November 2024
"Navigating How We Care for Our Ocean" is a multi-part video series that highlights the stories of individuals in communities across the Pacific Islands Region dedicated to protecting and preserving our ocean through their professions and passions. Featuring diverse perspectives, the series includes local cultural practitioners alongside NOAA representatives, all of whom share insights into the history, cultural significance, and reverence for our ocean. By focusing on sanctuary protections and cultural practices, the series aims to foster a deeper understanding in how we navigate the interconnectedness of community and ocean stewardship.
The series kicks off with an episode about the cultural relevance of ocean advocacy and the reciprocity in which we honor culture and people through national marine sanctuary and marine national monument protections. Future episodes will highlight Indigenous Knowledge and traditions as a foundation for ocean stewardship, place-based expertise and utilizing passion to fuel change, and the many communities and partnerships that are critical to the work that the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries does.
Episode 1: Honoring Place and Resources
In the inaugural episode, we delve into the cultural relevance of ocean advocacy and explore the reciprocal relationship between honoring culture and protecting marine environments. This episode seeks to inspire the next generation of ocean stewards, emphasizing the importance of engaging with and learning from the traditions and wisdom of those who have long cherished our ocean and begs the question, “How do you navigate caring for our ocean?”
Three members of Hawaiʻi’s community share with us how they navigate caring for our ocean. The first person we get to meet in this episode is Randall Kosaki who is the research coordinator at NOAA’s Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, specializing in the behavioral ecology and biogeography of Pacific coral reef fishes. With a strong commitment to integrating Native Hawaiian culture into marine management, he emphasizes the urgency of preserving ocean ecosystems while sharing his experiences exploring the planet’s previously unexplored depths.
We also get to meet Haunani Kane, who is a pioneering climate scientist and the first Native Hawaiian woman to earn a doctorate in geology. Her work merges ancestral wisdom with modern science. As a research representative on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Advisory Council, she advocates for climate resilience in low-lying islands and actively collaborates with the next generation of ocean stewards through the MEGA LAB.
Closing up the theme of honoring place and resources, Kasie Kaleohano, an educator and Kumu Hula for Hālau Ka Lehua Pua Kamaehu, emphasizes the interconnectedness of hula, the Hawaiian language, and the ocean, highlighting education as a means to empower her community. She expresses the deep relationships between Hawaiian arts and the natural environment, emphasizing how the ocean inspires cultural identity and traditions in island communities.
Randall Kosaki
We dive into the insight of Randall Kosaki, the research coordinator at NOAA’s Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. With a rich academic background, including a master’s degree and doctorate in zoology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Kosaki has dedicated his career to the behavioral ecology and biogeography of Pacific coral reef fishes. His passion for marine life extends beyond research; he enjoys photographing, catching, and cooking fish, all while cultivating a profound respect for the ocean. In our conversation, Kosaki shares his experiences by diving into some of the most unexplored depths of our planet, revealing discoveries that have yet to be seen by human eyes. He emphasizes the importance of integrating Native Hawaiian culture into management practices, seeing it as a key to preserving one of the last great wild places on Earth. With a blend of optimism and urgency, Kosaki discusses how understanding the historical context of Papahānaumokuākea can guide restoration efforts for the main Hawaiian Islands, urging us all to recognize the critical opportunity we have to protect our natural heritage. Join us as we delve into his compelling vision for the future of marine conservation.
Haunani Kane
We sit down with Haunani Kane, a pioneering climate scientist and Hawaiian voyager whose work beautifully intertwines ancestral wisdom with modern science. Raised at the foot of Olomana mountain in Kailua, Oʻahu, Haunani’s journey has led her to become the first Native Hawaiian woman to earn a doctorate in geology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. As the research representative on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Advisory Council, she has been at the forefront of advocating for low-lying island resilience in the face of climate change. Drawing from her rich experiences, including her role as a Polynesian Voyaging Society crew member, Kane shares insights into her collaborations with the next generation of ocean stewards at the MEGA LAB. Her perspective on the integration of cultural and natural resource management resonates deeply, highlighting the profound connection between community and environment.
Kasie Kaleohano
We had the pleasure of speaking with Kasie Kaleohano, an educator and dedicated Kumu Hula for Hālau Ka Lehua Pua Kamaehu. With a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of hula, the Hawaiian language, and the ocean, Kaleohano emphasizes that education is fundamentally about sharing knowledge and empowering her community. She articulates the profound relationships between Hawaiian arts and the natural environment, emphasizing how the ocean is woven into the fabric of daily life in our island communities. Kaleohano describes how our natural environment influences cultural concepts and traditions. Her interview explores her insights into the vital role in preserving and celebrating Hawaiian culture, and how the ocean remains a source of inspiration and identity for her and her community.
Stay Tuned For Future Episodes
We’ve explored the beautiful connection between culture, advocacy, and the ocean, hearing from experts and community leaders dedicated to protecting our ocean. From Randall Kosaki’s focus on coral reef ecosystems and the integration of Native Hawaiian culture in marine conservation, to Haunani Kane and her team's ability to merge ancestral knowledge with modern research in their pursuit of ocean and climate science, and Kasie Kaleohano’s commitment to using hula and education to inspire her community, each story sharing the significance of honoring both place and tradition. Together, they inspire us to reflect on our own roles as ocean stewards and ask, “How will we navigate caring for our ocean?” Keep an eye out for Episode 2: “Bringing People to Place,” where we will meet Cindy Among-Serrao, as she shares her journey of protecting koholā (humpback whales) and becoming a voice for marine wildlife, and Hōkū Pihana as she shares how her love for waʻa (outrigger canoe) and how the ocean allows her to connect people to place through her work at the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center. We will also meet Lucy Lee, an apprentice navigator and voyager, whose voyaging experiences allow her to strengthen her and her communityʻs relationship to the ocean.