It was really hard to hear about all of the different ways that colonization has destroyed not just the land but also people's connection to it -- they also reminded me of stories of similar events in Hawaiʻi. It is also inspiring to hear about how people come together, from all across the world (including kiaʻi from Mauna Kea!), to support this iwi in their struggle for landback and sovereignty.
Another challenge that members of Te-Wai-o-Hua told us they have been facing is climate change. Because of the changing environment and temperatures, some methods that their tūpuna used for gardening and some of the plants that they would have grown are no longer viable.
One way that Te-Wai-o-Hua is adapting to the environment is by growing different plants, including some non-native ones, to see if they can survive in a changing climate. There is often a conception that to practice "indigenous culture," we have to stick with exactly what our ancestors were doing before the arrival of colonizers. However, this is not true! First of all, it's impossible, and second of all, why force Indigenous cultures to be static? All cultures change and adapt over time, and this does not make them any less "authentic." I think that one of the most important aspects of Indigenous techniques of food-growing is the reciprocity of the relationship with the earth, the idea that gardening is nurturing for both our bodies and the earth. Invasive plants do not fit into this kind of gardening! That doesn't mean that all non-native ones are incompatible, and some can be very nurturing for communities if they provide a good source of food.
