Ka Welina: An indigenous, values-based model for tourism in Hawai’i and the Pacific Islands.
Abstract (150 Words)
In response to a history of conventional mass tourism culture that has exploited and marginalized Native Hawaiians and other indigenous people of the Pacific, Ka Welina emerged as an alternative, indigenous, and values-based approach to mass tourism that seeks to empower local indigenous communities and restore the integrity of sacred places. Ka Welina is modeled after the traditional custom of hosting and visiting (ho’okipa) common to many Pacific cultures, that is guided by core values of ‘ohana (family) and aloha (love) and rooted in a relationship of mutual respect and reciprocity between the host and visitor. The conceptual framework of the model was based on experiences in Tonga, Samoa, and Aotearoa and adopted to test out in Hawaii. This project defines the Ka Welina model, identifies key principles and components of the model, and explores the community-based process that was adopted to develop the model.
Ka Welina: An indigenous, values-based model for tourism in Hawai’i and the Pacific Islands.
In response to a history of conventional mass tourism culture that has exploited and marginalized Native Hawaiians and other indigenous people of the Pacific, Ka Welina emerged as an alternative, indigenous, and values-based approach to mass tourism that seeks to empower local indigenous communities and restore the integrity of sacred places. Ka Welina is modeled after the traditional custom of hosting and visiting (ho’okipa) common to many Pacific cultures, that is guided by core values of ‘ohana (family) and aloha (love) and rooted in a relationship of mutual respect and reciprocity between the host and visitor. The conceptual framework of the model was based on experiences in Tonga, Samoa, and Aotearoa and adopted to test out in Hawaii. This project defines the Ka Welina model, identifies key principles and components of the model, and explores the community-based process that was adopted to develop the model.
