The Kāhea to Return Home: Diasporic Kānaka ʻŌiwi and Higher Education

This paper explores the perspectives of two Kānaka ʻŌiwi wāhine (Native Hawaiian women) born and raised in the diaspora and their journeys in navigating their way back home to Hawaiʻi. The modern usage of the term diaspora, in the context of Kānaka ʻŌiwi, is used to describe Native Hawaiians who were born or who have spent significant time outside of Hawaiʻi. However, from a Hawaiian worldview, our kūpuna (ancestors) made us Kānaka ʻŌiwi. We share our stories of being born and raised in the diaspora and what that meant for us as Kānaka ʻŌiwi. In telling our story, we center our shared experience of utilizing the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UH Mānoa) as a means to make our way home. We share the development of our shared kuleana (responsibility and privileges) to address a need to create a space and form a hui for haumāna with shared experiences of diaspora. With the help of Native Hawaiian Student Services (NHSS), we had the privilege to connect with our fellow diasporic Kānaka ʻŌiwi haumāna (students) to establish the Native Hawaiian Diaspora Association. We hope to bring more awareness to the increasing amount of diasporic Kānaka ʻŌiwi at UH Mānoa and the importance of a space like the Native Hawaiian Diaspora Association in serving the unique needs of our students. For UH Mānoa to become a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning, it must recognize, honor, and support the many diasporic Kānaka ʻŌiwi haumāna who receive the kāhea to return home.