As Kanaloa (in this context, he is the ocean) rises and reaches further inland on the shores of Hawaiʻi, decisions will need to be made on what to do about the existing and future natural and built shoreline. The coastline has been a part of the lives of Kānaka ʻŌiwi (Native Hawaiians) since time immemorial. In this place, our people continuously build our relationship to ʻāina (that which feeds), traverse the ocean, nurture and harvest food and other resources, care for the spirits of our ancestors who are often buried near the coast, heal our bodies, and recreate through activities like swimming, paddling, diving and surfing. The colonization of Hawai‘i resulted in a U.S.-state governance structure and Hawai‘i’s coastal zone management laws. Without clear pathways for Kānaka ʻŌiwi voices to engage in coastal planning for Kanaloa's migration inland, current adaptation efforts lack adequate representation. This talk will focus on my journey from sea level rise research as a climate scientist and coastal geologist to my current PhD endeavors in Indigenous Planning. In particular, I focus on the development of planning and governance processes to uplift Indigenous land use perspectives within sea level rise responses.
