Kohala-Kona Coast Resorts Hawaiian Culture Ambassadors meet about DMAP

Hawaiian Culture Ambassadors from the Kohala-Kona coast properties met with Hawaiʻi Island DMAP manager Rachel Kaiama on September 8 getting current updates on DMAP activities. Ambassadors attended from their respective properties including Maunakea Beach Hotel, the Fairmont Orchid, the Hilton Waikoloa, the Outrigger Kona, Marriott Waikoloa and the Four Seasons Hualālai. The meeting underlined HTA’s four pillars of strategic directions and accountability, shared the regenerative tourism model, the Pono Pledge, and highlighted the DMAP actions and sub actions, namely actions on protecting and preserving culturally significant places; developing resources and educational programs to perpetuate authentic Hawaiian Culture and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi; support and promote ʻāina-based education and practices to protect and preserve our natural resources so that residents and visitors will aloha ʻāina; and implements a comprehensive communications and education plan that facilitates positive community-visitor relations and pono practices, including the Pono Pledge (Actions A, B, C, E). Culture Ambassadors shared DMAP activities on their properties and discussed ideas on sharing the Hawaiian Culture with visitors and locals including:

• If a visitor or local cannot name the place by its proper Hawaiian place name, kala mai, we don’t know where that is, such as Mermaid Beach or Green Sand Beach
• If you don’t have kuleana for a place, we don’t recommend you go there
• Never correct kūpuna, always show respect and humility
• In translating English into Hawaiian, not all English sentences or words can be translated into Hawaiian, because Hawaiian language does not have words that are equivalent to English words. And sentences sometimes cannot be translated because of its subject matter or meaning.
• In asking for a hula, please ask for something else other than the Hukilau
• Kōkua leaders to be on board about the Hawaiian culture and Hawaiian culture values, especially Aloha. Revisit the State Law of Aloha to bring it to the forefront of leaders’ decision-making and actions.

Hawaiʻi island-wide hotel, resort and hospitality industry cultural ambassadors interested in joining upcoming meetings on culture and sharing DMAP, please contact Rachel Kaiama at [email protected].