“Their Resilience is Our Inheritance”

Research on Indigenous well-being has often focused on problems and hardships. While these challenges are real, this “deficit” approach doesn’t tell us enough about how Native Hawaiians draw on their strengths to protect and strengthen their well-being—especially in the face of historical trauma that continues to affect their communities today.

Much of what we know about resilience comes from Western perspectives and research with mostly White North American and European populations. These findings don’t always reflect the histories, cultures, and lived experiences of Indigenous peoples. Although many Indigenous communities share experiences of colonization, each has its own unique culture and history that shape how resilience is expressed and sustained.

To truly support Native Hawaiian well-being, research must move toward a strengths-based approach that centers Native Hawaiian voices, values, and cultural practices. By understanding resilience from a Native Hawaiian perspective, we can identify culturally grounded ways to promote healing, protect well-being, and support thriving communities.