(Re)weaving intimacies with 'Āina for our past, present, and future

Colonial systems have sought to sever Kanaka ' $\overline{\text{O}}$ iwi (Native Hawaiian) from 'āina (land, that which feeds), undermining Indigenous flourishing and community wellness. Yet, the 'ōlelo no'eau (Hawaiian proverb) reminds us, i ka wā ma mua, ka wā ma hope, the future is in the past. This paper traces the journey of 'āina relationships across time: from ancestral epistemological foundations, through colonial disruption, to contemporary revitalization, and toward futures grounded in collective autonomy, dignity, and liberation. ' $\overline{\text{A}}$ ina represents far more than physical territory; it encompasses a living, reciprocal relationship between people and place that sustains Kanaka ' $\overline{\text{O}}$ iwi for generations. Drawing on mo'olelo (history, lore), 'ōlelo no'eau, mele (chants, songs), and scholarship, we examine how knowledge of 'āina emerges through relational and genealogical frameworks, embodied learning, and place-based practices. We unravel how colonization systematically disrupted these relationships while highlighting contemporary initiatives that are (re)claiming and (re)vitalizing connections to 'āina. We intentionally close by (re)weaving intimacies forward, envisioning what becomes possible when Kanaka ' $\overline{\text{O}}$ iwi epistemologies are honored, when land and water are returned back to community, and when wellness is not about resilience to ongoing harm but thriving within restored intimacies with 'āina.