Our Editorial Standards & Commitment

ʻŌiwi News exists to uplift ʻike, amplify diverse Native Hawaiian voices, and keep our lāhui informed.

Kaiāulu is our best first response

Over the past few weeks, back-to-back Kona Low storms drenched the pae ʻāina in the worst flooding Hawaiʻi has seen in over twenty years. And before any official alert went out, before any evacuation order was signed, our people were already moving. Door to door. Group texts. Instagram posts asking

Disaster, Recover, Resilience: How Do I Prepare for FEMA?

Our neighbors are showing up. Community orgs are raising and distributing aid. Local officials are taking action. So where is the federal government?

Here’s why we started ʻŌiwi News.

ʻŌiwi News is built by ʻŌiwi storytellers for our lāhui. We don't just share the news. We contextualize it, amplify community voices, and ask why it matters to us specifically. Our history. Our language. Our perspective.

Emergency aid launched to support Native Hawaiians affected by government shutdown

OHA and the Hawaiian Council have opened applications for $6.1 million in emergency assistance to help Native Hawaiians facing hardship.

Nicholas Kealiʻi Lum bridges tradition and innovation in mele Hawaiʻi

A University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo doctoral candidate is revitalizing Hawaiian music by weaving ʻōlelo and experimental sound together through the Makuakāne Fellowship.

Families Face Rising Evictions Amid Hawaiʻi’s Housing Crisis

As more residents fall behind on rent following the federal shutdown, community groups urge cooperation to keep families in their homes.

New livestream access of OHA public meetings now available to community

A new five-year partnership between OHA and ʻŌlelo Community Media aims to expand connectivity and access to the decision-making process.

Is Oʻahu losing the battle against the coconut rhinoceros beetle?

For more than a decade, CRB have infested Oʻahu, killing off native plants and ʻāina resources.

Hawaiʻi Leadership Forum welcomes new Omidyar Fellows cohort

Fourteen leaders from across Hawaiʻi have been selected for Cohort X of the Omidyar Fellows, an 18-month program grounded in ʻāina, relationships, and applied learning.

New OHA program is designed to reduce barriers to home ownership for Native Hawaiians

A new OHA initiative aims to help Native Hawaiian homebuyers bridge financial gaps and move toward ownership.

Uncle John's Kōnane School: How John Kaʻohelauliʻi is reviving tradition one game at a time

Uncle John Kaʻohelauliʻi is on a mission to restore Kōnane, once a favorite strategy game of aliʻi and makaʻāinana across Hawaiʻi.

ʻĀina

UHERO report highlights gaps between industry, resident, and visitor views of tourism

A new UHERO study finds tourism executives, residents, and visitors often see Hawaiʻi’s visitor industry very differently, from workforce challenges to the meaning of “regenerative tourism.”

Culture

Nanea TV brings ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi to life with 3D animation

Created by Susie Canda of Puna, Nanea TV uses 3D animation to share ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi and local stories with keiki and ʻohana worldwide.

Education

UH Hilo reports Native Hawaiian enrollment up 4% after years of decline

Native Hawaiian enrollment rose after years of decline, now making up a third of the student body.

ʻĀina

ʻŌiwi leaders call for stronger protections for Papahānaumokuākea

Native Hawaiian leaders and community advocates are raising concerns over proposed federal changes that could weaken protections for a place of deep cultural and ancestral significance.

Community

Native Hawaiian education program faces threat of total funding cut, nonprofit warns

Hawaiʻi nonprofits are preparing for $45 million in possible cuts, which would devastate early learning, workforce training, and family support services statewide.

Education

Dr. Osorio returns to teaching after leading Hawaiʻinuiākea

After nearly a decade as dean of the Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, Dr. Jonathan Kay Kamakawiwoʻole Osorio is stepping down from administration to return to the classroom.

Education

Federal cuts eliminate $12.9M in Native Hawaiian & Alaska Native education grants

Federal officials cut millions in education grants for Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native students, threatening programs that support culture, language, and equity.

Culture

HTA expands support for cultural programming across Hawaiʻi

HTA has awarded nearly $1 million in funding to community-based organizations.

Health

Study finds Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander youth face highest rates of sexual violence in Hawaiʻi

A new UH Mānoa study found that Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander youth experience the highest rates of sexual violence in Hawaiʻi compared to their peers.

Health

Study finds rising stroke rates among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders

New research highlights a troubling increase in acute ischemic strokes among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations.

ʻĀina

HCDA’s “20-Minute City” plan raises concerns over Native Hawaiian sites

The Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority is moving toward final approval of its “20-Minute City” plan for Kalaeloa.

ʻĀina

DHHL approves Kalaeloa racetrack development agreement

DHHL has approved a development agreement to move forward with a long-discussed racetrack project in Kalaeloa, Oʻahu.