"Voices Unearthed: Understanding Indigenous Perspectives on the Lahaina Wildfires and Socio-Economic Dynamics in Hawaii"
Nathan S. Li

University of Toronto St. George Campus
Research Supervisor: Dr. Megan Youdelis

Introduction & Project Background
In the first week of August 2023, news cycles began to catch on to the devastating news of a horrific blaze tearing through the Island of Maui in the State of Hawaii. The precise location of the blaze was Lahaina, a county town on the west shore of Maui, known to be the most popular destination for incoming tourists. Social media platforms were flooded with posts about the disaster, raising awareness, generating donations, and providing details. The primary point of discussion that arose became the Indigenous Kānaka Maoli community’s reaction and response. The Lahaina wildfires seemed to be the final straw of a brewing resentment toward patterns of injustice primarily caused by capitalist ventures and the economic exploitation of local communities. During a recent visit to the island, I had the pleasure of engaging in authentic conversations with numerous local friends who openly shared personal anecdotes about the impact of wildfires or other devastation that had affected them. Hearing the touching stories of these residents sharpened my resolve to understand further the systemic factors contributing to the appalling inequity facing Indigenous Hawaiian communities. I am determined to advocate for increased awareness and justice on behalf of this community. I hope to do so by further educating myself on the salient issues facing these communities, and tangibly serving where I can to uplift them. By conducting this research, I hope to disseminate Indigenous sentiment into the field of academia and raise awareness and education about this subject for all. Scholarship in the field of Pacific Indigenous Policy has been limited. Research focusing on the socio-economic repercussions of natural disasters on Indigenous populations, as highlighted by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), can shed light on the vulnerabilities and unique challenges these communities face. Understanding the historical and ongoing effects of colonialism on Indigenous peoples is essential for contextualizing the current socio-economic and environmental struggles of the Kānaka Maoli.

Research Objective & Questions
This subject's incredible weightiness and sensitivity make conducting research a delicate task. Nevertheless, amplifying local voices and perspectives is crucial to identifying avenues of action. My goal is to investigate and document Indigenous sentiment on the island of Maui, expressly but not limited to the events of the Lahaina wildfires. I hope to disseminate the voices of Kānaka Maoli activists into relevant academia, raising awareness of the urgency and severity of their appeals. 

In light of this, the key research question I will examine is: 
RQ1: How has the population of Indigenous Kānaka Maoli Hawaiians endured the effects of the Lahaina wildfires, and how do they perceive the cause, effect, and response?

A short series of additional questions will help further guide my investigation:
RQ2:  What factors created the vulnerability and difficulty responding to the fires? 
RQ3: How do tourist culture and sociogeographical seclusion affect disaster response and local perception?
RQ4: How does the colonial history of the Hawaiian state affect its current sociographical struggles? 

Methodology
For this research study, I will use the qualitative method of the phenomenological and action research approach. Phenomenological research will be beneficial in examining and documenting the lived experiences of residents impacted by the Lahaina wildfires and others who can articulate the general frustration felt by the local community. This style of qualitative analysis is best considering the novelty of the circumstances and little literature representing Kānaka Maoli voices. Additionally, the action research will consist of exploring the opinions of experts and local community leaders as to avenues for improving practices and seeking action. The results for both approaches will be collected through qualitative pre-designed semi-structured interviews with selected individuals. 

Participants will be local Kanaka Maoli individuals. Local leaders, Activists, Scholars, Professors, or Legislators would all be potential candidates. The sample size of five is an estimate based on standard practice for similar studies found in academia as well as the six-week timeframe allotted to realistically conduct thorough data collection. Participants will be directly selected by the researcher through public information (eg. university databases, organization websites, and social media) and invited to participate. The research study implies that personally identifiable information will be collected and research intentions will be made clear in email correspondence and the informed consent form. In the interview process, all candidates will be asked to state their name and self-identified title. Questions may vary from interview to interview, but responses will include expert testimony and anecdotal evidence.

The research will be led by Indigenous Hawaiian protocol, including any research dissemination following the University of Hawaii’s guide to qualitative research with kupuna (Haitsuka et al. 2023). Where possible and appropriate, scholarly research participants (professors and experts) will be invited to consult writing before publication to ensure Indigenous knowledge holders control how their knowledge is used and disseminated.

Timeline

I will now present a tentative timeline for the six weeks of independent research over the summer. For weeks 1 and 2 (June 17-30) and before, I will conduct preliminary research on related studies and available literature. I will also begin to find and compile a list of potential respondents who will be local community leaders, activists, and representatives whose perspectives will be relevant to my research questions. Subsequently, I will professionally contact respondents through email, social media, and in person to introduce my research and propose a scheduled interview time. Preliminary work may begin earlier if needed. For weeks 3-6 (July 1-28), I plan to conduct the scheduled interviews, meet with different experts, and document their contributions. I hope to speak with at least five or more correspondents. When not conducting interviews, I will be tailoring potential questions for planned interviews and combining insights from previous interviews in preparation for writing the final research paper. I also intend on spending these weeks visiting and volunteering with the town of Lahaina to observe and aid in the aftermath of the fires. Doing so will allow me to develop a more holistic understanding of the disaster and expand my sample of possible respondents. The total time spent In Hawaii will depend on housing and transportation prices closer to the research time. Interviews will conform to the revised schedule. 

Resources & Support
My research supervisor is Dr. Megan Youdelis, a Sessional Lecturer of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Toronto and the University of Guelph. Dr. Youdelis will guide and mentor my research process with her knowledge, experience, and publications on the intersections between colonialism, capitalism, environmental issues, Indigenous livelihoods, and sovereignty. Through emails and meetings throughout the year and during the six weeks of research, Dr. Youdelis will act as my research liaison and receive regular updates on my progress. She will help guide my literature review and may provide potential interview contacts through her research network on Indigenous-led conservation.

Potential Impact
The anticipated goals of this research are multifaceted. Firstly, it aims to elevate the voices of the Kānaka Maoli community, providing a platform for their perspectives on the Lahaina wildfires and broader socio-economic issues. The project will contribute to, build upon and depart from the growing bodies of literature on colonial and decolonial conservation and pave the way for future research on the potential of Indigenous-led conservation and fire management in Lahaina.

The foreseen impact of this research is significant in several dimensions. It could influence policy development by shedding light on the vulnerabilities and difficulties faced by Indigenous communities during and after natural disasters, potentially leading to more informed and effective interventions. Additionally, the research seeks to contribute academically by filling a gap in the literature, particularly regarding Kānaka Maoli voices in the aftermath of such disasters. Ultimately, the findings aspire to serve as a foundation for advocacy efforts, calling for justice and increased awareness regarding the challenges faced by Indigenous communities, especially in the context of economic exploitation and systemic injustices, exposing colonial impacts on the Pacific Island.