Our Policy Guide and Framework on Culture, Tradition, and Innovation
Lepo ʻUla recognizes that the strength of our communities have always come from the wisdom of our people — from generations of observation, adaptation, and innovation rooted in special – and often – familial-symbiotic relationships with ʻāina; the relationships we share with each other; and the relationships we maintain with the spiritual and metaphysical world beyond. We also understand that non-Native Hawaiian sciences and technology can offer tools that, when used thoughtfully, can support our mission to strengthen food security, restore rural economies, and perpetuate Native Hawaiian ways of life.
This guide provides the kahua – the foundation and framework – for how we approach, evaluate, and integrate both Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) sciences, knowledge systems, and technologies and non-Native Hawaiian sciences, knowledge systems, and technologies in our work. It reflects our commitment to cultural integrity, environmental stewardship, and the long-term -physical and spiritual – well-being of our communities and their places.
Guiding Principles
Our work stands at the intersection of tradition and innovation. These are just a few of the great many and numerous guiding principles that shape how we evaluate and apply both Native Hawaiian and non-Native Hawaiian knowledge, ensuring that every decision we make strives to honor ʻāina, kupuna, and each other, while uplifting our community, and remaining accountable to future generations. They serve as the foundation for how Lepo ʻUla approaches opportunities, navigates challenges, and builds a future rooted in respect, balance, and shared responsibility.
Aloha
(Love)
Pono
(Balance; Excellence)
Nānā i ke Kumu
(Look to the Source)
Mālama ʻĀina
(Care for the Natural World)
ʻAʻohe Pau ka ʻIke i ka Hālau Hoʻokahi
(Not all Knowledge is Contained withing a Single School)
ʻImi ʻIke
(Far-Seeking)
Kuleana
(Responsibility)
Koa
(Courage)
Hanohano
(Honor)
Kūpaʻa
(Loyal; Unstoppable)
ʻOnipaʻa
(Steadfast; Immovable)
Alakaʻina
(Leadership)
Kūlia i ka Nuʻu
(Strive for the Summit)
Kūlia e Loaʻa kā Naʻauao
(Strive to Obtain Wisdom)
Kūlia i kō Ikaika
(Exert Your Strength)
Declaration
Recognizing that as Native Hawaiians, lineal descendants, and cultural practitioners, we hold an inherent kuleana to effect positive change for our communities and way of life, and that such kuleana is an expression of our right to self-determination;
Acknowledging that this kuleana arises at a critical moment for our survival, having endured generations of historical injustices that have eroded our lands, resources, character, and cultural integrity, yet left us with a greater responsibility to rebuild, re-energize, and safeguard the future for those yet to come;
Affirming that we are engaged in the ongoing struggle for a better future and the betterment of our collective conditions, committed to doing so in ways that honor our history, respect the wisdom of our kūpuna, and protect the cultural heritage entrusted to us;
Recognizing, however, that time changes and the challenges we now face may not always yield to solutions rooted solely in tradition, and that responsible integration of non-Native Hawaiian sciences, knowledge systems, and technologies—when aligned with a pono purpose—may be necessary to achieve the greatest benefit for our people, as our ancestors themselves adapted to a rapidly changing world;
Emphasizing that in all such integration, we will uphold the principle of free, prior, and informed consent of stakeholder communities, conduct thorough cost-benefit analyses, and remain steadfast in seeking the greatest possible benefit with the least possible harm to traditions, culture, and identity;
Affirming further that we will respect all endemic and indigenous traditions and cultures of place, create space for multiple voices, and safeguard the intellectual and cultural property of Native Hawaiian and local communities, even in the face of disagreement or difficult decisions;
Therefore, we declare that these principles shall guide our policies, our projects, and our practices — ensuring that progress is pursued without compromising the heritage, dignity, and self-determination of the Native Hawaiian people.
Policies & Practices
In all Lepo ʻUla projects and initiatives, we commit to the following:
Cultural Acknowledgement & Respect
We will acknowledge and respect all endemic and indigenous traditions and cultures respective of place, understanding that traditional beliefs may vary and even conflict.
We will create space for multiple voices, knowing that, short of compromise, necessary actions may not always have full consensus.
Minimizing Harm While Maximizing Benefit
In circumstances where a strategy, initiative, technology, or method is necessary for the greater good of the community but may cause negative impacts on tradition, culture, identity, or values, we will always explore alternative approaches first.
Our goal will be to achieve the greatest possible community benefit while ensuring the least possible cultural, spiritual, or environmental harm, recognizing that some decisions require careful balance rather than simple compromise.
Integration with Pono Purpose
We will integrate non-Native Hawaiian sciences, knowledge systems, and technologies only when they serve a pono purpose — one that is morally, culturally, and environmentally aligned with our mission and values.
Determining whether a purpose is pono requires considering the free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) of stakeholder communities, conducting a thorough cost-benefit analysis, and upholding our kuleana to create meaningful, lasting, and positive change.
Community Engagement Guided by FPIC
We will actively engage communities in decision-making processes that may affect their cultural practices, resources, or way of life, ensuring that participation is free of coercion, fully informed, and sought before any decision or action is taken.
We will honor FPIC as a living commitment, not a procedural checkbox — meaning we will listen deeply, communicate transparently, and respect the right of communities to withhold consent.
Engagement will be ongoing, recognizing that meaningful consent is maintained through relationships built on trust, reciprocity, and respect.
Protection of Intellectual & Cultural Property
We will safeguard traditional ecological knowledge and cultural practices from exploitation, misappropriation, or commodification without consent.
We will ensure that any shared knowledge benefits the originating community first and foremost.
Continuous Learning & Adaptation
We will remain open to evolving practices, innovations, and lessons learned, while staying firmly rooted in our kuleana to our ancestors, our land, and our descendants.