4%
Filipino 671 21.8%
Japanese 164 5.3%
Mixed Asian 240 7.8%
Other Asian 60 1.9%
Caucasian 343 11.1%
Hawaiian/Part-Hawaiian 901 29.2%
Hispanic 45 1.5%
Mixed Race (2 or more) 463 15.0%
Other Pacific Islander 71 2.3%
Unknown 3 0.1%

Table 3
Geographic Breakdown of HU’s Student Population: Fall 2017
Geographic Origin Total Number % Distribution
Oʻahu 2,681 87.0%
East Honolulu 22 0.7%
Honolulu 345 11.2%
Leeward 2,165 70.2%
Windward 149 4.8%
Neighbor Islands 317 10.3%
Other than Hawaiʻi 84 2.7%

Sample
Purposive sampling was used in this study. Purposive, or purposeful sampling, was
appropriate because the researcher wanted to understand and gain insight; therefore, the sample
consisted of participants who provided information-rich data (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). To
ensure the sample was purposeful, selection criteria were established (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
41
A pre-screening survey was used to establish the specific criteria needed and ensure the
interviewees met them.
The survey asked for students’ demographic information, major, and a list of Native
Hawaiian activities and classes they participated in. At the end of the survey, students were
asked to participate in an interview or a focus group. Students who checked off five or more
items from the checklist, who were not enrolled as a Hawaiian Studies major, and who agreed to
participate in the interview qualified to be a participant in this study.
From the pre-screen survey, the final sample consisted of junior- and senior-year students
who started their education at HU, participated in curricular or co-curricular activities centered
around Native Hawaiian knowledge and practices, and considered themselves local to Oʻahu.
Although there was a good presence of students from the neighbor islands, many of them were
distance learners, meaning they resided on their home island and took online courses at HU.
They did not have the opportunity to participate in HU’s co-curricular activities due to their
location.
To assess how many participants were needed for the sample, the researcher looked at
enrollment data for students who started their college career at HU. From the 527 students who
were considered first-time students, approximately 300 were considered full-time. By their
second year, HU retained approximately 75% of first-time full-time students. Based on these
numbers, the goal for the researcher was to have 10%, or 23 students, participate in an interview
or focus group, but the researcher did not find that many volunteers. The sample consisted of 10
interview participants and four focus group participants.
Snowball sampling was used to increase participation. A snowball chain, or network
sampling, involved participants referring others who could potentially participate in the study
42
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Aligning with the Indigenous research paradigm, the researcher
engaged in the Hawaiian tradition of makana, or giving a token of appreciation for the student’s
wisdom and knowledge. Therefore, the researcher gave each participant a $5 Starbucks gift card.
Indigenous Methodology
In addition, the researcher used narrative inquiry and aspects of Indigenous
methodologies to honor and the reflect the appropriate respect with the stories told. The study
examined data and knowledge from an Indigenous research paradigm. A paradigm is a label for a
set of beliefs that guide a person’s actions (Wilson, 2008). A research paradigm is a set of beliefs
about the world and gained knowledge that guides one’s actions as to how one will conduct
research (Wilson, 2008).
In an Indigenous paradigm, knowledge is not owned by the researcher but is shared, and
the researcher acted as an interpreter of the knowledge (Wilson, 2008). Knowledge is also
relational and shared with all of its creation; therefore, it was high priority that, prior to
conducting this research, the researcher needed to know how to be accountable to all of her
relations, including the participants, the institution, the surrounding communities, and the
knowledge that was taught.
There are two key components to an Indigenous research paradigm: relationality and
relational accountability (Wilson, 2008). Reality occurs in the relationship one has with the truth,
and what is more important and meaningful is fulfilling a role and obligation in the research
relationship—that is, being accountable to your relations (Wilson, 2008). When deciding what
methods the researcher used to gather the data, the researcher bore in mind that the methods
helped build respectful relationships between researcher and participants, the relationships
created during this process formed a stronger relationship with the ideas shared, and the
43
researcher and the participants found the process reciprocal. In other words, as the researcher
was obtaining the data, what was the researcher giving back to those who shared?
Because storytelling is of high value in Indigenous communities and used as part of
teaching Indigenous knowledge and practices, the researcher also used narrative inquiry as a
method of research. Narrative is a way of understanding one’s own and others’ actions, or
organization of events, and objects into a meaningful whole, and connecting and seeing the
consequences of actions and events over time (Chase, 2005). Therefore, the participants may not
have understood it at the time that the events were happening, but the interviews and focus
groups allowed the participants to reflect on and make meaning of past experiences. The
participants were seen as narrators during the interviews and focus groups. To think of an
interview participant as a narrator was to make a conceptual shift away from the idea that
interviewees had answers to the researcher’s questions and toward the idea that interviewees
were narrators with stories to tell and voices of their own (Chase, 2005).
Instrumentation
The researcher used three instruments to help gather the data: storytelling, talking circles,
and artifacts. All three ways helped to build relationship and it allowed the research to be sincere
and an authentic investment in the community (Kovach, 2015). The researcher used storytelling
through semi-structured interviews. Interviewing is crucial when researchers do not observe
behavior, feelings, or how people interpret the world around them (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016, p.
108). It was also necessary if a researcher were interested in past events that could not have been
replicated, such as a classroom lesson (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Since the research questions
focused on students making meaning of their participation, participants were asked to reflect on
44
their participation regarding their identity and sense belonging. Therefore, interviews were the
most appropriate way of collecting those stories.
While interviews consisted of a dialogue between researcher and participant, much of the
dialogue consisted of questions and answers. Storytelling is a personal narrative that fits within
the Indigenous paradigm because, as one relates a personal narrative, one develops a relationship
with the story and with the participant (Kovach, 2010). Storytelling has a holistic nature that
evokes and embraces the spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental (Kovach, 2010). Therefore,
the researcher reframed the interview questions to question prompts that allowed the participants
to answer in a storytelling format.
Storytelling through artifacts is a powerful tool to help visualize the story through
personal items that represent participants’ experience with Indigenous knowledge and practices.
Artifacts were three-dimensional physical items that represented some form of communication
that was meaningful to the participants (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). While many of the artifacts
and documents were already presented in the research setting, the researcher considered using
researcher-generated artifacts. The key component to researcher-generated artifacts was that
these were items produced after the study began (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Artifacts that
participants created or used to express themselves were a valuable source or data in symbols as
well as words (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The researcher provided the opportunity for the
participants to express their experience in a physical form that was not be easily captured
through words.
In addition to storytelling through interviews and artifacts, the researcher conducted
talking circles, or focus groups. A focus group was an interview on a topic with a group of
people who had knowledge on the topic (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). What was unique about
45
conducting a focus group was that it was socially constructed. Participants shared their own
views, heard views from others, and possibly refined their own views in light of what they heard
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The focus groups allowed students to interact with each other and
share their stories to show similarities and differences in how they made sense of Native
Hawaiian knowledge and practices. These talking circles, through an Indigenous lens, were done
in a respectful manner where participants did not talk out of turn and everyone had a chance to
share their experiences. Ground rules were set by the researcher to ensure that respect was
upheld throughout the time shared together.
To ensure that all questions were appropriate, clear, and relevant, the researcher asked for
feedback from kūpuna, or elders, in the institution and surrounding community as well as field
tested the questions to some of the students.
Data Collection
Students who wished to participate in either an interview or focus group indicated their
interest on the pre-survey and by providing their contact information, they agreed to be recorded.
The survey stated that agreement prior to giving their contact information. Participants had the
opportunity to refuse to answer any question or end the interview or focus group at any time.
Participants remained anonymous and chose a pseudonym to maintain their anonymity. All
recorded and electronic materials were stored on the researcher’s personal password-protected
computer. Notes were kept in a file and locked in an office drawer. Only the researcher had
access to the files.
Data Collection of Interviews
Interviews were conducted in a quiet and private setting, such as a classroom or
conference room. The researcher asked participants who confirmed to bring an item (an artifact)
46
that represented what Native Hawaiian knowledge and practices meant to them, their current
status of sense of belonging, and their current identity. The researcher created a comfortable
environment by arranging the seats so that both the researcher and participant were sitting at
perpendicular points of the table. This was to show that there was no hierarchy or barriers
between the researcher and participant. The researcher provided light pupus, or snacks, that
helped start building the relationship and engage in conversation. The researcher took notes
during the interviews. Because the researcher also audio-recorded the interview, the researcher
focused on key points as well as observation of behavior and emotion. At the end of each
interview, the researcher presented the interviewee with a $5 Starbucks gift card as a makana, or
an appreciation for their time and sharing their stories and wisdom.
Data Collection of Focus Groups
Due to the larger size of the talking circles, or focus groups, the researcher reserved a
classroom based on the common availability of the focus group participants. The researcher
arranged the room where the tables were pushed to the side and a circle of chairs were in the
middle of the room. The researcher sat in the circle. This was to show that there was no hierarchy
or barriers between the participants and researcher. Again, the researcher provided light pupus
set on one of the tables for students to walk and freely take as they pleased. The researcher
audio-recorded the focus groups and took notes during it. The researcher focused on key points
as well as observation of behavior, emotion, and participants’ interactions with each other. At the
end of each focus group session, the researcher presented the participants with a $5 Starbucks
gift card as a makana.

47
Data Analysis
Data analysis is the process of making sense of the data collected to answer the research
questions (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The researcher interpreted the data in phases. The audio
files were transcribed professionally so that the researcher did not miss anything and read the
transcription of the interviews and focus groups. The first phase consisted of the researcher
becoming familiar with the data by listening to the recordings and reading the notes several times
while also writing down the researcher’s impressions. The researcher listened for content, tone,
pauses, and lessons behind their stories and matched their content and verbal cues with notes
taken from the researcher. During the listening and reading phase, the researcher wrote notes on
what she saw or heard in the data, and developed tentative ideas and categories and relationships
(Maxwell, 2013). The researcher created an empathy map where the data were listed in two
columns. One column listed what the participants said or did, and the second column listed what
the researcher analyzed: their thoughts and feelings.
After reviewing the data, the next phase consisted of categorizing and connecting them.
There was a distinction between categorizing and connecting strategies when analyzing the data.
Categorizing strategies, such as coding, used similarities and differences to define categories and
to group and compare data (Maxwell, 2013). Connecting strategies involved seeing actual
connections among data and looked at each source holistically (Maxwell, 2013). The researcher
used both strategies to look for themes as well as understand each narrative holistically.
The researcher examined and looked for unique insights in each story told. In addition,
the researcher looked for key themes that would provide insight into the research questions,
looked across the interviews and focus groups for key themes, and coded these by organizing the
data into categories.
48
Trustworthiness
In this study, the worthiness of this research is not measured via reliability nor validity.
Rather, these stem from an Indigenous methodology focused on reflexivity and trustworthiness
to authenticate the study and address the quality of the study. Reflexivity refers to circular
relationships between cause and effect and is bidirectional. Participants were contacted after the
data analysis phase to review the accuracy of their stories and insights. Member checking, or
respondent validation, was conducted after the interviews and focus groups. Triangulation was
also accomplished through the different instruments used to collect data: interviews, focus group,
and artifacts (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Member checking and triangulation were crucial in
removing the researcher’s bias and ensuring the accuracy of the data.
Role of Researcher
The researcher understood and abided by the three Rs of respect, reciprocity, and
relationality and let the 3 R’s guide the research (Wilson, 2008). The researcher also recognized
that her position as an academic advisor at the institution potentially caused participants to be
inhibited and unable to freely express opinions about their sense of belonging and identity. The
researcher also needed to avoid serving in an advisor role during the interviews and focus groups
while participants were telling their story. It was imperative that the story being told was genuine
and authentic. To lose control of knowledge (and knowledge production efforts as research) was
akin to having another tell one’s own story (Kovach, 2015). The researcher understood the
emotional process that she herself had gone through to understand this phenomenon and did not
let her emotions interfere with the interviews and focus group. As a settler to Hawaiʻi, the role of
the researcher was to give and honor voice to the participants and the kūpuna who had guided
49
this research in the construction of the pre-survey and increasing the researcher’s knowledge
about Native Hawaiian ways of knowing; therefore, the role of the researcher was a facilitator.
Conclusion
This chapter described the methodology used to examine how non-Native Hawaiian
students perceived their identity and sense of belonging through learning Native Hawaiian
knowledge and practices. Specifically, this chapter described the choice of conducting a
qualitative study, particularly through narrative inquiry and Indigenous methods, that accurately
captured the participants’ stories. This chapter also described the site, population, and sampling
methods. This chapter also discussed the data collection process and the types of data that were
collected. Finally, the chapter addressed the trustworthiness, reflexivity, and role of researcher in
this study. Chapter Four presents the data and findings from the interviews and focus group.

50
Chapter Four: Findings
Ma ka hana ka ‘ike
“In working one learns.”
ʻŌlelo Noʻeau, Number 2088 (Pukui, 1983)

The purpose of this study was to explore how Native Hawaiian knowledge influenced
students’ experience in higher education. While the diversity of students in higher education is
increasing and there is need for diversity courses, there is little research on the value of Native
Hawaiian knowledge and what it brings to a student’s sense of belonging and personal identity,
especially to those who do not identify as Indigenous to Hawaiʻi.
The ‘ōlelo noʻeau for Chapter Four summarizes the process of data collection. As the
researcher interviewed the participants and conducted the focus group, the researcher learned
about how Native Hawaiian knowledge, values, and practices influenced their college
experience. This chapter introduces the findings that emerged from interviews and focus groups
with students who were born and raised on Oʻahu and were attending HU.
An e-mail was sent to the university’s student body regarding the study, with an interest
form link attached. Out of the 2,700 students who were e-mailed, 126 students responded to the
survey. Of these, eight students were not eligible because they identified as Hawaiian/part
Hawaiian. Sixteen students provided contact information indicating they were willing to be
interviewed or participate in a focus group. After the researcher e-mailed that group, nine
responded, agreeing to participate. A second round of recruitment yielded more volunteers, and
ultimately 10 students were individually interviewed and four students participated in a focus
group.
51
Participant Profiles
Below is a table of the demographics of the participants by age, ethnic background, sex,
major, number of activities and classes each participant engaged in at the university as well as
how they participated in the study.
Table 4
Interview and Focus Group Participant Demographics
Pseudonym Age Ethnic Background Sex Major # of
activities/classes
Participation
Taylor 19 Southeast Asian:
Cambodian,
Laotian, Thai,
Vietnamese
M Public
Administration –
Community Health
4 Interview
Sina 22 Filipino, Pacific
Islander: Fijian,
Micronesia,
Samoan, Tahitian,
Tongan, Southeast
Asian: Cambodian,
Laotian, Thai,
Vietnamese,
Caucasian
F Social Sciences -
Psychology
10 Interview
Sarah 22 Filipino

F Social Sciences -
Psychology
9 Interview
Sammy 23 Filipino F Social Science –
Psychology
7 Interview
Nancy 45 Asian: Chinese,
Korean, Japanese,
Filipino
F Social Sciences -
Psychology
7 Interview
Alex 19 Asian: Chinese,
Korean, Japanese,
Pacific Islander:
Fijian, Micronesia,
Samoan, Tahitian,
Tongan, Caucasian
F Natural Sciences 6 Interview
Courtney 20 American Indian or
Alaskan Native,
Asian: Chinese,
Korean, Japanese,
Filipino, Hispanic:
Puerto Rican, other
Hispanic,
Caucasian
F Applied Science:
Sustainable
Community Food
Systems; Social
Sciences –
Political Science
2 Interview

52
Pseudonym Age Ethnic Background Sex Major # of
activities/classes
Participation
Bob 21 Caucasian

M Applied Science:
Sustainable
Community Food
Systems
7 Interview
Jerome 50 African, African
American

M Creative Media 3 Interview
Ellie 20 Asian: Chinese,
Korean, Japanese,
Filipino
F Humanities –
History
3 Focus
Group
Bonnie 20 African American,
Asian: Chinese,
Korean, Japanese,
Filipino
F Business
Administration -
Marketing
3 Focus
Group
Joyan 20 Asian: Chinese,
Korean, Japanese,
Filipino
F Secondary
Education:
Mathematics
3 Focus
Group
Jackson 20 African, African
American

M Business
Administration
3 Focus
Group
Jessica 22 Caucasian F Nursing 6 Interview

The interview and focus group questions asked participants to reflect on their experiences
as they took part in classes, programs, and activities centered around Hawaiian values and
practices. Two themes emerged, commonly defining and centering Native Hawaiian values
related to connection, land, community, and responsibility. Although the interviews and focus
groups focused on the impact of Native Hawaiian values and practices on the participant’s
identity and sense of belonging, other senses, such as sense of self and sense of place also arose
from their reflections. In addition to sense of belonging and sense of identity, participants also
talked about sense of place, sense of responsibility, and sense of self.
Findings
Two findings emerged from the data. One finding was connection and relationships
(pilina). Because Native Hawaiians, like many Indigenous cultures, value interconnectedness and
connection, all relationships that are developed and deepened are connected and reciprocated.
53
The second finding was related to sense of responsibility. In addition to pilina, sense of
responsibility contributed to the development of a student’s overall perception of social cohesion
or sense of community.
Finding 1: Connections, Relationships (Pilina)
The first finding related to the concept of connection and relationships, or pilina. For
Native Hawaiians, pilina is the innate connection they have to the world around them (Wela
Wāhilani, personal communication, July 31, 2020). Developing a deep connection to either
people or place gives one a sense of belonging to the surrounding world (Wela Wāhilani,
personal communication, July 31, 2020). At the core of the word is “pili,” which means bound to
and bound from (Dr. Walter Kahumoku III, personal communication, August 18, 2020).
Therefore, as the participants developed a relationship and connection to people and place, the
connection deepened, evolved and was reciprocated, which led to a greater sense of belonging
with these connections.
In addition, two types of pilina emerged from the interviews and focus group in
relationship to defining and learning Native Hawaiian values and practices. These values were
learned in both curricular and co-curricular settings. These sub-themes were connection to land
(mālama ʻāina) and connection to community and family (ʻohana). These areas helped the
students understand and appreciate more about Native Hawaiian values and practices as well
affirm their purpose in higher education.
One interview participant stated she viewed learning Hawaiian values and practices as
“holistic because everything is connected, and that is how you think about everything through
this lens.” Therefore, in each of the sub-themes, participants expanded on the theme and
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discussed it in relationship to connection and how reciprocity benefitted all things: land, people,
and knowledge.
Three students discussed connection with self and others. Taylor discussed how it can
influence a sense of identity. She said,
By passing on the stories and the origins of the people. I feel like it is to instill a sense of
identity – learning how you came to be, how did they make their laws, how the first
people arrived, etc.
Sarah said,
It talks about bringing in the person as they are, what they’ve been, and, especially in
higher education, that would work because here you get a culmination of students that are
not clear cut. This helps to build the bridge or gap to understanding all these different,
you know, diverse people. Knowing this [Native Hawaiian ways of knowing] as a body
of knowledge will help us better understand different groups of people.
Alex confirmed and said, “It allows to develop deeper relationships with people you would not
normally develop with.” In particular to this institution, Alex also added, “The environment that
is set up here, you know, rooted in Native Hawaiian values and practices has definitely given you
more connection, and built purpose.”
About learning and practicing this value in higher education, the participants saw how
developing pilina gave them a richer outlook on life and on their experiences. In addition, they
saw how it benefitted their growth because they developed deeper relationships with the people
and land around them, thus solidifying their purpose of attending college and contributing to
their community.
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Land/Mālama ʻĀina. The Kumulipo is a story of the creation of the Hawaiian world and
tells how humans and land are connected (Wela Wāhilani III, personal communication, July 31,
2020). While some cultures may view land as a commodity, Native Hawaiians view land as an
extension of their family. One of the integral components of Indigenous knowledge and practices
is developing a deep and connected relationship to land. Through this lens, land and people are
interconnected and interdependent because both living things need each other to be nourished
and cared for. Of the 14 participants, six connected their idea of Hawaiian values, practices, and
ways of knowing to the land and to relationships. Jackson, a focus group participant, stated,
Being part of the land and learning as much as you can from the land and just having an
overall appreciation for what the land can provide for us. And that, in turn, created a
different type of knowledge beyond what’s in a textbook.
Alex continued,
Being connected to the land. I think that helped me to like realize the world. Like
everyone’s connected in some way and carry, you have to respect for like not only people
but like the land you live on earth.
Six students discussed mālama ʻāina, which also means taking care of the land. Alex
reported, “Everything’s connected in some way and you have to respect for like not only people,
but that land you live on the earth.” Bob added that “mālama ʻāina also meant that you only take
what you need” and Nancy stated that “mālama ʻāina is also about being self-sufficient and self-
reliance.” Courtney and Jerome were very specific about aspects of ʻāīna: the ahupuaʻa and
water. Courtney, who is currently a sustainable community food systems major, talked about the
ahupuaʻa mindset: “you must take everything into account – how what you do in the mountains
influence.” Jerome added, “You must respect the waters because water is a way of life. Water
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does not separate islands, it unites them. By respecting for the land and respecting for the water
also means you are understanding their culture.”
Three participants also discussed connection as part of the definition, specifically
connection to place and people. Nancy said, “If no one takes care of the land, like for me, from
my knowing is that Hawaiians are really, um, big on self-sufficiency. It’s like stopping things
from growing, but it’s also preventing you from receiving things that may help you to grow.”
Nancy’s statement reinforced the idea that the connection between land and people is reciprocal.
For the land to nourish the people and sustain the people’s health, people must also nourish and
take care of the land.
The participants developed an appreciation and value for land that they may not have had
in prior experiences. This was probably the largest mindset change because land, especially
viewed through a Western lens, is a commodity. Viewing land as connected to them allowed the
participants to respect and take care of a land that provides for them. A relationship between land
and people is reciprocal; therefore, both parties must take care of each other so that both parties
can grow and flourish. By deepening their understanding about the value of land as an extension
of their family, participants felt they deepened their relationship and connection to the land.
Community/ʻOhana. The Kumulipo also showed and demonstrated how everything in
the Hawaiian world is family, which includes land and people (Wela Wāhilani, personal
communication, July 31, 2020). While ‘ohana means family, family can extend beyond blood
relatives. The connections and relationships built between people foster a deeper sense of
community and family due to a collectivist nature. Seven students reported ʻohana as one of the
values they learned in college. They connected the idea of ʻohana with community and family.
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Sammy stated she really sensed the community and friendliness on campus. Participants
discussed that ʻohana means family and talked about the importance of community and family.
Alex stated, “your family’s like always your core and like it is somebody you can fall back onto
and some who will support you no matter what.” Nancy also reported the concept of hanai, or
foster, as part of the ʻohana and that, although people might not be blood related, there is still a
sense of family.
The participants discussed ʻohana as a larger sense of community. Because many
assumptions about a college degree pertain to obtaining a career, students talked about how
learning Native Hawaiian practices and values helped them prepare for being in the community.
Nancy discussed, “You’re going to deal with people. You’re gonna deal with a lot of things
outside than just what you got to do for your job.” Jessica added,
I think that helps people as they progress. They’re going to be working out in these
communities. So, they should know culture, values, or whatever. Because, if you can
work with anyone from here and especially with local communities, you got to know a
little bit about that [culture].
Nancy also added, “I think we do this in education because what the people produce will be able
to make a difference in the community.” In relationship to the community, two students also
reported the value of kōkua, or helping. Nancy understood kōkua as “it does not matter if you are
blood family – you are still helping.” Jessica added, “Everyone would just jump in and you find
a place where you can help.”
In learning about the value of ‘ohana through the Native Hawaiian lens, the participants
expanded their definition of family to include their community. In addition, their definition
extended beyond family and community to also supporting both. Although Tinto’s theory
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discussed social integration and separation, the participants felt reaffirmed in the notion of family
and community as welcomed at the university and extended to faculty, staff, and other students.
It is these connections and the relationships fostered in their college experience that allowed
them to think about the communities they may serve after graduation.
In addition to learning and practicing Hawaiian values, participants discussed how their
knowledge increased their sense of belonging, which is an aspect of pilina. This section discusses
how learning Hawaiian values influenced the participants’ senses. In both interviews and the
focus group, participants discussed sense of belonging, sense of identity, sense of place and
sense of self.
Sense of belonging. Sense of belonging is a student’s overall perception of social
cohesion or sense of community at their university (Museus, 2014; Museus & Maramba, 2011;
Museus et al., 2017; Museus, Yi, & Saelua, 2017b). Strayhorn addressed sense of belonging as
an experience of mattering and feeling cared about as well as an effort to maintain that feeling
throughout one’s college career (Pak, 2018; Samura, 2016). Previous research showed that
integrating Indigenous knowledge and practices created a sense of belonging because students
felt their identities and histories were valued (Mayeda et al., 2014) and they felt a sense of
belonging to each other as they built relationships (Anuik & Gillies, 2012).
Part of the research question asked how learning Hawaiian knowledge and practices that
influence a non-Native Hawaiian students’ sense of belonging in college. Participants were asked
to define sense of belonging first and then to describe that feeling. Two students discussed how
sense of belonging related to feeling respected and valued. Sarah reported,
With sense of belonging, you feel respected, valued, and understood in a group or a
setting. It’s like having people understand you but also value your time, you know, like it
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doesn’t feel like it’s just going through the motions. It feels authentic and genuine when
people value you and your time and want to see you succeed.
Similarly, Nancy also talked about thriving as a component of sense of belonging. Nancy added,
“It’s more like fitting in and thriving and feeling like I belong here, figuring out why I belong
here and the importance of my belonging to this university.” Bob added, “It is about feeling
welcome and comfortable.” Sammy also agreed, but added a component of safety: when people
feel safe, they also feel a sense of belonging.
However, some aspects of their personal identity interfered with their sense of belonging.
Bob said, “Growing up being called haole, like, there’s definitely times where you’re like, you
know, don’t think I belonged.”
Two other students discussed how sense of belonging related to the community and
family. Sarah said, “Sense of belonging ties into like the community of like family orientation.”
Sina added another component of spiritual connection and connecting to land as part of sense of
belonging. Sina discussed,
When you say sense of belonging, you’re not just trying to connect to people, but you’re
connected to the places now. So when we go on those huakaʻi or Pili ʻāina, and then we
chant, you go to each place and it’s always connected back to an oli - you find a sense of
self because you already have the oli within you and you go to those places and you
express your gratitude to the land.
Some of the students also discussed the im of belonging. Sarah said, “Whereas if you feel
like you belong or have people that understand, then you know, you kind of want to be here, you
know of want to come back.” She also added, “With sense of belonging, they have a better sense
of who they are. They have a better sense of place they’re in.”
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Influences on sense of belonging. When asked if they felt a sense of belonging at the
university, all 14 students confirmed they did. They were asked to explain and discuss what
shaped their sense of belonging. Four students reported they felt comfortable because of the
environment and the people. Alex further explained, “I am able to be more comfortable and they
just share more about like my life and experiences. Like, even right now, like just talking, it’s
like I feel very open and vulnerable, in a good way.” Nancy also added that she did not feel
ashamed to ask for help. Courtney added and observed,
In other institutions, there was a perception of “I’m done with my family. That’s why I’m
here not, you know, that type of attitude. Whereas here, everyone wants to support their
family. Many of the people here (staff, faculty, and students) have that shared value.”
However, sense of belonging is reciprocal. Nancy said, “You have to be willing to allow people
to make you feel like you belong. You have to be open to receive it.”
Sense of identity. Another sense that emerged from the findings was that of a student’s
identity in college. In previous research, ethnic, cultural, and racial identity were used
interchangeably (Harris & Smith, 2017) while other research used those terms differently (Rosa,
2000; Savage, 2005). Based on the interviews and focus group, many of the students used ethnic
and cultural identity interchangeably. Answers and non-verbal body language quickly changed
when the topic of identity came up. Five students reported that learning Native Hawaiian values
and practices allowed them to embrace their own cultural identity more and/or see many
similarities between their own culture and Native Hawaiian culture. Sarah said,
I see a lot of similarities like learning in one of my classes how similar our languages are.
When I grew up, my grandpa was a fisherman, and he never overfished. It was also
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communal or it was always paying back to the ocean. There are communal aspects of
both cultures.
Alex also talked about her Samoan culture. She said, “It’s made me feel more connected to, uh,
cause Samoan values. They’re not too different from Hawaiian values.” After learning about
Native Hawaiian values and practices, Courtney reported, “I’ve always been interested in my
cultural identity because knowing who you are, it gives you more of a sense of who you are and
appreciation for how you got here.” Sina also added, “I’m embracing my culture more. I think it
made me realize that I should start being grateful for my own culture. It’s unique.” Sarah also
discussed, “Listening to Aunty Pua and participating in Pili ‘āina was the first time I wanted to
know about my own history and my own ancestors. It encourages me to go learn and also my
identity as a mother.”
Research related to intercultural knowledge or sensitivity (Turniansky et al., 2009) or the
bicultural self whereby individuals experience and celebrate their own culture as well as another
culture (Dey et al., 2017) is also relevant in this study. In Hawaiʻi, people can celebrate and
identify themselves as part of one ethnic group and celebrate and appreciate many other cultures
and values. Two students talked about the influence of their local identity. Courtney discussed,
“My family has been here for a few generations now and we take the Hawaiian values to heart.
We always appreciated the host culture in a sense. It gave an additional sense of being local.”
She further explained, “Local culture is more than diversity, but the Native Hawaiian culture is
the basis for that and that acceptance for all of the different people, cultures, and beliefs.” Taylor
added, “I see my identity as I am someone from Hawaiʻi and I want to be a community
contributor. I feel more connection to my local identity than my own culture.”
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On the other hand, eight students felt shame about not knowing their cultural identity.
Sammy said, “I guess I am Filipino, but I don’t feel Filipino. Growing up here, I don’t eat
Filipino. I’m kind of Hawaiian, but then going to be like not belonging as Hawaiian.” She added,
I do not want to know more about your Filipino side. I didn’t grow up like Filipino, but I
feel like there’s more to learn in like Hawaiian values for some reason.” Nancy added, “I
think I was more shame because, you know, it’s just if you wasn’t like Hawaiian or
certain, you know. I guess, for me, it was like it’s shame if you don’t know your culture,
your tradition. I know that I need to know more and that’s just gonna be me taking an
active role in initiating it. It was a shame, combination of shame because I’m Filipino at
one point, but now I’m ashamed because I don’t know my culture.
Jessica, who identifies as White, said,
I feel like it makes me different in other people’s eyes when they think about like,
because I’m White and I’m not Hawaiian, but I don’t know everything, but I know some
stuff. I’ve never been around so many White people in my life, which is crazy cause like
I don’t feel like I’m one of them.
She also added, “It made me realize that it’s kind of shitty that I can’t think of a cultural thing
but bits and pieces. I really wish I could go to France with my dad and meet all of his family.”
Taylor also added,
I feel like my cultural/ethnic culture and the Hawaiian culture can be conflicting. I don’t
want to say it’s selfish cause I understand because (my home country) is a third world
country. Blood is more important like opposed to helping someone like a neighbor – you
would rather help your sister or brother. It’s how people define family.
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Lastly, some students generally discussed the overall impact of Native Hawaiian culture
and values on identity. Alex said,
Knowing who you are first before you can try to help other people find themselves and
life, cause if like you don’t know who you are, then you’ll lose yourself along the way
and I feel like I am developing it here.
Nancy added
It adds a sense of pride. What could I have done or what can I do now to carry that
tradition on so that my kids understand why certain things are said. I don’t really know
my own traditions or my culture because it’s like I’ve taken on another identity’s culture.
Or like I’m latching on to another culture because I really don’t know my personal
culture.
Ellie, a focus group participant, added,
Learning about Hawaiian culture, it’s a sense of identity that is welcoming and take you
in as long as there is respect to it. It does not matter what your ethnic background is,
learning this is what unites you because you are part of this culture.
Sense of place. Although the research question focused on two aspects of a student’s
experience, three additional themes were sense of place, sense of responsibility, and sense of
self. Land is intertwined with Native Hawaiian culture, values, and practices; therefore, as these
participants deepened their understanding about land, they connected to Hawaiʻi as home. Four
students brought up sense of place also as belonging. Sarah noticed that “sense of place centers
you. You almost have a sense of now you know where you belong.” Alex also reported, “Even
though I am not Native Hawaiian, I still consider Makaha to be like my home. It is like finding
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my grounding and like somewhere to always fall back on.” Taylor specifically recollected about
being in the loʻi, or taro patch. He said,
Being in the loʻi is relaxing and calming. It gives you a sense of place. Honestly, I think
it’s because when you’re there and then learning about some of the moʻolelo (story) –
you feel spiritual. I guess when you learn as you work, it makes it a different experience
and it makes it more meaningful to you.
Sense of self. While sense of identity can be looked at from a societal and cultural lens,
sense of self is learning more about one’s personal view of who one is in regards to self-esteem,
insecurities, strengths, and purpose. Sammy discussed,
I guess, like the Hawaiian classes, you know of learned more about yourself. Learning
about the people and how they did and stuff and I don’t know how that relates, but yeah,
like, at the end, you kind of have the appreciation thing.
Alex added,
You have to find your purpose. So, I feel like, when you have all this background and this
support from other people and from your school and like you, you know yourself, you
know your, where you come from, your home, it gives you a purpose to do something
with your education, you know, like to make a difference if you know where you’re
coming from.
Nancy also talked about purpose and added, “You also have to have that sense of purpose to be
able to know that you want to help people as well.” The influence of Native Hawaiian values and
practices on sense of self is establishing and building community. Alex discussed, “If you take
the time for us to invest in yourself and become an independent person and like, like that’s the
way you can help other people do the same.”
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Other students have learned to be more welcoming and open-minded. Taylor said, “I just
feel like I wouldn’t be who I am if I didn’t learn about them, you know? I was able to become a
more open person. You know, someone who’s always willing to help.” Bonnie, a focus group
participant, also recognized the change in herself and said, “It has taught me to be more open-
minded and more accepting of people’s different backgrounds.”
Theme 2: Sense of Responsibility and Sense of Purpose
Pilina is a core value for many Native Hawaiians because it establishes one’s kuleana, or
responsibility, to self, land, and others (Wela Wāhilani, personal communication, July 31, 2020).
The second finding that arose from the talking circle and talk-story sessions was a result of
participants’ deepened connection to others and place and it was developing a stronger sense of
purpose. Engaging with knowledge, or ‘ike, from a Native Hawaiian lens gave the participants a
deeper understanding of the colonization and oppression that is a current issue for Native
Hawaiians. Their understanding combined with their connection to people and place encouraged
the participants to re-think their purpose in college and their own kuleana to their connections.
Knowledge/‘Ike. Because many Indigenous communities, including Native Hawaiian
ones, share a history of colonization and racialization, one of the goals of integrating Indigenous
knowledge in an educational setting is to decolonize education (Anuik & Gillies, 2012; Mayeda
et al., 2014). The participants developed a deeper connection to what they learned in the context
of the continued oppression and colonization of Native Hawaiian people and land. Six students
reported that learning the history was an important component to learning Hawaiian values and
practices. In addition, all six students primarily learned history through an academic content
class. Sarah commented, “..To learn the history of a place really allowed me to respect where we
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sit, you know, for the school at least to understand like all the Hawaiian mythology, that place
here and things like that.”
Two students specifically talked about the colonization process and the tragedies they
learned about Native Hawaiians and the land. Bob reported, “You don’t even realize how
destructive some of that stuff was.” Jerome added,
It’s what is being taught. Being taught about Hawaiian history on the mainland is totally
different than the history is being taught here. I felt I’ve been lied to all these years. We
take our American culture with us everywhere we go and we don’t respect the places that
we go and we just become the ugly American. You seek the truth behind it.
Because the majority of the students also learned Hawaiian history in their primary and
secondary years, five students wished they had learned about the actual Hawaiian history earlier.
Bonnie and Joyan, focus group participants, were shocked to find out some of the tragedies and
Ellie, a focus group participant, added, “It seemed more realistic. In college, they taught it as like
it happened and still people are suffering from it.”
Two students discussed how learning Hawaiian history affected their learning. Sarah
said, “Learning this allows them to internalize these values rather than just learn it as a content
piece.” Alex added, “In academics, you learn knowledge, but then also in behavior, that’s
native... and it’s parallel to your academic and your personal life.” Jermone said, “The professor
taught us about agency. She taught us that you don’t have to be Hawaiian to respect the lens like
a Native Hawaiian.” Courtney further added, “Being interested in my major was enhanced here
even more because I learned more of the history and more of the Native Hawaiian values that I
had not learned through my life that I learn here now.”
Sarah discussed the purpose as helping to rewrite history. She said,
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We are rewriting history in a sense. A lot of our institutions are not made for these
particular people. And to bring Native Hawaiian knowing or Native Hawaiian education
back into our system is kind of like giving them that respect or giving back to the history
and really providing services to the people that we should have been providing services
for from the very beginning.
She added, “It will provide us with different ways of approaching teaching situations and tie in
the values of what we’ve learned and see if that works for the student.”
Participants discussed both the purpose and the importance of integrating this critical
knowledge into college settings. Bob said, “I think it’s important because, particularly here on
the island is we’re in this space, in their space and that needs to be taken into consideration.”
Sarah added, “It is important because, when they get here or when we begin to help them, they
need someone to understand them because, without someone understanding, you have no
advocate.”
Knowing Hawaiian history helped reinforce the values and practices of relationship to
land and community. By putting what happened and what is currently happening into context,
participants emphasized the importance of values such as mālama ‘āina and ‘ohana as part of
their college education. They saw that, by internalizing and practicing these values for
themselves, they upheld the host culture and took part in rewriting history by giving life to these
values.
Sense of responsibility. Developing a sense of responsibility resonated with six students
as their outcomes from learning Native Hawaiian values and practices. Three of the students
discussed how they would like to take a more active role in being an ally. Sarah said,
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I want to fix things because I think it relates to that because you hear about all the
struggles that they have always been going through. And it’s like if I’m educated, I have
a voice and I can help these people.
Nancy also discussed,
Just hearing it from, you know, taking courses here. And I think learning what happened
in the past and then learning from that, not wanting to repeat that same mistake and trying
to fix it, you know, because, at one point, Hawaiian language was almost lost.
Jessica concluded, “If people don’t get to see it, that it’s still happening, then it’s going to get
lost. I think people need to be more aware of that and where you are from.” Bob specifically
talked about being an ally to Native Hawaiians and said,
Even though I personally haven’t necessarily done anything in the best way that I can and
to the best extent, I feel [it] is right to help advocate for whatever ways to help the Native
Hawaiians get their land back, restore their kingdom to whatever I can to whatever little
thing it can be.
Five of the students said that, because they were born, raised, and residing in Hawaiʻi,
they also inherited a sense of responsibility. Sammy discussed, “For me, I think, if you live in
Hawaiʻi, you have to know the values. Like it’s a kind of like a responsibility, I guess. It’s your
responsibility to teach those visitors.” She added, “It’s just like taking that knowledge and then
enforcing it or using it in your everyday life. And it helped me, so I have to help others.” Nancy
recognized,
I guess because this is my roots and I felt like I want to be able to help others see what I
experienced. Because they’re the ones [next generations], you know, after everything is
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said and done. When we pass on, if we don’t pass that same values onto them, the
traditions and values are going to die.
Courtney emphasized,
We still need to learn more, especially since it’s the host culture and where we live at
should be ingrained in us. Our problems that are in our world - we should take what our
ancestors had done in their past and integrated it into our lives. It might not be useful
maybe in your major, but you could use those values in your life.
Taylor added, “I’ve always felt like because this community treated me so well because of the
people here are always trying to help each other out, there is something in me that wants to give
back.” Lastly, he stated, “You represent the host culture.”
Artifacts
Participants were asked to bring in an artifact to the interview or focus group that helped
to visualize the impact Native Hawaiian values and practices had on their college experience.
Out of the 14 participants, eight students chose a natural element or a Native Hawaiian item that
represented their connection to people and land.
The significance of their artifacts justified the importance of the values they were taught
regarding pilina, connections to mālama ‘āina, and ʻohana. For example, Sammy chose a lomi
lomi stick and stated,
I chose it because it relates to the land. We went through the process of cutting down the
tree and then it’s unique because you get to pick your tree, so each of the students got to
pick one. And that kind of like created a relationship with that stick. And some people
actually had stories about that stick cause like they let their grandpa borrow it. So, that
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helped another person with their help. It is a tangible thing that I have that represents
Hawaiian values: helping others and education.
Three students used their artifact to visualize how Native Hawaiian values and practices
deepened their connection, their growth, and purpose. Sarah chose water and stated
Water, you think of like purity, you think of simplicity, but then to look at it in Native
Hawaiian ways of knowing it’s wealth, it’s your history. Because these values and Native
Hawaiian ways of knowing has been there, you know just like our water has been there.
Um, and really respecting that and just transitioning it and bringing it back to the present.
It gives you a deeper sense of meaning – picking what you have, taking what you have,
and really like deepening it.
Bob brought a shovel and said,
You can always dig deeper to find out more about yourself, about anything. And, um, it’s
all about making sure that the soil is good and that can either be you know, making sure
your communities good and you may need some tools or outside resources to do so. But
ultimately figuring out how to make that good.
Jessica brought a plant and stated, “It represents growth and how I have grown out of my shell
through learning Hawaiian values and culture.”
Two students related their artifact to community and support. Nancy brought a picture of
a hale and stated,
It is a place of gathering... It is where families come together. The roof would be the
family’s or your protector’s or your shelter. It is a place of learning and a place to center
yourself. It represents a sense of love, acceptance, belonging.
Taylor chose a lei and reported,
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It symbolizes that you’ve made your end goal and you always see it at graduations. It
embodies the hard work you went through and the people that were there to support you.
It is a reminder of all the people that supported you and your journey and how long it
took.
One student reflected on how their artifact related to culture. Sina brought a shell and
reported, “We use it for dancing and other cultural practices in Samoa and Tonga. As I learn
more about Native Hawaiian practices, I am learning to embrace my culture more.” In addition,
Courtney brought a picture of her ipu and stated, “It’s always been in my house. Like Native
Hawaiian values, it’s always been a part of my life.”
The different artifacts ranged from natural elements to artifacts they found at home, but
all reinforced the values that were reported in the interviews and focus groups, such as
connection, mālama ‘āina, and ʻohana. These artifacts demonstrated physically what Native
Hawaiian values and practices symbolized for the participants and how it has fostered a deeper
connection with the land, their family, and themselves.
Summary
Overall, all 14 students valued what they learned regarding Native Hawaiian values and
practices. These helped them to deepen their experiences and their purpose. Alex said, “It’s the
same value at the end of the day, but it’s like all the experiences that come along with it, give it
meaning and purpose.” While they enjoyed learning the content, gained a sense of pride, and
enhanced their college journey, two students questioned themselves regarding perpetuating the
Hawaiian culture. Sarah asked, “Am I appropriating it?” She added, “I enjoy doing the Hawaiian
cultural thing, but I don’t often feel educated enough to pass it down.” One student, although
hesitant, also stated, “Even if I’m going to do it wrong, I’m going to try. I learned through being
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here and what my advisors have taught me is that you want to show that you’re trying and show
that you are putting in the effort.” She saw how this has impacted her future career as a nurse.
Jessica continued,
If I didn’t know these things, I was going to end up being a totally different nurse. I am
going to take these things that I’ve learned like about being a team player and about
everybody get things done together and like you don’t sit down when somebody else is
doing something because they need help, which is all things I think are Native Hawaiian
values and I learned it here.
After reflecting on their experiences, two students felt differently about their college
journey. Ellie, a focus group participant, said,
I personally didn’t feel the importance until I got more involved with it in college. I
realized that there’s more to college than just getting your degree that you can make so
much more connections. And, so, implementing the Hawaiian culture, it’s not just
yourself that you need to help, it is everyone around you like your environment, your
family and friends.
Bonnie, focus group participant, also reported,
I had a selfish mindset where I was just going to go where I can get my degree and make
money for my future. I’m only affecting like my personal life, but, recently, I’ve been
thinking about how I can use my education and my career path to help inspire others or
make my community better wherever that is in the future. So not only for myself, but also
using it as a way to like help other people.
Similar to Ellie and Bonnie, six students felt encouraged to continue learning about
Native Hawaiian culture and values. Jackson, a focus group participant, stated, “I kind of felt like
73
I was able to be more a part of the culture so that way I can understand it better. So I kind of
maybe have like a better appreciation for the cultures.” Joyan, focus group participant, said, “I
guess even though I’m not Native Hawaiian, I still feel connected with their culture, and I’ve
learned how to respect them and like back them up.” Joyan added,
It’s acceptance from something that’s different to you, like a different culture. But, here,
it’s like they encourage you to learn and they’re willing to teach you more about the
background and the traditions because they want that knowledge to keep going. There is
a welcoming opportunity for growth.
Lastly, two students confirmed their desire to help with the community. Courtney said,
I think I definitely want to stay here.” Taylor also reported, “There is a sense of wanting
to support each other and that makes me want to push on and follow my dreams, and,
even more so, it’s like stay here and help my community.
All of the students found Native Hawaiian knowledge and practices had a positive impact and
influence on their identity, sense of belonging, and college journey.
Conclusion
This chapter discussed several findings that emerged from interviews and the focus
group. The participants discussed important findings, such as connection to people and
land/ocean, sense of belonging, sense of identity, and sense of responsibility. The participants
pointed out very specific values that helped them deepen their understanding of the five senses:
sense of identity, sense of place, sense of self, sense of belonging, and sense of responsibility.
These values of pilina, mālama ʻāina, and ʻohana allowed them to see Hawaiian values and
practices as cultural wealth that enhanced their college experience.
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Chapter Five focuses on how the data relates to the theoretical framework and to the
emergent themes identified in this chapter. Chapter Five also answers the study’s research
questions while connecting findings to prior research. It also discusses implications for future
practice at HU. Future research regarding Hawaiian values and practices on non-Native
Hawaiian students are also discussed.

75
Chapter Five: Discussion and Recommendations
Hoʻokahi wale nō lā he malihini
“For only a day, you are a visitor”
ʻŌlelo Noʻeau, Number 1914 (Pukui, 1983)

Higher education is experiencing an increase in student diversity. Nonetheless, they still
face the challenge of increasing the persistence and retention of students who have been
historically marginalized and minoritized. While much research focused on the student’s
responsibility to narrow achievement gaps, this study focused on how the institution’s
responsibility to foster an inclusive and engaging environment for all students. Through a
strengths-based lens, students saw their own value and worth reflected in their institution. The
study examined how learning Hawaiian knowledge and practices influenced non-Native
Hawaiian students. identity and sense of belonging in college.
The ʻōlelo noʻeau for Chapter Five parallels the belief that one is only a visitor to a place
for a day. Once the day ends, it is expected that one learned enough so that, in the days after, one
knows how to contribute (Wāhilani, Wela, personal communication, August 3, 2020). This visit
is not necessarily limited to physical place but can also include knowledge. Given the findings of
this study, the recommendations for practice and future research allow the researcher and others
to move beyond visitor status to become contributors.
Discussion of Findings
This section revisits the research questions and the theoretical framework by discussing
the findings in relationship to the themes identified in the data. This dissertation study examined
the following research questions:
76
• How do non-Native Hawaiians engage in Hawaiian cultural practices in university co-
curricular settings?
• How does it affect or influence their sense of belonging and identity?
The results showed that the participants engaged with the two findings, pilina and kuleana, that
fostered the development of a student’s sense of belonging and identity. Specifically, the three
Hawaiian values that students engaged in were pilina, mālama ʻāina, and ʻohana. Figure 1
provides a visual representation of how the student is placed in learning environments that value
and demonstrate cultural wealth. Therefore, the student adds to the environment’s cultural
wealth. In this study, students engaged with Hawaiian values, knowledge and practices and that
engagement increased their understanding of Native Hawaiian ways of knowing, which fosters a
sense of belonging and local identity.
Hawaiian Knowledge & Practices: Pilina, Mālama ‘Āina, ʻOhana, ‘Ike
Integrating Native Hawaiian values and practices in higher education reflects the values
of interconnectedness among mind, body, and spirit. For Indigenous peoples, the Indigenous
ways of knowing, being, and doing in education allow the learning to be transformational and
holistic (Windchief & Joseph, 2015). Specifically, Hawaiian epistemology, which is a distinct
strand of Indigenous knowledge and practices, adds that knowledge is not solely about content
but is linked to emotions, identity, and relationships to self, others, and the environment. Seven
categories that sum up Hawaiian epistemology: spirituality and knowing, geography and
knowledge, cultural nature of the senses, relationship and knowledge, utility and knowledge,
words and knowledge, and the body/mind question (Aluli-Meyer, 1998, 2014). Based on the
findings, students found relationship and knowledge to be heavily influential in fostering their
sense of belonging and identity.
77
Two key themes emerged that the participants engaged with and internalized. The first
was pilina, which included mālama ʻāina, ʻohana, and ‘ike. Students engaged with ‘ike in the
context of learning about the continued oppression of the host culture. JD reported,
It turns out that some of the things that I was taught growing up, they’re not true. So, I
had to learn through those experiences that everything that you see is not true. You have
to seek the truth behind it.
The second theme was sense of belonging. While the participants engaged in other practices,
such as oli and participating in the loʻi, it was these values and the historical oppression that
continued to emerge. In addition, it was these values that also influenced the participant’s
identity and sense of belonging.
Cultural Wealth
Some factors were found to influence participants’ experience and helped them engage
with these values. Similar to Nancy’s comment regarding sense of belonging, the reason for the
positive results they saw was reciprocal. The environment set up to allow students to feel
welcome and to learn about Native Hawaiian values and practices, and the students were open to
learning the content. This growth may have been influences by prior exposure to Hawaiian
culture, values, and ways of knowing, residential location with a big population of Native
Hawaiians, and other extra-curricular activities such as hula. This previous exposure to Hawaiian
culture and values reaffirmed how valuable cultural wealth can be to a student’s college
experience.
Kanaʻiaupuni (2005) drew upon funds of knowledge, such as relationships to people and
land, compassion, interdependence and strong families as ways to engage and generate
improvements in higher education for Native Hawaiians. By integrating these funds of
78
knowledge, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students incorporated what they learned at
home, found a cultural fit within the institution, and achieved academic success (Kanaʻiaupuni,
2005). This study found that those outcomes are similar to those students of different ethnic
backgrounds who were raised on Oʻahu in terms of funds of knowledge, especially if they have
had prior exposure and have already internalized Native Hawaiian knowledge and practices. In
addition, their internal motivation to learn and deepen their own understanding might have been
a factor in the positive impact of learning Native Hawaiian values and practices.
Their college environment was crucial to how participants developed an open mind to
learning and being receptive to the Native Hawaiian content. Students felt that faculty, staff, and
other students shared the same values and mentality regarding success and failure. Taylor said, “I
think because everyone has the mentality. Like if one succeeds, we all succeed. But if one fails,
we all fail.” Their experiences affirmed learning through a strengths-based lens because many
participants felt that their culture was reflected in the institution or found connection and
similarities with the host culture. They also felt valued, invested, and a sense of belonging. Sina
added, “When natives thrive, everyone benefits. It’s good to see both sides.”
Recognizing cultural wealth allowed the students to be more open-minded and to engage
more deeply with Native Hawaiian values, practices, and knowledge in their classes and co-
curricular activities. The level of engagement was enjoyable, intentional, and meaningful.
Participants explored and engage more deeply in the content and values and connected these to
the class, themselves, and others. The environment was crucial in their level of engagement with
this content.

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Cultural Relevant Pedagogy
A way of achieving cultural wealth is to utilize CRP. Curriculum and pedagogy have an
influence on student learning. One of the components, cultural competence, refers to honoring
one’s own culture while gaining knowledge of other cultures to help yield succeed in and out of
school (Aronson & Laughter, 2016; Cole, 2017; Ladson-Billings, 2014). Rather than looking at
students as objects, students serve as subjects and affirm what they already know as valuable and
connects them with new learning (Kanaʻiaupuni & Ledward, 2013; Ladson-Billings, 2014;
Sleeter, 2012). Therefore, the Native Hawaiian facilitators and practitioners who taught Native
Hawaiian values and practices might have been another influence because of how they modeled
and taught these values and practices as well as how they welcomed non-Native Hawaiian
students to learn about this content. During his interview, JD reported how important his
professor was in learning about Hawaiʻi and the culture. He stated, “The professor was
influential. She opened my eyes to a different truth and she taught me about agency and taught
me that you don’t have to be Hawaiian to respect the land like a Native Hawaiian.”
Many of the participants enrolled in summer programs and engaged with the content
through faculty and staff modeling Hawaiian values through their own behavior. In addition,
content integration into a student’s major enhanced the deepening of learning about Hawaiian
knowledge and practices as well as their applicability and transferability into their potential
career. Moreover, observing how pilina, mālama ʻāina, and ʻohana were integral to the beliefs
and behaviors demonstrated by the facilitators and practitioners allowed students to understand
what it means to engage with these connections and reciprocate those values to self, land, and
others.

80
Sense of Belonging
Based on how they internalized what they learned regarding Native Hawaiian values,
knowledges, and practices, the participants felt an increased sense of belonging to the campus
and increased their involvement throughout their college career, such as in student government,
peer mentorship, student activity fee board, and campus jobs. Sina said, “I know that learning
this stuff is not just for the program/course requirement, but it gives me a sense of belonging
when I learn it.”
Data indicated that many participants believed the value of community and family
provided the support they needed to succeed and thrive in college. In addition, students expanded
their definition of sense of belonging from belonging with people to also belonging to place. Sina
discussed her participation in a summer program that centered the activities around Native
Hawaiian values and practices, such as learning ‘oli, or chants. She stated, “The summer bridge
program has really made me feel better about myself and you feel connected to the school or
something because the bond was so strong, not just the staff, but was with each other.”
Local Identity
Students provided a wide range of examples of how engaging in co-curricular programs
shaped their cultural identity. Their body language indicated a sense of confusion, as some
students desired to be Native Hawaiian and did not speak about their own cultural identity while
others were inspired to learn more about theirs. Some students identified more with “local
identity” than with their culture. Participants who found similarities between their culture and the
Native Hawaiian one were inspired to learn more about their cultural identity, such as Sina,
Sarah, and Courtney. For those who did not know about their cultural identity or did not
recognize it, there was a feeling of shame and guilt. Because the participants identified and
81
internalized the Native Hawaiian values and practices, it might be that, if the same values were
not reflected in their culture, there might be some confusion as to how to identify themselves.
Through the values of interconnectedness and a focus on connection to land, this study affirmed
that students foster a sense of interdependence focused on the success of the collective as well as
the individual.
Recommendations for Practice
Findings from this study suggest five recommendations for practice. These relate to
further integration of Native Hawaiian values and practices in higher education, assessing
students’ learning in these areas, increasing the number of Native Hawaiian practitioners on
campus, professional development to foster an inclusive environment, and developing
curriculum and co-curricular activities for students to explore their identity while learning about
the host culture.
Recommendation 1
The first recommendation is to normalize and systematically integrate Native Hawaiian
values and practices in curriculum and co-curricular activities. Although these values and
practices are already present in some areas, they are not systemically integrated across all
curriculum and activities. This study found that participants who are not Native Hawaiian have
benefitted from learning and practicing Native Hawaiian values and practices. These enhanced
their sense of belonging and sense of self and how it inspired them to contribute more
intentionally to the communities because of their understanding regarding this sense of
responsibility. By systematically integrating Native Hawaiian values, practices, and knowledge
in curriculum and co-curricular activities, students, may have the opportunity to deeply connect
to self, land, and people that will allow them to engage more. Many of the participants shifted
82
their goals and mindset to determine how they could better serve the community using their
college education. They learned academic content, and they learned about diversity, embracing
other people’s strengths and differences, and about their connection to land/ocean and other
people.
Recommendation 2
The second recommendation is to develop assessments that account for the impact of
learning and engaging with Native Hawaiian values, practices, and knowledge. Many of the
participants who reflected on their engagement with Native Hawaiian values, practices, and
knowledge related their engagement and learning through emotions and spirituality. Learning
through an Indigenous lens looks at the interconnectedness of body, mind, and spirit. Although
this learning cannot be measured through GPA or other quantitative assessments, it nevertheless
affects students’ development in terms of connections to each other and to the knowledge.
Recommendation 3
The third recommendation is to institutionalize Title III funded programs to hire and
retain Native Hawaiian practitioners to offer opportunities for students to learn, deepen, and
engage in their understanding of Native Hawaiian values and practices. Many of the co-
curricular programs and activities are funded by grants. Depending on the length and objectives
of the grant, only certain cohorts of students will engage in these life-transforming opportunities.
In addition, many of the faculty and staff who are employed by these grants are Native Hawaiian.
Therefore, once the grant ends, they may not continue at the institution. It is important that
people learn about Native Hawaiian values and practices from the host culture and people who
represent the host culture because the institution loses talent and knowledge that allow students
to deepen their understanding and knowledge of Native Hawaiian values and practices.
83
While it may be financially beneficial to have non-Native Hawaiians coordinate these
programs, doing so may not offer the same breadth, depth, and leadership as when they are
coordinated by Native Hawaiian practitioners. Non-Native Hawaiians can participate in these
programs, but they might be more helpful in a supportive role rather than a lead role. By
institutionalizing the co-curricular programs and their faculty/staff, more students will engage
and deepen their understanding of the host culture and values, which will allow them to deepen
their connection to self, others, and the place they are situated in.
Recommendation 4
The fourth recommendation is to implement professional development for all faculty and
staff to help foster an environment inclusive of all knowledge bases and cultural wealth.
Participants felt an increased sense of belonging to the campus because they felt that their values
were also reflected in the institution and the environment was overall welcoming and open to
allow the participants to be authentic and genuine. They felt they had additional support from the
institution, including faculty and staff, that allowed them to thrive and succeed in college.
However, not all faculty and staff provided the same type of environment consistently.
Participants noted that only some faculty and staff members reinforced Native Hawaiian values
and knowledge through curriculum or co-curricular activities, meaning that not all students
experience this learning. By offering professional development to all faculty and staff, all
students will have the opportunity to engage in an environment that values all knowledge bases
and cultural wealth in and out of the classroom.
Recommendation 5
The fifth recommendation is to create curriculum and co-curricular activities that allow
students to further explore their identity in the context of learning about the host culture. The
84
data showed a variety of emotions, from shame to pride, regarding Native Hawaiian values and
knowledge and their influence on participants’ identity. Developing curriculum and co-curricular
activities wherein students reflect on their identity development in relation to Native Hawaiian
culture, values, and knowledge may help develop intercultural competency, adding to the overall
college experience and fostering students’ growth and identity development.
Future Research
Study participants were a small group of students who were raised on Oʻahu and attended
HU. Research such as Kanʻiaupuni’s (2005) funds of knowledge serve engage and generate
improvements in higher education for Native Hawaiians (Kanʻiaupuni, 2005). There is little
research, however, on how these affect other students. This study added to the limited research
on how Hawaiian knowledge and values influenced non-Native Hawaiian students’ college
experience. Knowing how different knowledge bases affect a student’s experience in higher
education is important in designing future programs, activities, curriculum, and learning
experiences for all students.
Future research should continue to explore how Native Hawaiian values and practices
influence other groups in higher education. Research on transfer students, non-resident students,
military and military-connected students, and first-year students can examine the wealth of
experience and impact of Native Hawaiian knowledge and practices on the college experience.
Future research can also expand on how values such as sense of place and sense of responsibility
influence a student’s view of the host culture and/or their college experience.
Future research should also explore how Native Hawaiian practitioners, faculty, and staff
integrate Native Hawaiian knowledge and values into the curriculum and co-curricular activities,
especially in core subjects. Previous research found that integrating Indigenous knowledge and
85
practices yields positive outcomes for students. Students learn about Indigenous knowledge and
see the benefits of bridging Western and Indigenous thought (Dupuis & Abrams, 2017; HCC,
2016; Lemus et al., 2014). Integrating this type of knowledge for subjects such as English, math,
science, and other degree requirements could expand students’ perspectives on these subjects
through these different lenses. Moreover, this body of knowledge can add to the expanding
research on utilizing this knowledge base as cultural wealth and how teaching Native Hawaiian
values and practices can add to the limited research on integrating CRP in higher education.
Conclusion
Findings from this study reinforced that cultural wealth and engaging in Hawaiian values,
practices, and knowledge can foster or enhance students’ sense of belonging and engagement.
Students found more connections with other people and their place on Oʻahu, which opened the
pathway for more engagement with other people, the university, and the land on which they are
situated. In particular, students learned and internalized the values of pilina, , which included
connection to land and people and learned of the continued oppression and colonization of the
host culture. Through their understanding of these values, five senses emerged: sense of
belonging, sense of identity, sense of place, sense of self, and sense of responsibility. These
senses reflect the significance and importance of integrating Native Hawaiian knowledge and
practices in higher education to benefit students of all ethnic backgrounds.
Further research on the impact of Native Hawaiian values and knowledge on different
populations as well as analysis of curriculum and co-curricular activities can further validate
their presence in higher education. Findings from this study and future studies would help
institutions that want to honor the mission and vision of the host culture while also being
inclusive.
86
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CHAPTER 1-3 97

Appendix A
Recruitment E-mail

Aloha,

My name is Katrina Abes and I am an Ed.D. candidate with the University of Southern
California.
I am conducting a research study about students and the impact Hawaiian ways of knowing and
learning has had on their college experience. I am emailing to ask if you would like to take about
15 minutes to complete a survey for this research project. Participation is completely voluntary
and your answers will be anonymous. After completing the survey, you may be asked to
participate in an interview or focus group.
If you are interested, please click on the link for the survey and additional information:
[SURVEY LINK]. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at
kabes@usc.edu.

Thank you for your time.
Katrina Abes
Ed.D. Candidate, University of Southern California

CHAPTER 1-3 98

Appendix B
Student Pre-Survey
How long have you lived on Oʻahu? __________________________ Age: ___________

Sex: ___ M F

Ethnicity: Check ALL that apply to you.

_____ African, African American
_____ American Indian or Alaskan Native
_____ Asian: Chinese, Korean, Japanese
_____ Filipino
_____ Hawaiian / Part-Hawaiian
_____ Pacific Islander: Fijian, Micronesia, Samoan, Tahitian, Tongan
_____ Southeast Asian: Cambodian, Laotian, Thai, Vietnamese
_____ Hispanic: Puerto Rican, other Hispanic
_____ Other: please specify: ___________________________

Did you start your college journey at the University of Hawaiʻi – West Oʻahu?

_____ Yes _____ No

Class Level:
_____ Freshman (0-30 cr) _____ Sophomore (31-60 cr) _____ Junior (61-90 cr) ____ Senior (91+ cr)

Major: ________________________________________________________________________

I have taken the following classes at University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu: (Please check all that apply)
_____ Hawaiian Studies 107 (HWST 107) _____ Hawaiian Pacific Studies Class (HPST)
_____ Hawaiian Language (HAW) _____ History 284 (HIST 284)
_____ History 498C (HIST 498C) _____ Music 211 (MUS 211)
_____ Music 311 (MUS 311) _____ SCFS 300
_____ SCFS 385 _____ SCFS 415
_____ SD 103 _____ HLTH 300
_____ Other classes with Hawaiian content (Please list: ________________________________)

I have participated in the following activities at the University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu: (Please check all that apply)

_____ Pili ʻAina _____ Service Learning (Please list: ______)
_____ Oli _____ Onipaʻa
_____ Ike Ola _____ Farm to Table Workshops (Please list: ____)
_____ Other co-curricular activities that integrate Hawaiian content (Please list: ____________)

PARTICIPANT CERTIFICATION
Would you be willing to participate in an interview and / or focus group? If so, please fill out the information below:

Name: ________________________________________________________________________

Phone Number: _____________________ E-mail: ___________________________________

CHAPTER 1-3 99

Appendix C
Student Interview Protocol
Hi! How are you? My name is Katrina Abes.

Conversation Starters prior to starting the interview: What high school did you graduate
from? What made you decide to go to UHWO? How is your semester going so far?

Beginning of Protocol: Thank you so much for volunteering and allowing me to conduct an
interview with you. This interview is to look at how you experience Hawaiian ways of knowing
and learning, particularly what your perceptions are and how it may or may not have influenced
your identity and / or sense of belonging. Before we begin, I do want to lay out some things:
- All answers will be kept confidential and will only be used for an assignment. I will be
giving everyone who participates and the classes fake names so that no one will be
identified.
- Your honest opinion and perceptions are important to relay to me so that I can better
understand how this class impacts on your success as a student.
- If you don’t mind, I would like to record our interview so that I can accurately capture the
comments and answers that you provide. Would that be okay?
- I want you to think of yourself as the narrator so the questions I will be asking are going
to ask you to tell stories / memories related to your time at University of Hawaiʻi West
Oʻahu.
We will start off with a broad question first so I can have a basic understanding and definition of
Hawaiian ways of knowing and practices. Many of the following questions after will ask you to
think about your experience at the university as well as how it has influenced you in different
areas. Any questions? Let’s begin.

- When you hear of Hawaiian ways of knowing and Hawaiian practices, what does that
mean to you? What does that look like? What does that mean in a university setting?
- What was it like for you learning about Native Hawaiian Indigenous knowledge?
- Tell me more about that. What was it that was ____________?
- How do you feel about learning about Native Hawaiian Indigenous knowledge and
practices?
- In your opinion, what do you think is the purpose of learning about Native Hawaiian
Indigenous knowledge in higher education?
I have observed that much of the knowledge that you are learning stems from Native Hawaiian
Indigenous learning. These next set of questions are gonna ask you what you think about what
the content that you are learning in relationship to your sense of belonging.

- What does it mean when you hear sense of belonging?
- Did you always feel a sense of belonging to Hawaiʻi? Why or why not?
CHAPTER 1-3 100

- Do you feel a sense of belonging to UHWO? Why or why not?
- What impacted your sense of belonging to Hawaiʻi or UHWO?

These next set of questions are gonna talk about the topics or lessons you learned in your classes.

- What would be an example of a topic that you believe has helped you be successful here
at UHWO? Describe how that topic has helped you be successful here at UHWO. What
did you learn and what would be an example of how you applied it (two separate
questions)?
- What topics, if any, were most valuable / relevant to your personal life?
These last set of questions are asking to look at your college experience as a whole. This will
also be a time to share your artifact.
- How, if at all, has your participation in Indigenous knowledge and practices lead you to
think about your own identity? What would be an example of that?
- What is it that you are (or did) taking away from these classes? What were your
“learnings?” What would be an example of how you have used that as you have
continued here at UHWO? Tell me about a time when you used something that you
learned in this class for something else you were doing here at school.
- What artifact did you bring? What does it represent to you? Why did you choose that
artifact?

CHAPTER 1-3 101

Appendix D
Focus Group Protocol
Beginning of Protocol: Aloha! Thank you all for coming. I hope you got some food to eat. The
purpose of these talking circles is so that we can share and learn together. This talking circle is to
look at how you experience Hawaiian ways of knowing and learning, particularly what your
perceptions are and how it may or may not have influenced your identity and / or sense of
belonging. Before we begin, I do want to lay out some things:
- All answers will be kept confidential and will only be used for an assignment. I will be
giving everyone who participates and the classes fake names so that no one will be
identified.
- Your honest opinion and perceptions are important to relay to me so that I can better
understand how this class impacts on your success as a student.
- If you don’t mind, I would like to record our interview so that I can accurately capture the
comments and answers that you provide. Would that be okay?
- I want you to think of yourself as the narrator so the questions I will be asking are going
to ask you to tell stories / memories related to your time at University of Hawaiʻi West
Oʻahu.
- Please share for yourself. Your stories are important in helping all of us understand you
and your experience at UHWO.
- After each question, we will take turns answering the questions. You have every right to
pass each question that you do not want to answer.
- Does anyone have any questions? Let’s begin.
Prompts:
1. I would like to open the circle by having each of us tell each other your name, the
meaning of your name, your major, the community that you come from, and why you
chose UHWO.
2. Tell us what has been the most impactful class you have had so far and why.
3. Tell us about a time that you felt extremely welcomed or did not feel welcomed at
UHWO.
4. If you could describe Indigenous knowledge and practices as a metaphor, what would it
be? Why would you describe it as that?
5. How do you feel about learning about Native Hawaiian Indigenous knowledge and
practices?
6. How, if at all, has your participation in Indigenous knowledge and practices lead you to
think about your own identity? What would be an example of that?
7. In your opinion, what do you think is the purpose of learning about Native Hawaiian
Indigenous knowledge in higher education?

CHAPTER 1-3 102

Appendix E
Information Sheet
University of Southern California
Information Sheet for Research

(STUDY TITLE)

You are invited to participate in a research study conducted by Katrina Abes at the University of Southern
California. Please read through this form and ask any questions you might have before deciding whether or
not you want to participate.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
This research study aims to understand how integrating Indigenous knowledge and practices influences a
non-Native Hawaiian student’s identity and sense of belonging.

PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT
If you agree to take part in this study, you will be asked to participate in an interview or focus group at the
University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu. Interviews will approximately be 45 minutes – 1 hours. Focus groups
will approximately be 1 hour. You do not have to answer any questions you don’t want to.

PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
You will receive a $5 Starbucks gift card

CONFIDENTIALITY
If data are anonymous:
There will be no identifiable information obtained in connection with this study. At the completion of the
study, the anonymous data may be used for future research studies. If you do not want your data used in
future studies, you should not participate.

If data are coded or identifiable:
Any identifiable information obtained in connection with this study will remain confidential. At the
completion of the study, direct identifiers will be destroyed and the de-identified data may be used for future
research studies. If you do not want your data used in future studies, you should not participate.

Required language for either condition:
The members of the research team and the University of Southern California’s Human Subjects Protection
Program (HSPP) may access the data. The HSPP reviews and monitors research studies to protect the rights
and welfare of research subjects.

INVESTIGATOR CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please feel free to contact Katrina Abes at
kabes@usc.edu or Dr. Tracy Tambascia, Dissertation Chair, at tpoon@rossier.usc.edu.

IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have questions, concerns, or complaints about your rights as a research participant or the research in
general and are unable to contact the research team, or if you want to talk to someone independent of the
CHAPTER 1-3 103

research team, please contact the University Park Institutional Review Board (UPIRB), 3720 South Flower
Street #301, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0702, (213) 821-5272 or upirb@usc.edu

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Asset Metadata

Creator Abes, Katrina Guerrero (author)

Core Title Understanding indigenous ʻike: the impact on sense of belonging and local identity on Hawaiʻi’s students

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 12/06/2020

Defense Date 08/18/2020

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag cultural relevant pedagogy,identity,Native Hawaiian knowledge,OAI-PMH Harvest,sense of belonging

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Tambascia, Tracy (committee chair), Green, Alan (committee member), Kahumoku, Walter III (committee member)

Creator Email kabes@usc.edu,katrinag@hawaii.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-400893

Unique identifier UC11666521

Identifier etd-AbesKatrin-9173.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-400893 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-AbesKatrin-9173.pdf

Dmrecord 400893

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Abes, Katrina Guerrero

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA