Project Grant PN30377425

The University of Hawaii at Manoa received a $150,000 project grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Promotion of the Humanities Division of Preservation and Access program (CFDA 45.149) to conduct the "ECHOES OF WAI (WATER): ORAL HISTORIES FROM MAUI" project. This two-year initiative aims to record and share the voices and experiences of 30 Maui residents, with a focus on the Lahaina area affected by the August 2023 fires and the adjacent Central Maui region. The project will use indigenous methods and prioritize engagement with Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community members, water rights activists, and cultural practitioners. The recorded oral histories will serve as tools for advocacy, education, and community engagement, promoting dialogue and action towards restorative justice, equitable water governance, and sustainable resource management on the island of Maui.