Cultural affairs requests focus on Mauna ʻAla stewardship, repatriation, language resources and a proposed OHA seal/flag
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Summary
OHA cultural affairs staff asked trustees to fund site surveys and archival research (example: Mauna ʻAla), expand language and audiovisual resources, and support stewardship and repatriation work, while proposing a small staff expansion to implement the work.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ cultural affairs presenter described a portfolio of proposals aimed at strengthening language programs, cultural competency across the agency, stewardship and repatriation efforts and international indigenous partnerships.
Core aims and spending priorities: The cultural office said priorities for the biennium include expanded Hawaiian language and cultural programming for youth and families, development of cultural leadership and mentorship, stewardship planning for Mauna ʻAla and other sites, and expanded repatriation efforts for kupuna and artifacts. The presenter argued culture should “drive OHA strategies” and not be an add‑on to program design.
Contracts for cultural surveys: Staff described contracts to perform detailed cultural surveys and historical research tied to specific sites. As an example, the presenter said an in‑depth, unabridged cultural survey (including archival and Hawaiian‑language newspaper research, cataloging mele and contextual materials) had previously been completed for a comparable project by a contracted team and that similar work for Mauna ʻAla or Kukaniloko would cost in the tens of thousands of dollars per site. The cultural presenter framed a roughly $45,000 annual contract line as the kind of investment needed to assemble primary cultural documentation for stewardship or potential transfers.
Language, archives and audiobooks: The cultural office described plans to expand digital resources—Papa Kilo training modules and audio renditions of Hawaiian‑language texts and out‑of‑print materials—for schools and community use. The presenter said audiobooks and accessible archives would help spread kupuna histories and Hawaiian‑language works to a broader audience.
Ceremonial identity and regalia: The presenter supported Ferra’s CEO office request for an official OHA seal and ceremonial pins/flags to present to dignitaries; the cultural office said a properly designed seal and limited ceremonial regalia are appropriate for government‑to‑government and high‑level cultural exchanges.
Staffing and implementation: The cultural office is seeking a director of Hawaiian ethos and an additional project manager to execute stewardship and repatriation work. The presenter described use of external contractors for deep archival work while building internal capacity.
Ending: The cultural office asked trustees to treat the requests as investments in cultural infrastructure—documentation, capacity and partnership—rather than discretionary event spending; staff offered to provide more detailed scopes and cost breakdowns for site‑by‑site work if trustees direct follow‑up.
